International RBC Agreements

Agreements promoting international Responsible Business Conduct (international RBC) involve partnerships between businesses, trade associations, government, unions and NGOs. Together, these partners work to identify and prevent abuses like exploitation, animal suffering and environmental damage. Since 2016, the Dutch RBC Agreements have gained experience with implementing the due diligence expectations of the OECD Guidelines. Please check the websites of the individual agreements for practical tools and guidelines.

Cotton pickers in action. Illustration for the Dutch Agreement on Sustainable Garments and Textile.

Why conclude IRBC agreements?

International business dealings may involve complex problems such as environmental pollution and child labour. By concluding agreements, businesses work with other stakeholders to tackle these problems.

Background

In 2014, the Social and Economic Council of the Netherlands (SER) recommended concluding multistakeholder agreements in each relevant sector. By cooperating, stakeholders can concentrate their efforts to combat abuses.

OECD Guidelines

Watch a short video about the OECD Guidelines here. Together with the UNGPs, these form the framework for international RBC.

Agreements

All agreements

News

03 October 2024

Baseline assessment on due diligence gives IRBC Renewable Energy Agreement parties focus in cooperation

How do companies that participate in the IRBC Agreement for the Renewable Energy Sector establish and strengthen their due diligence practices for the benefit of people and planet? By learning about their strengths and weaknesses, and by turning this into actions all parties can benefit from.

09 July 2024

TenneT new member IRBC Agreement for the Renewable Energy Sector

We are pleased to welcome TenneT as a new party to the International RBC Agreement for the Renewable Energy Sector. As a grid operator TenneT provides and important part of the electricity infrastructure in the Netherlands and Germany. The company focusses on integrating the transport of electricity on a European level and believes firmly that renewable energy sources are key in the energy transition. This requires both innovation and a holistic view on a sustainable future. With their commitment to the Agreement the total number of companies, organisations and governments involved expands to 53.

03 July 2024

First yearly progress report IRBC Agreement Renewable Energy Sector

How sustainable is the renewable energy sector? You might think that in itself it is a green sector, but sustainability is not just about producing energy without CO2 emissions, but also about the quality of the supply processes in value chains. There lies a major challenge. Many of the raw materials for wind turbines and solar panels come from countries where human rights, the environment and biodiversity are under threat. The renewable energy sector, however, is determined to be part of the solution here too.

News overview