Sustainable Development

Preamble

This globalization presents extraordinary opportunities for an open and commercially engaged country like Belgium. It also makes Belgium’s companies social actors in countries where they are active, far beyond the purely economic aspect. This reality cannot be conceived of an isolation from the rest of our foreign policy. Very committed to the universal principles of human rights as well as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Belgium wants to help its companies, whether public or private, to take these considerations structurally and horizontally in their operations in Belgium, certainly, but also abroad.

Belgium is fully aware that if it is to be effective, this work must be done in a concerted manner and in collaboration with business and civil society, NGOs, and trade unions It is in this spirit that in 2011 we supported the resolution of the Human Rights Council, which adopted the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), the product of many years of consultation with all stakeholders (companies, NGOs, trade unions) and with the full support of the latter. It is also in this spirit that Belgium is committed in the government agreement to adopt a National Action Plan (NAP) implemented its Guiding Principles.

Foreword

At the instigation of the institutions of the European Union, the Flemish, Walloon, and Brussels federal and regional governments have decided to develop a National Action Plan (NAP) implementing the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, unanimously adopted on 17 June 2011 by the United Nations Human Rights Council. This plan will also provide an opportunity to reaffirm Belgium’s support for a number of commitments made in other forums that overlap with the same principles, such as the Guidelines for Multinationals (revised in 2011) of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) or a series of commitments made at the level of the International Labour Organization (ILO).

In addition, this plan contributes to Belgium’s efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and in particular, Goal 8 “Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all” and Goal 12 “Establish Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns”.

Action Point 6

Belgian SDG Charter on the role of the private sector, civil society, and the public sector on international cooperation (Page 27)

Charte belge ODD sur le rôle du secteur privé, de la société civile et du secteur public dans la coopération internationale

Federal Government Action:

In 2016, Belgian development cooperation initiated the drafting and signing of a Belgian SDG Charter on the role of the private sector, civil society, and the public sector on international cooperation. The first step in the realization of this Charter was the organization of a round table at the beginning of February 2016, which brought together some 40 CEOs from companies active in developing countries to give them more information about the 2030 Agenda and the role that could be reserved for the Belgian public sector.

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Pillar 1. State duty to respect human rights

Strand 1: Training in the Field of Business and Human Rights

Action Point 1.5 [page 32]

The Ministry of Social Development will:

Through the Division of Public-Private Cooperation, include the focus on business, human rights and sustainable development in training activities about Public Incentives to Benefit Social Development by means of:

• Workshop-seminars about Public Incentives to Benefit Social Development for Business Enterprises and public-private cooperation in accordance with the Guiding Principles and the 2030 Agenda, thus strengthening the State-Business nexus and promoting due diligence in human rights.
• Introduction of a module about the “Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and their connection with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” in a workshop-seminar organised by business senior and executive staff.

Action Point 1.7 [page 33]

The National Human Rights Institute will:

Train staff working in regions about business, human rights and sustainable development, in line with the 2030 Agenda.

Strand 4: Transparency and Participation

Action Point 4.2 [page 40]

The Public-Private Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Social Development will include questions about the Guiding Principles in the 2017 Study about Social Performance of Business Enterprises, as well as the result of these variables in the final performance report, which will include an analysis of the results and their relationship with the SDGs. Medium and large-size public and private business enterprises will participate in the study.

Strand 6: Strengthening Coherence between Public Policies

Action Point 6.1 [page 44]

Among the efforts being made to implement the 2030 Agenda, the Ministry of Social Development will stress the importance of Human Rights and their relationship with the business industry. For this, the Ministry will:

Disseminate the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in, at least, two instances of participation and dialogue focused specifically on addressing the subject of rights in the social environment. Business enterprises, academic centres, the civil society, the State and autonomous bodies would participate in these activities.

Carry out, for the dissemination of the 2030 Agenda, participation and reflection actions with business enterprises.

Organise, during the diagnostic stage of the actions related with the 2030 Agenda, a first analysis workshop aimed at discussing proposals linked with the contribution of the private sector to achieve the SDGs, with the participation of private businesses, academic centres, the civil society, the State and autonomous bodies.

Action Point 6.3 [pages 45-46]

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will:

Generate an opportunity to discuss, at a national level, about the integration of the Agenda of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development, as well as about the challenges of these Agendas about the contribution of business enterprises. Regarding this national commitment, the Ministry is committed to generate crossreferences about human rights and climate change in the reports prepared about these subjects submitted to international organisations.

