Markets and regulators increasingly require businesses to act more responsibly in their activities and along global value chains. Recently, the European Union (EU) introduced new legislation to promote climate neutrality, and more sustainable financial flows and business practices in supply chains. In this context, Ireland aims to develop a Responsible Business Compass to navigate relevant EU legislation and national support. The compass will help Irish policymakers foster coherence and support businesses, notably small and medium-sized enterprises, to understand their obligations and access support, thereby facilitating compliance and competitiveness.
This report presents OECD recommendations on Ireland’s future compass. It builds on a comparative analysis of EU legislation on due diligence, deforestation, forced labour, batteries, circular economy, eco-design, product repair and carbon emission pricing, also in light of OECD responsible business conduct standards. It provides a policy system mapping of how Irish policies can promote business compliance and uptake, where gaps exist and where to find synergies. OECD recommendations were informed by a cross-ministerial and multilevel policy dialogue, involving 13 Irish departments and agencies at national and subnational levels, and a broad stakeholder consultation. The report comes with a pilot visualisation tool developed by the OECD for user experience experimentation.
