Poland – Guidance to business

2017-2020 NATIONAL ACTION PLAN

Pillar III: Access to remedies

4. OECD National Contact Point [page 49]

The OECD NCP’s main task is to promote and disseminate the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises … The OECD Guidelines are recommendations for the standards of responsible business conduct addressed by governments to enterprises whose business extends in any way beyond the boundaries of one country. The Guidelines should be respected by enterprises that are based in one of the countries that implement the Guidelines and wherever they conduct their economic activity. For this reason, it is worth ensuring that the Guidelines are available to all entrepreneurs.

2021-2024 NATIONAL ACTION PLAN

2.Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy

Accessibility Plus Programme

In the years 2021-2027, initiatives launched in previous years will be continued. In order to provide architectural advice to entrepreneurs, it is planned to launch five accessibility knowledge centres at higher education institutions. The Centres’ fields of operation will concern: architecture, urban planning and construction, transport and mobility, digitalisation and communication, design and everyday objects, and health. – page 8

Responsible business – promoting due diligence standards

The effectiveness of activities carried out so far in the form of cooperation within the Advisory Board for Sustainable Development and Corporate Social Responsibility encourages further development of the initiative and dialogue with representatives of various institutions and sectors. Therefore, the activities of the Advisory Board for Sustainable Development and Corporate Social Responsibility will be continued in the years to come. Within the framework of the Advisory Board’s work, plans involve a continuation of activities in the field of promoting standards related to respect for human rights in business activity of enterprises. A significant role in this respect will be played by the Working Group for Relations with Individuals Performing Work. The scope of tasks of the Working Group will be determined each time by the Advisory Board for Sustainable Development and Corporate Social Responsibility within the framework of annual action plans. The plans of the Working Group include, among others, the following activities:

o     promotion of the handbook entitled: “Forced labour. A Guidebook: how to recognise and combat it” consisting in a wide-ranging e-mailing of the handbook, mailing of the paper version and organisation of webinars on the tools presented in the handbook. Information on the tools developed in the handbook will also be provided during meetings and trainings addressed to entrepreneurs organised by the Advisory Board for Sustainable Development and Corporate Social Responsibility,

o     promotion of the handbook entitled: “CSR Guidebook to Safe and Sustainable Work Environment” consisting in distribution of the handbook in both electronic and printed versions and by establishing cooperation with centres and institutions dealing with the labour market in Poland in order to discuss the issues included in the handbook and the needs for changes in the Polish labour law system, – page 10

Activity of the OECD National Contact Point for Responsible Business Conduct

The Polish OECD National Contact Point for Responsible Business Conduct (OECD NCP) was established in 1998, two years after Poland’s accession to the OECD. Since 2016, OECD NCP has been operating within the structure of government administration, currently in the Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy (MFiPR) in the structures of the Office of the Minister.

As part of the operations of the OECD NCP in the area of respect for human rights in business activity of enterprises, the following activities are planned:

2.       promotion of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and the OECD sectoral recommendations, with particular emphasis on those concerning respect for human rights,

3.       continuation of activities aimed at translating OECD documents on responsible business, which have not yet been translated into Polish, including involvement of representatives of relevant industries and sectors in the process of translation and verification of the documents,

4.       organisation of thematic information meetings on the activities of the OECD NCP to promote responsible business standards and the complaint mechanism for reporting potential violations of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises,

5.       processing of notifications of potential violations of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises by multinational enterprises. – page 11

4. Ministry of Family and Social Policy

Social Policy for Elderly People 2030. SAFETY – PARTICIPATION – SOLIDARITY

Promoting the principles of corporate social responsibility and age management among employers will be implemented through:

o     conducting information campaigns, trainings for employers on the benefits following from employment of an older person;

o    creating an image of an economically active older person in the social and media space;

o     promoting flexible forms of employment among employers;

o     promoting good practices and sharing experiences in this area.

Promoting knowledge of the principles of the silver economy among commercial and non-commercial entities will be implemented through:

 conducting information activities addressed to entrepreneurs, as well as social and solidarity economy entities as regards knowledge of the principles of the silver economy and needs and solutions related to accessibility and adaptation of websites and electronic services to older persons; – page 16

Update of the ‘Family and work’ platform

Over the next two years, a number of further measures are planned in the area related to work-life balance in connection with the implementation of the ‘Good climate for quality jobs’ project with funding provided under the Norwegian Financial Mechanism. The plans involve, among others, an update and further development of the rodzinaipraca.gov.pl platform, as well as large-scale awareness-raising activities among employers, employees and the general public (including awareness-raising campaign, nationwide meeting of fathers, competition for employers creating friendly workplaces for working parents). – page 21

5. Ministry of Finance

Implementation of the Good Practice Catalogue on due diligence for European Union importers of tin, tantalum and tungsten, their ores, and gold originating from conflict-affected and high-risk areas

To this end, good practices are being introduced. They comprise in particular:

• Maintaining a dedicated tab on the website of the Ministry of Finance providing information on responsible sourcing of ‘3TG’ minerals: https://www.gov.pl/web/kas/konfliktowe-mineraly

• Various forms of meetings with selected importers and national industry organisations on ‘3TG’ minerals to build awareness related to the implementation of the provisions of the aforesaid Regulation, as well as OECD and UN guidelines.

• Undertaking cooperation with the Entrepreneurship Support Department of the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development as well as the CSR and Cooperation with NGOs Unit in the Minister’s Office in the Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy in order to reach a wide range of entrepreneurs who are subject to the obligations under aforesaid Regulation. Due to this cooperation, an even greater number of entrepreneurs receive information/training materials (e-learning), in the area of ‘conflict’ minerals.

• A newsletter sent to importers of ‘3TG’ minerals in Poland and sending important information to importers’ e-mail addresses, e.g. information on changes in regulations, instructions, explanations.

• Operating a contact line for importers of ‘3TG’ minerals. Contact details are available on the dedicated website of the Ministry of Finance (link above).

The practices identified above allow businesses to learn what benefits they gain by introducing due diligence into their supply chains, help companies introduce due diligence into their metals and minerals supply chains, as well as understand, assess and mitigate risks pertaining to responsible sourcing. – page 24

9. Ministry of State Assets

Best practices for WSE-listed and State Treasury (ST) companies

There are plans to develop best practice recommendations for companies listed on the WSE which, in line with global trends, will emphasise the importance of non-financial capital (e.g. human or environmental capital) used by companies and extend the scope of reporting on non-financial factors.

Every year, the Prime Minister issues Guidelines for companies with State Treasury shareholding preparing financial statements, containing information on non-financial reporting (part III of the Guidelines).

The Ministry of State Assets also analyses the possibility of introducing – at the level of good practices – regulations for ST companies concerning corporate social responsibility. – page 28

13. National Labour Inspectorate

Statutory tasks

The statutory tasks of the National Labour Inspectorate include, in particular:

– providing technical guidance and legal advice; – page 35

Supervisory and inspection activities

The National Labour Inspectorate actively supports employers’ involvement in issues concerning safety and working conditions, as well as employee participation, both in its oversight and inspection capacity and in its preventive and promotional activities. These include seminars, conferences, and training meetings with employers involved in permanent workplace safety improvement programmes (enhanced oversight in industrial establishments, regular inspections in construction, rail infrastructure, forestry, and mining sectors). – page 37

Appendix 2 (information of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

GOOD PRACTICE CATALOGUE FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS IN THE FIELD OF BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS2

Recommendations

– provide Polish enterprises operating in the host country with information and advisory assistance to support them in ensuring respect for human rights in areas affected by armed conflict. – page 48