Action Point 6.4

The Ministry of Economy will:

Incorporate the Action Plan in the working agenda of the Economic Board integrated by the National Council for the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development, by following up the indicators proposed in the Action Plan that relate with the design and execution of the said Agenda.

Prepare an annual report informing about the relationship between cooperatives and SDGs. This report will include a special chapter about human rights.

Strand 7: Strengthening of International Political Coherence

Action Point 7.2 [page 47]

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will:

Through the Directorate of Human Rights:

Submit a report with recommendations to the National Council for Sustainable Development about the link between the Guiding Principles and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Contribution by Other Actors [page 65]

3. Global Compact Chile will organise a series of activities with technical support by the Directorate of Human Rights of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and international organisations.

This will have the purpose of building capabilities regarding the Guiding Principles and the Sustainable Development Goals in business enterprises that are members of Global Compact Chile, such as:

•  Creation of a Working Group on Business and Human Right in Global Compact.
•  Introduction workshop about their application, practice and connection with the SDGs.
•  Four working sessions aimed at including the human rights focus and how it is applied by business enterprises about the SDGs.
•  Collection and dissemination of tools for the adoption of due diligence by companies, in line with the SDGs, introducing material available of the Global Compact World Office.

IV. Implementation, Monitoring and Follow-up [page 68]

1. Progress achieved by the Action Plan will be also incorporated in reports about the 2030 Agenda in Chile, both regarding the global and regional mechanisms …

6. The Economic Working Group for implementing the 2030 Agenda will incorporate progress made by the Action Plan to the progress achieved in the SDGs 17 in compliance reports.

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III. OBJECTIVES

… the specific objectives that will develop the general objective mentioned above are the following:

(…)

• Contribute to the fulfilment of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

 

IV. POLICY DEFINITION

Through this Plan, the national Government urges all companies, regardless of their size, sector, location, ownership and structure, to comply with the highest international standards in the respect of human rights, such as the … 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, consistent with Colombian constitutional mandates.

Sustainable Development Goals

With a universal call to end poverty, protect the environment and ensure that all people enjoy peace, the 193 Member States of the United Nations adopted the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. It is composed of 17 goals, the main elements of which are as follows:

• The people
• The planet
• Prosperity
• Peace Partnerships

In response to the pandemic, the path towards achieving the 2030 agenda has lagged behind. In order to continue to make progress towards achieving the 2030 agenda, a resilient, inclusive and environmentally friendly economy is needed to meet the agenda and to have a more sustainable and equitable world.

Acknowledging the importance of promoting economic development that fundamentally integrates the SDGs, the national government, through Law 1955 of 2019, issued the National Development Plan (NDP) 2019-2022 “Pact for Colombia Pact for Equity” [“Pacto por Colombia Pacto por la Equidad”], establishing the need to develop the country’s productive potential, always under the obligation to respect human rights.

The NDP has three structural pacts among which is the Pact for Entrepreneurship, Formalisation and Productivity: A dynamic, inclusive and sustainable economy. Its objective is to retake the productive potential and support entrepreneurship projects in the country, while respecting the human rights of all people. It also seeks to ensure that companies generate sustainable projects with positive and long-term impacts in their operating contexts.

On the other hand, the Pact for Legality: Effective Security and Transparent Justice seeks to guarantee access to justice for all people in the event of a rights violation. This objective is fundamental in the framework of the National Action Plan (NAP), as it strengthens the Remediation pillar, which will be developed later, but which seeks to strengthen access to justice in business and human rights cases. The national government seeks to strengthen both the judicial system and all non-judicial mechanisms that ensure conflict resolution and guarantee reparations for all victims of human rights violations.

With regard to the Transversal Pacts set out in the NDP, it is important to highlight the Pact for Sustainability: Producing by conserving and conserving by producing, which aims to establish the importance of developing business activities within the framework of respect for the environment and corporate sustainability. This Pact seeks to promote integrated actions between the business sector, the territories, the public sector, including state-owned companies, international actors and civil society to adopt sustainable practices that take into account the climatic aspects and biodiversity of the Colombian territory.

