Sweden

By Daniel Morris | 27. November 2017

Annex: Measures taken

In 2013, the Swedish Government adopted a platform for Swedish action on corporate social responsibility (CSR). The issue of business and human rights has received considerable attention in recent years. The following examples describe some measures already taken in accordance with this policy.

The State as actor [page 29]

  • Sweden has entered into memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with certain countries on structured cooperation on corporate social responsibility. For example, there are two MoUs between Sweden and China, including an action plan for 2010–2015, under which a special Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has been set up at the Embassy of Sweden in Beijing. Among other activities, the CSR Centre provides training for Chinese participants. Chile and Sweden signed an MoU on corporate social responsibility in 2012. The possibilities of similar MoUs with other countries are being explored.
  • Sweden has pushed for the inclusion of references to CSR in the chapters on sustainability in the EU’s bilateral and regional trade agreements, investment agreements and partnership and cooperation agreements.

Annex: Measures planned

Trade promotion [page 29]

  • Business Sweden (the Swedish Trade & Invest Council) will be instructed to strengthen its implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and, in particular, to support small and medium-sized enterprises in this area.
  • Sweden will act to ensure that the EU includes references to CSR, including the UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights, in the sustainability chapters of its bilateral and regional trade agreements, investment agreements and partnership and cooperation agreements.
  • Sweden will work with like-minded countries in the EU to strengthen EU policy in this area, for example, by persuading more EU countries to adopt national action plans based on the Guidelines.

The State as development partner 

  • The Government will integrate sustainability issues into trade policy and export promotion and in the context of the relaunch of the Policy for Global Development and its efforts to contribute to the new global sustainable development goals (SDGs).
  • Sweden will encourage organisations such as the UN, the EU, the OECD and the World Bank to promote corporate respect for human rights within their respective mandates.