Read the final statement issued by the NCP of Germany – 26 June 2018
Read the follow up statement issued by the NCP of Germany - 10 January 2020
On 2 May 2016, the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), together with other organisations and five individuals, lodged a complaint with the German NCP. The complaint relates to a social audit conducted by TÜV India, an affiliate of TÜV Rheinland. The audit concerned a textiles factory which, at the time of the audit in June 2012, was based in the factory building of Rana Plaza in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The complainants contend that this review fell short of standards set out Chapters II (General Policies), IV (Human Rights) and V (Employment and Industrial Relations) of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.
In its Initial assessment of 26 July 2016, the German NCP accepted the complaint for further examination with regard to several of the issues raised. These related to Chapters II (General Policies), IV (Human Rights) and V (Employment and Industrial Relations) of the OECD Guidelines.
Whilst the parties spent much time engaging in active and full mediation talks to resolve the matters raised, in the end that they were unable to reach agreement because their difference in approaches vis-à-vis social audits and potential ways to improve them were too profound.
In its final statement dated 26 June 2018, the German NCP voices its regrets about the parties’ not reaching an agreement as this might have helped spur a constructive discussion on how social audits could be conducted and possibly improved. Hence the German NCP lists a number of relevant issues and recommends that the parties continue to discuss the matters raised within their respective spheres and continue to involve other relevant stakeholders. Furthermore, the German NCP asks the parties to submit a report detailing the steps they have taken in response to this recommendation.