Similarly, it is necessary to mention the evaluation of Colombia in the Third Cycle of the Universal Periodic Review on 10 May 2018, where the United Nations Human Rights Council requested the Colombian State to prioritise actions regarding the fulfilment of SDG 1 “End Poverty”, SDG 5 “Gender Equality”, SDG 8 “Decent Work and Economic Growth” and SDG 16 “Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions”.

 

VIII. FUNDAMENTAL PILLARS

(…)

ii. Fundamental Pillar 2: The duty of business to respect human rights

(…)

Strand 3 [Eje nº 3]: Train public and private companies on the need to mitigate the consequences of possible human rights impacts due to their operations, products or services provided, with an emphasis on those located in the region

(…)

• The Presidential Advisory Office for Women’s Equity (CPEM) will implement an advocacy strategy for companies to promote actions to close gender gaps and empower women and girls from the logic of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Shared Value.

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The Czech NAP does not make an explicit reference to the Sustainable Development Goals.

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Annex 1: Overview of the implementation of the state duty to protect

GP10 State Duty to Protect [page 32]

States, when acting as members of multilateral institutions that deal with business related issues, should: Seek to ensure that those institutions neither restrain the ability of their member States to meet their duty to protect nor hinder business enterprises from respecting human rights..

Status in Denmark (initiatives implemented before the UN ratification of the Guiding Principles)

… The government supports that the post-2015 development agenda is firmly anchored in human rights and universally accepted values and principles, including those encapsulated in the Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Millennium Declaration…

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The Finland NAP does not make an explicit reference to the Sustainable Development Goals.

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Introduction [page 4]

… The United Nations Guiding Principles are a universal road-map supporting the creation of rules to make businesses accountable in the human rights field. Their unanimous adoption was a key step towards acting on the observation that, if human development is to be sustainable in a globalized world, both public and private actors must be responsible towards the society and planet they live and operate in. …

 

I- The State’s Obligation to Protect Human Rights

Introduction [page 12]

… In the diplomacy field, France appointed an ambassador for bioethics and corporate social responsibility (CSR) in 2008.

“With the challenges of sustainable development increasingly high on the international agenda, corporate social responsibility (CSR), defined as the ways in which businesses integrate Sustainable Development Goals into their operations by controlling their societal impacts and incorporating societal expectations, is currently being negotiated in a large number of forums.”…

 

The International Framework 

1. The United Nations (UN) [page 13]

… During the World Summit on Sustainable Development on 25 September 2015, the UN adopted the 2030 Agenda, a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs apply to all UN Member States, including France. They are global goals that aim to end poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change. This programme builds on the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Businesses are strongly encouraged to take measures to help attain these 17 goals, and to include their results in management reports.

France also chairs the Group of Friends of Paragraph 47 of the Rio+20 Declaration. This group promotes sustainable development reporting to better ensure that economic actors respect social, environmental, good governance and human rights standards. This group successfully advocated for reporting to be reinforced and extended to all SDGs. …

Actions Underway [page 16]

• Working with the Group of Friends of Paragraph 47 of the Rio+20 Declaration, France supports the reinforcement of reporting requirements in the environmental, social and governance fields, especially with respect to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals adopted on 25 September 2015.

 

The European Framework

8. Trade and Investment Agreements [pages 20-22]

… European trade agreements incorporate CSR and adherence to international conventions on labour and the environment. EU free trade agreements all include sustainable development chapters, which contain provisions on labour law and environmental protection. These chapters also refer to CSR. … Sustainable
development chapters in EU free trade agreements and investment agreements contain two further important provisions: one prevents parties to the agreement from lowering social and environmental standards to promote trade and attract investments; the other confirms States’ right to regulate in the social and environmental fields. …

… From the French perspective, addressing these issues in free trade agreements results in a number of weaknesses:

…

• Secondly, although trade agreements include social and environmental standards and human rights clauses taken from the main international texts on labour laws and the environment, international organizations (the UNDP, ILO, etc.) are not involved in negotiations, despite the fact they carefully monitor the implementation of these texts (through regular reports by State parties, etc.). Instead, in trade agreements, a committee meeting at least once per year is charged with monitoring the implementation of sustainable development chapters. Civil society (NGOs and nonprofit organizations) can also act as whistleblowers if these regulations are breached, although this power is not institutionalized. Discussions with civil society are generally formalized by way of an annual forum or consultative committee bringing together stakeholders from different backgrounds. …

… In 2013, France issued a number of proposals to improve the way in which social and environmental standards were addressed in European trade agreements. These proposals are still relevant. These proposals focus on five main areas:

…

2. Improving the evaluation of sustainable development chapters through rigorous impact assessments. These impact assessments must provide a clear overview of social and environmental standards in countries negotiating agreements with the EU. France has completed a major revision of the European manual used to write these impact assessments. This could lead to progress in the field.

