개정 OECD 다국적기업 기업책임경영 가이드라인의 분석과 NCP의 운영상의 고려사항에 대한 연구

Abstract

Among the main contents of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct (henceforth, the revised Guidelines) revised in 2023, this study analyzed and suggested several factors that the National Contact Point (NCP) for Responsible Business Conduct should consider to comply with the revised Guidelines in future operations. The 2023 edition of the Guidelines was the sixth revision since 2011. The revised Guidelines maintain the general structure of previous versions, but Part 1 targets significant tasks related to Responsible Business Conduct. It is also noteworthy that Part 2 updates the implementation procedure and several processes aimed at strengthening the functions of the NCP. The revised Guidelines contain sophisticated rules concerning the Responsible Business Conduct expected of companies, such as detailed criteria for the due diligence to be conducted in various areas. Furthermore, the role and function of the NCP have been reinforced through new regulations, including clarifying and strengthening the authority of the NCP, effective and efficient handling of specific instances, strengthening the functional equivalence of the NCP, securing stakeholders’ trust in the NCP, establishing a mechanism for the NCP, and mandating periodic peer reviews. As a result, greater use of the NCP usage procedure for specific instances filed by corporate stakeholders is expected in the future. Through an analysis of the revised contents of the Guidelines, this study suggested several considerations that the Korean NCP should follow by reflecting the revised contents in its operation in the future as an implementing entity.