Read the final statement issued by the US NCP concluding the specific instance - 12 May 2016
On 9 February 2015, IUF, an international federation of trade unions, submitted a specific instance to the US NCP alleging conduct inconsistent with the chapters on General Policies, Human Rights and Employment and Industrial Relations of the OECD Guidelines by Starwood affiliates in the Maldives and Ethiopia.
The US NCP determined that the matters raised merited further consideration and were relevant to the implementation of the Guidelines. As a result, on 9 July 2015, the US NCP issued an initial assessment to the parties offering mediation which was accepted by both parties.
On 12 May 2016 the NCP published a final statement indicating that the mediation had resulted in agreement between the two parties. A statement was released upon conclusion of the mediation noting that:
“Both parties have participated in the mediation process in good faith resulting in a successful outcome. The parties have reached full resolution of the concerns raised by IUF pertaining to the discharge of workers and the collective bargaining process at the Sheraton Addis Ababa hotel. In regards to Sheraton Maldives, the parties shall reconvene at an agreed location to continue to explore options in good faith to resolve the matter.’’
In its final statement, the US NCP recommended that Starwood review their human rights policies and supplier code of conduct to make reference to the guidance on responsible business conduct available in the OECD Guidelines and indicated it would follow up with the parties within a year.