…

4. Improving the enforcement of existing sustainable development chapters by reinforcing implementation mechanisms. In November 2015, the French Minister of State for Foreign Trade sent a letter to European Commissioner Cecilia Malström asking the European Commission to investigate ways of including these chapters in dispute settlement mechanisms in trade agreements.
5. Increasing the involvement of businesses by including CSR requirements in sustainable development chapters in trade agreements. Currently, these chapters contain a short paragraph on CSR, but this should be reinforced by adding references to key international texts on the subject (particularly the OECD Guidelines).

Actions to be Implemented 

• Ensure that sustainable development chapters in EU free trade agreements are binding and enforceable under these agreements’ dispute settlement mechanisms.

…

 

The National Framework

9. The Protection of Human Rights and the Environment: Constitutional Guarantees [page 22]

… The charter [Charter for the Environment of 2004] acknowledges a number of rights, including “the right to live in a balanced environment which shows due respect for health” (Article 1), the obligation for public policies 23 to “promote sustainable development” and “reconcile the protection and enhancement of the environment with economic development and social progress” (Article 6), the right to “have access to information pertaining to the environment” and to “participate in the public decision-taking process likely to affect the environment” (Article 7), as well as the principles of precaution and prevention in the environmental field. …

 

II. Businesses’ responsibility to respect human rights

Introduction

Actions to be implemented [page 38]

• Help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

…

2. Training and Information for Businesses [page 39]

All staff members must be made aware of CSR. Because CSR involves protecting, developing and enhancing an organization’s human capital, it is dependent on training. Training is central to sustainable development, enabling people to adapt their skills to economic, professional and societal changes. Training efforts must also target appropriate populations. …

Footnote:  See the report RSE et dialogue social (CSR and social dialogue) published by the General Inspectorate of Social Affairs/General Council for the Environment and Sustainable Development in July 2013.

Existing Tools and Responsible Practices [page 40]

• Some businesses include human rights modules in sustainable development training programmes for directors. Others offer specific training to purchasers, human resources staff, legal staff, etc.

…

5. Employee Representatives [page 43]

… In 2013, the CNCDH recommended “including stakeholders outside of the company in the term ‘interested parties’ used in Article L.238-1 of the Commercial Code so as to enable such persons to ask the judge hearing applications for interim relief to order the company to provide any information it might not have provided in its ‘sustainable development’ report.” …

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There is no mention of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Business and Human Rights Chapter of the Georgian Human Rights NAP.

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Objectives of the National Action Plan [page 4]

The Federal Government attaches great importance to worldwide protection and promotion of human rights. The European Commission, in its Communication of 2011 entitled “A renewed EU strategy 2011-14 for Corporate Social Responsibility”, called on all EU Member States to develop their own national action plans for the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles. The Federal Government, in the coalition agreement of 2013, committed itself to implementing the UN Guiding Principles in Germany. Through the present National Action Plan for Business and Human Rights (NAP), it wishes to contribute to improving the human rights situation worldwide and to giving globalisation a social dimension in accordance with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

1. The State Duty to Protect

1.1 Basic rules of economic policy

Development Policy [page 18]

German development policy is value-based and is guided by the principle of human rights, because every individual worldwide must have fair development opportunities. Respecting, protecting and guaranteeing human rights are binding requirements and form a key component of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which, in 2015, the international community resolved to implement. With its globally and universally applicable Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the 2030 Agenda serves as a compass and reference framework and has been in force since 1 January 2016. The 2030 Agenda underlines the aspiration of the Federal Government to combine economic development with sustainability, with the basic principles of social and green market economics and with decent working conditions. Through its development policy, Germany works proactively at all levels – globally, in partnership with other countries and nationally – to ensure that human rights are upheld by fostering the creation of requisite legal and institutional conditions, pertinent state regulation, and the monitoring of corporate activity. To this end, assistance is given to governments of developing countries as well as to international and multilateral organisations, for example, in aligning their economic and social policies more closely with human rights and sustainability standards.

