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National Contact Point for Responsible Business Conduct

Countries adhering to the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conducts support and promote standards for responsible business conduct through National Contact Points (NCPs). Sweden’s NCP is a tripartite collaboration between the State, the business sector and worker organisations.

Responsible ministries
Ministry for Foreign Affairs

About the Swedish National Contact Point for Responsible Business Conduct

Sweden’s NCP is a tripartite collaboration between the State, the business sector and worker organisations.

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About the Swedish National Contact Point for Responsible Business Conduct (NCP)

The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct (the Guidelines) are joint recommendations on responsible business conduct from governments to multinational enterprises regardless of where they operate. The Guidelines contain non-binding principles but the countries adhering to the Guidelines make a binding commitment to apply them. Adherents include both OECD member countries and a number of non-member countries. The Guidelines were most recently revised in 2023.

The Governments of the adhering countries have also undertaken to promote the Guidelines by establishing a National Contact Point to which different stakeholders can report enterprises they consider have breached the Guidelines. The NCP is also required to provide information on and promote the implementation of the Guidelines, and to serve as a forum for dialogue on issues related to their implementation. The NCP cannot review court decisions but can give recommendations and mediate between parties.

Sweden's NCP is a tripartite collaboration between the State, the business sector and trade unions. The business sector is represented by The Confederation of Swedish Enterprise, The Swedish Trade Federation and The Swedish Federation of Business Owners. The trade unions are represented by The Swedish Trade Union Confederation, The Swedish Confederation of Professional Associations, The Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees, Unionen, IF Metall and The Swedish Association of Graduate Engineers. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs is the NCP Convener. The Ambassador for Sustainable business (CSR) is the chair of the NCP.

Guidelines for responsible business conduct

The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct, the UN Global Compact, the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the ILO Core Conventions all aim to encourage enterprises to promote sustainable business practices.

Information on the OECD website

Form for submitting a complaint

If you want to submit a complaint you are referred to this form:

Contact

Government Offices
Tel: +46 8 405 10 00

Current topics

  • Guidelines for Sweden’s National Contact Point for Responsible Business Conduct

    On 10 April, the Government Offices adopted Guidelines for Sweden’s National Contact Point for Responsible Business Conduct (NCP). The aim is to clarify the NCP’s working methods and decision-making process. For example, the Guidelines state that the NCP is to collaborate with representatives of civil society and academia.

  • Decision upon an Initial Assessment in a matter regarding the African Development Bank

    On 6 September 2023 the NCP decided upon an Initial Assessment in a matter regarding the African Development Bank.

  • Updated OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct

    The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct are the globally leading standard on responsible business conduct. The updated Guidelines were approved at the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting on 8 June 2023. For more information we refer to:

  • Form for submitting a complaint

    There is now a form for submitting complaints in accordance with the OECD Guidelines for multinational enterprises.

  • Iranian Center for International Criminal Law’s complaint against Mölnlycke

    On the 14 May 2021 the Iranian Center for International Criminal Law filed a complaint against Mölnlycke with the Swedish NCP. On the 15 November 2021 the NCP decided upon an initial assessment.

  • Peer review examination of the Swedish National Contact Point (NCP)

    On 8-9 December 2021 there was a peer review examination of the Swedish National Contact Point (NCP). A team from Brazil, France, Slovakia and the OECD Secretariat, had virtual meetings with, among others, the NCP, ministries and agencies as well as the civil society, in order to get a closer insight into the activities of the NCP. The examination report, which includes recommendations, is available on the OECD webpage.

  • BİRLESİK METAL-İŞ complaint against Systemair AB

    On the 11 January 2021 BİRLESİK METAL-İŞ filed a complaint against Systemair AB with the Swedish NCP. On the 23 September 2021 the NCP decided upon an initial assessment, and on the 27 September 2022 the NCP decided upon a final statement. On 18 October 2023 the NCP decided upon a follow up statement. With this statement the matter is concluded.

