Poland

Pillar II. The corporate responsibility to respect human rights [page 28]

(…)By preparing the National Action Plan for implementation of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the government administration is sending a clear signal to entrepreneurs, pointing out that the obligation to apply the UN Guiding Principles is the best way to promote a responsible approach to conducting business activity and thus implementing other international standards, including the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.

At the same time, the tasks included in the NAP help public administration:

– formulate expectations for entrepreneurs and support them in their fulfilment;

– support access to effective remedies for victims of human rights violations by business enterprises under Polish jurisdiction;

– promote understanding of the need to counter emerging risks and threats to business and human rights as an instrument contributing to a successful business;

– conduct a coherent policy and provide information about planned activities in the field of respecting human rights in business.

Pillar II. The corporate responsibility to respect human right

2. Dialogue and exchange of knowledge and experience in implementing CSR [page 30]

There are four categories of corporate activities that relate to corporate social responsibility: corporate governance, employees, the environment, and the product.

The activities conducted within these categories may include:

1) the shaping of an ethical organisational culture, codes of ethical conduct, risk management, communication of CSR/RBC activities through disclosure of non-financial data (social reporting, integrated reporting), anti-corruption measures;

2) dialogue with employees, concern for workplace safety, ensuring optimal working conditions, respect for human rights, recognition of the importance of diversity in the workplace, concern for the health of employees, and work-life balance;

3) responsible management of natural resources, reduction of gaseous emissions, responsible waste and sewage management, reduction of energy and water consumption;

4) responsible approach to supply chains, including the extraction and transport of raw materials, production and transport of intermediates, responsible investments, stakeholder dialogue, and consumer education.

The Polish government administration has been working intensively for years on the implementation of CSR principles. Following Poland’s accession to the OECD in 1996, a National Contact Point (OECD NCP) was established, the main task of which is to promote the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, which provide an international standard for responsible business.

Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) is supported by public administration through dialogue with business and social stakeholders. This dialogue has so far been conducted by two corporate social responsibility advisory boards:

1) The CSR Advisory Board that was a subsidiary body to the Prime Minister in the years 2009-2013,

2) The CSR Advisory Board that was a subsidiary body to the Minister of Economy in the years 2014-2015.

In September 2016, the Minister of Economic Development and Finance established the Advisory Board for Sustainable Development and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR Advisory Board) (Journal of the Minister of Economic Development of 22 September 2016, Item 49). The main task of this subsidiary body to the Minister of Economic Development and Finance is to conduct dialogue and exchange experiences between public administration, businesses, social partners, non-governmental organisations, and research and development institutions in order to develop recommendations and proposals for sustainable development and disseminate the principle of social solidarity and responsible business conduct.

The CSR Advisory Board convenes four times a year and continues in the following working groups between its meetings:

1) The working group for CSR strategy;

2) The working group for business ethics and responsible business conduct standards;

3) The working group for education and popularisation of CSR.