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The Ghana NAP does not make explicit reference to sustainable development.

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Section 1

International context and domestic consultative process

Other international initiatives [page 10]

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (“the 2030 agenda”) adopted at a special UN summit in September 2015 sets a global framework for action for poverty eradication and sustainable development and will determine priorities and help guide allocation of resources world-wide over the coming 15 years. The 2030 agenda is universal and all countries will need to implement it, both internally and in their external action. The 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) and 169 associated targets at the heart of the agenda provide an integrated framework to achieve sustainable development globally. The SDGs of most relevance to the issue of Business and Human Rights are:

SDG 1 end poverty in all its forms everywhere

SDG 5 achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

SDG 8 Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.

The Addis Ababa action agenda forms an integral part of the 2030 Agenda. Together with the means of implementation under each SDG and goal 17 (means of implementation and global Partnership), it sets out the full range of means of implementation – financial and non-financial, public and private, domestic and international, actions and enabling policies – to be mobilised in the context of the global Partnership to achieve the agenda. In March 2016, the Council of Europe3 adopted a Recommendation to assist member states in preventing and remedying human rights violations by business enterprises. The Recommendation elaborates on access to judicial remedy, drawing on Council of Europe expertise and legal standards and puts special emphasis on the additional protection needs of workers, children, Indigenous People and human rights defenders. It also recommends a review of implementation of the Recommendation by the member states within five years of its adoption, with the participation of relevant stakeholders.

Annex 1 – list of additional and ongoing actions to be carried out across government

EU and Multilateral Efforts [page 20]

4. Promote business and human rights issues in global policy processes within the framework of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development, in particular through sustainable development goals 8, 1 and 5.

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I. Guidelines and General Principles

“Italy’s second National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (NAPBHR) aims to be an evolving and increasingly effective functional tool in light of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, and the contextual challenges that arise at the global level.

(…)

the second Italian NAP-BHR intends to strengthen the application of the UNGPs through a series of complementary measures, referring in particular to the following guidelines:

– the systematic promotion of BHR issues in all relevant international fora as an integral part of a universal vision of Human Rights, Sustainable Development, Democracy and the Rule of Law. In this context, the application of the UNGPs should therefore also be promoted in relation to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda (in particular SDGs 4, 5, 8, 10, 12, 16, 17) and the contents introduced by the UNGPs 10+ project initiated by the relevant UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights” (p. 7)

II. Premises

c) National priorities

“8. The consolidation of Italy’s role in the context of international cooperation processes for human rights-based development, with a view to achieving the sustainable development goals set out in the 2030 Agenda.” (p. 11)

IV. Italian ongoing activities and future commitments

Sustainable development

“Two key initiatives are planned to be concluded in 2021: the triennial review process of the SNSvS and the compilation of the National Action Plan on Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development (PCSD). Both these initiatives entail large participation of civil society, scientific institutions and local actors.

In this context, collaboration agreements have been signed with Regions, the Autonomous Province of Trento and 14 metropolitan cities for the definition and implementation of Regional and Provincial Strategies and Metropolitan Agendas for Sustainable Development. These are conceived as tools for coordinating the implementation of the SDSvS and the 2030 Agenda at the local level.

The monitoring of Italy’s performance of the SNSvS (People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, Partnership and Vectors of Sustainability) will also continue. Also the National Forum for Sustainable Development is preserved, involving 190 organizations (civil society associations, but also businesses, universities, NGOs) that promote actions and policies for of sustainability. Active involvement of young people is also granted: indeed the National Youth Council, AIESEC Italy and Youth Network are part of the Forum.

In 2021 the Project “Policy coherence for sustainable development: mainstreaming the SDGs in Italian decision making process” (PCSD Project) has been launched. It is funded by the EU Commission with the aim of facilitating the inclusion of different actors in the review process of the SNSvS and in the definition of a National Action Plan for policy coherence for sustainable development.

Within environmental management systems for companies, the recognition of the Ecolabel and related adhesion to eco-management and audit (EMAS) is particularly important. The Italian national competent body for applying community schemes is the Committee for the Ecolabel and Ecoaudit, established in 1995 and currently composed of representatives of the Ministries for Ecological Transition, Economic Development, Health and Economy and Finance, with the technical support of ISPRA.

