United States

Introduction
Responsible Business Conduct [page 4]

‘Globally, the U.S. government is dedicated to engaging on RBC at the most senior levels. The June 2015 G-7 Summit Leaders’ Declaration recognized “the joint responsibility of governments and business to foster sustainable supply chains and encourage best practices.” The October 2015 G-7 Labor and Employment Ministerial Declaration sets out how G-7 countries will strive to lead by example in their own practices to collaborating with stakeholders to facilitating RBC by companies. The “responsible supply chains” issue is expected to be an important part of the agenda for the G-20 under the German Presidency in 2017.

The U.S. government also actively engages on these issues through the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Working Party on RBC, with the Office of the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises, and with the International Labor Organization (ILO) through its work to advance Decent Work in Global Supply Chains.’

The National Action Plan

Leading by Example [page 7]

The U.S. government advocates for strong RBC policies and practices around the world and recognizes the importance of leading by example, implementing this philosophy by continuing to review and improve its own efforts and by learning from others. The U.S. government remains committed to working with governments to raise global standards for RBC, including on labor rights, human rights, and anti-corruption, and to lead a race to the top. Promoting RBC benefits companies from all countries that fight corruption, combat human trafficking, promote labor and human rights, and adhere to high standards. Through leadership on these issues in various international organizations, including the UN and OECD, the U.S. government will continue to advocate for effective implementation of relevant international provisions in order to advance RBC.

Our efforts to encourage good practices and promote and facilitate remedies are strengthened when stakeholders work collaboratively based on common frameworks, standards, approaches, and through coordinated action. In order to further facilitate such collaboration, the U.S. government will continue its leadership on RBC in relevant multilateral venues, and other regional bodies across the globe. Consistent with its leadership role, the U.S. government remains committed to enforcing relevant laws and regulations that have an international reach.

The U.S. government will continue to encourage and model good practices by leveraging its purchasing power, which totals more than $450 billion for goods and services each year, including nearly $25 billion on services performed overseas. Through this influence, the U.S. government aims to accelerate the pace at which RBC practices are developed, adopted, and sustained globally by improving awareness of best practices related to human rights among the tens of thousands of companies with which it does business each year, and encouraging contractors to exercise due diligence and take steps where existing practices can be strengthened.

Outcome 1.1. Promoting RBC Globally

Ongoing Commitments and Initiatives [page 8]

Bilateral and Multilateral RBC Statements: The United States uses bilateral and multilateral diplomacy to promote RBC and business environments conducive to RBC. Examples include the 2015 G-7 Leaders’ Declaration on sustainable supply chains and the 2015 U.S.-China statement at the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue recognising the importance of RBC by both countries’ firms operating abroad. State and other agencies will continue to seek to expand the number of countries adopting policies and practices conducive to RBC. Implementing Agency or Department: State, DOL

Inter-American Convention Against Corruption: The United States will continue to actively support implementation of the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption, including through active participation in the country review process. Implementing Agency or Department: DOJ, State, Treasury, Commerce

Asia–Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC): The U.S. government has played an important role in numerous APEC initiatives to combat corruption, including the recent APEC Principles on the Prevention of Bribery and Enforcement of Anti-Bribery Laws, as well as the APEC General Elements of Effective Voluntary Corporate Compliance Programs adopted by APEC Leaders in 2014. For example, in August the United States and Peru hosted an all-day APEC Workshop on anti-bribery corporate compliance programs and incentives, organised by the Peruvian High-Level Anticorruption Commission and the Department of Commerce. The U.S. government is also actively engaged in the Business Ethics for APEC Small and Medium Enterprise Initiative, the world’s largest collective action mechanism to strengthen ethical business practices in the medical device, biopharmaceutical, and construction and engineering sectors. Implementing Agency/Department: State, Commerce

International Labor Organization: The U.S. government will continue to engage with representatives of employers and workers, and with other governments, to address key issues including but not limited to: employment, protection of worker rights, and social protection. To that end, the U.S. government played an active role in the June 2016 International Labor Conference discussion on the opportunities and challenges in advancing decent work in global supply chains. Implementing Agency/Department: DOL, State

Promotion of Robust Safeguards at the World Bank and other International Financial Institutions (IFIs): The U.S. government will continue to play a leading role in encouraging strong safeguard and sustainability policies across multilateral development banks and other IFIs. Over the course of the World Bank’s recently-completed Safeguards review, the U.S. government supported strong provisions in the Bank’s Environmental and Social Framework approved in August 2016, including a new safeguard on labor and working conditions, and encouraged the World Bank to incorporate human rights issues in its safeguards. Implementing Agency or Department: Treasury, DOL, State, USAID

Outcome 1.2 Utilise US Law, Multilateral Agreements, and Diplomacy to Promote and Enforce High Standards

Ongoing commitments and initiatives

Anti-Bribery and the OECD: The United States plays a leadership role in the Anti-Bribery Convention’s monitoring mechanism, conducted by the OECD Working Group on Bribery in International Business Transactions, which has been instrumental in increasing the number of countries enacting and enforcing foreign bribery laws. In the coming year, the U.S. government – led by State, the Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Commerce, and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) – will continue to push for robust country reviews of Parties to the Anti-bribery Convention and examine obstacles to advancing the global efforts to address international bribery and corruption. Implementing Department or Agency: DOJ, SEC, State, Commerce