Since 2018 the regulation for the promotion of products with high environmental qualification certified by the “Made Green in Italy” (MGI) logo is in force: it is aimed at promoting sustainable models of production and consumption, according to the EU PEF (Product Environmental Footprint) methodology for the determination of environmental footprint of products as defined in EU Commission Recommendation 2013/179/EU.

The purpose of the MGI scheme is to direct the initiatives of the Italian production system towards use of environmental footprint as a lever for the improvement and enhancement of Made in Italy products with good environmental performance (guaranteed by a scientifically reliable system). It aims to facilitate the identification of products by consumers so as to encourage more conscious choices.

It combines environmental sustainability performance of products, throughout their value chain, with Made in Italy, linked to excellent national production system.

It is an institutional certification based on the European PEF methodology, implemented through additional sustainability requirements and more ambitious national environmental quality requirements. In addition, it is the only certification that integrates requirements that ask companies to communicate environmental footprint of products to consumers (ISO14025 type 3 labels), with requirements that allow access to the scheme only for excellent products, better than the average (ISO 14024 type 1 labels).

Considerable opportunities are therefore provided for national producers who intend to make use of this new tool, which straddles the line between environmental policy and corporate marketing. In fact, many sectors have expressed interest in the scheme and are hoping for a new call for CPRs.

Adherence to the scheme involves two steps: the first concerns the drafting of Product Category Rules-RCP (technical documents containing methodological indications for calculating environmental footprint of a given product category) and the second involves actual adherence to the scheme.

Companies conclude the process by receiving a certification by a third party so that they could communicate final results and ensure maximum transparency of the entire process. The “Made Green in Italy” scheme attributes the logo to be attached to products with high environmental qualification and a detailed declaration available through a QR code that provides clear, uniform, complete and transparent information to consumers.

With regard to forthcoming measures, calls for CPRs will be launched periodically as well as calls to support companies wishing to join the MGI scheme.

The Manual for the Use of the MGI Logo according to the Made Green in Italy Regulation and 12 new CPRs have been published in June 2021 for the following sectors/products: Agri-Food Sector: Grana Padano, Provolone Tutela Valpadana, Vinegar, Dry pasta, Fresh pork meat, Fresh beef meat. Industrial sector: Laundry-Industrial laundry services, Carded wool-textile, Wooden packaging manufacture, Steel, Geotextiles and related products, Raw tobacco.

Another relevant policy is the Environmental Footprint Assessment Programme, launched by the Ministry for Ecological Transition in 2010 to measure and improve environmental performance of private and public sectors. It provides for products (goods and services) and organizational certification, and in its experimental phase, among environmental indicators, it has favoured the analysis of the carbon footprint. Indeed it is an environmental driver, closely linked to climate change, and has an added value for the competitiveness of Italian businesses on international markets.

Companies that join the programme, after signing a Voluntary Agreement with the Ministry for Ecological Transition, receive a certification by a third party in order to be able to communicate final results in accordance with the communication guidelines of the Programme and guarantee maximum transparency of the whole process. The programme remains operational until the full implementation of the scheme for all production sectors.

Companies that join the programme, after signing a Voluntary Agreement with the Ministry for Ecological Transition, receive a certification by a third party in order to be able to communicate final results in accordance with the communication guidelines of the Programme and guarantee maximum transparency of the whole process. The programme remains operational until the full implementation of the scheme for all production sectors.

The Guide aims to provide operational guidance on how to take social aspects into account in the definition of public tenders relating to supply, service and works contracts. It considers experiences of integrating social criteria in public procurement developed by different EU countries.

The implementation of Green Public Procurement has also the purpose to develop circular supply chains, through the adoption of Minimum Environmental Criteria (CAM) for an increasing number of production sectors

In addition, Legislative Decree No. 50 of 19 April 2016 in transposing EU Directives 23, 24 and 25/2014, outlines a regulatory framework for social and environmental responsibility in the management of public procurement, including the possibility of introducing criteria relating also to human rights within the contract life cycle (definition of the subject of the contract, criteria for selection of candidates, technical specifications, award criteria and contract performance clauses). The EU Commission has recently published a second edition of the guide for socially sustainable procurement (“Buying Social – A guide to taking account of social considerations in public procurement” – Second edition (2021/C 237/01)), referred to in the previous NAP BHR. It has provided indications to identify a set of clauses that will be included by ANAC in the Standard Notice for e-procurement.

The inclusion of such clauses in the Standard Notice for contracts carried out through eprocurement platforms is a fundamental measure for their adoption by national contracting stations. The obligation to adopt electronic tools for tender procedures is in force since 2018. Moreover a strategic line to improve public procurement involves the professionalization of operators and the progressive centralization of purchases, thus facilitating the proper inclusion of social and ecological elements in procurement since the planning stage

To this scope a full life-cycle monitoring through the National Database of Public Contracts, managed by ANAC, will be facilitated by the adoption of the new models covered by Regulation (EU) 1780 of 2019, which will be fully operational in October 2023. In collaboration with other administrations concerned for adoption of models and adaptation to national requirements, ANAC will give right emphasis identification processes over social and environmental sustainability clauses in calls for tenders and compliance with them throughout the life cycle of the contract: this approach has already been used at European level to introduce new standard f for data collection and publication on contracts in order to monitor the achievement of the objectives set out in Directive (EU) 2019/1161 of 20 June 2019, on the promotion of clean and energy-efficient road transport vehicles.” (p. 38)

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Chapter 1. Towards the Formulation of the National Action Plan (NAP) (Background and Working Process)

1. Introduction: Increasing International Attention to Business and Human Rights and the Need for NAPs

(…)

(4) Following their endorsement, the UNGPs have increasingly received support from the international community. In September 2015, the UN General Assembly adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (the 2030 Agenda) with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at its core. With respect to private business activity, the 2030 Agenda articulated that the UN member states will “foster a dynamic and well-functioning business sector, while protecting labour rights and environmental and health standards in accordance with relevant international standards and agreements and other ongoing initiatives in this regard, such as the UNGPs and the labour standards of the International Labour Organization, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and key multilateral environmental agreements.” In 2020, the PRI published an investment action framework for institutional investors to achieve outcomes in line with the SDGs.

(…)

(9)(…) In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, OECD and ILO indicated that COVID-19 exposed vulnerabilities in company operations and supply chains regarding working conditions. Considering these global trends, the Government believes that it is more important than ever to steadily implement the UNGPs and the NAP to ensure responsible business activities with a view to promoting further efforts to realize the SDGs based on the principle of human security.

 

 2. Positioning of the NAP: Links with International Documents, including the UNGPs and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The Government holds that the promotion and protection of human rights and the realization of the SDGs are interrelated and mutually reinforcing, as stated in Resolution 37/24 on the Promotion and protection of human rights and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted at the 37th session of the HRC in March 2018. The Government considers the NAP formulation to be one of the measures to achieve the SDGs, and clearly mentioned its intention to formulate the NAP in the SDGs Implementation Guiding Principles Revised Edition, which was adopted at the 8th session of the SDGs Promotion Headquarters held in December 2019.

 

3. Objectives to be Achieved through the Launch and Implementation of the NAP

(…)

(4) To contribute to achieving the SDGs As stated in Section 2 “Positioning of the NAP: Links with International Documents, including the UNGPs and the SDGs,” the achievement of the SDGs and the protection and promotion of human rights are interrelated and mutually reinforcing. In this connection, the Government aims to contribute to realizing a sustainable and inclusive society where “no one will be left behind” through the implementation of the NAP.

 

 

Chapter 2. Action Plan

2. Areas of the NAP

(1) Cross-cutting areas

C. Rights and Roles of Consumers

(Existing framework/Measures taken）

Goal 12 of the SDGs is to “ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.” Accordingly, the creation of sustainable economies and societies requires action by consumers alongside businesses and governments. The Government works on realizing the rights of consumers in accordance with the Basic Consumer Act (Act No. 78 of 1968) that sets forth the responsibilities of the government, local governments, and businesses for the protection and promotion of consumers’ interests. Ethical consumption is the concept of consuming in a way that is considerate of people, society, and the environment, while incorporating the perspectives of regional revitalization and employment. In raising awareness on ethical consumption, explanations on social problems such as child labour and environmental issues are provided at workshops for children and using educational tools (leaflets, posters, and video) to introduce people to a manner of consuming that could lead to the resolution of such problems.

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