  • Lumière Synergie pour le Développement and Takkom Jerry’s complaint against Nykomb Synergetics Development

    On 7 May 2015 Lumière Synergie pour le Développement and Takkom Jerry Polyvalence Culturelle et Environnementale filed a complaint against Nykomb Synergetics Development AB with the Swedish NCP. The complaint alleged that the company did not respect the OECD Guidelines in connection with the construction of a coal power plant in Senegal and that the project would have adverse social and environmental impacts. The NCP has issued an initial assessment and a final statement.

  • Swedwatch’s complaint against Electrolux

    On 9 April 2013 Swedwatch filed a complaint against Electrolux AB with the Swedish NCP. The complaint concerned an Electrolux wholly-owned subsidiary in Thailand and its conduct following wage negotiations with trade union members. On 23 September 2013 the NCP issued a statement.

  • Swedwatch’s complaint against Mölnlycke

    On 9 April 2013 Swedwatch filed a complaint against Mölnlycke Health Care AB with the Swedish NCP. The complaint concerned one of Mölnlycke's factories in Thailand. Also in this case, the complaint concerned the company's conduct in connection with wage negotiations. On 23 September 2013 the NCP issued a statement.

  • Jijnevaerie sameby’s complaint against Statkraft

    On 29 October 2012 Jijnevaerie sameby filed a complaint against the Norwegian state-owned wind power company Statkraft with the Swedish and Norwegian NCP. The complaint alleged that the Norwegian state-owned wind power company Statkraft violated the rights of the indigenous population, in this case the Sami, through its environmental impact in areas where the Sami conduct reindeer husbandry. On 9 February 2016 the NCP issued a final statement.

  • The Saami Council’s complaint against the German Bank KfW IPEX-Bank in Sweden

    On 16 April 2010 the Saami Council filed a complaint against the German Bank KfW IPEX-Bank with the Swedish and the German NCP. The complaint alleged that the German bank KfW IPEX-Bank had breached the general policies provisions of the Guidelines by its financing of the Markbygden wind park project in Sweden. After consideration, the Swedish NCP, in contact with the German NCP, decided that the request by the Saami Council should not be accepted for further consideration.

  • CDHA and Bellona’s complaint against Nordea

    On 12 July 2006 the Argentinian NGO CDHA (Center for Human Rights and Environment) filed a complaint against Nordea regarding its part-funding of the Finnish company Botina with the Swedish and Norwegian NCP. The complaint alleged that Nordea's part-funding of the Finnish company Botina's pulp mill project Orion in Uruguay affected local communities' economic security and human rights. The complaint also mentioned problems regarding disclosure and bribery. In January 2008 the NCP issued a final statement.

  • Attac Sweden and Friends of the Earth Sweden’s complaint against Atlas Copco and Sandvik

    On 17 February 2003 Attac Sweden and Friends of the Earth Sweden filed two complaints against Atlas Copco and Sandvik in Ghana with the Swedish NCP. The complaint alleged that the Swedish companies through business relations and active cooperation, mainly with the two mining companies Ashanti Goldfields and Ghana Australian Goldfields, did not follow the OECD's guidelines on human rights and environmental considerations in the areas where the mining companies were active. In June 2003, the NCP issued a final statement.

  1. Guidelines for Sweden’s National Contact Point for Responsible Business Conduct
  2. Decision upon an Initial Assessment in a matter regarding the African Development Bank
  3. Updated OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct
  4. Form for submitting a complaint
  5. Iranian Center for International Criminal Law’s complaint against Mölnlycke
  6. Peer review examination of the Swedish National Contact Point (NCP)
  7. BİRLESİK METAL-İŞ complaint against Systemair AB
  8. Lumière Synergie pour le Développement and Takkom Jerry’s complaint against Nykomb Synergetics Development
  9. Swedwatch’s complaint against Electrolux
  10. Swedwatch’s complaint against Mölnlycke
  11. Jijnevaerie sameby’s complaint against Statkraft
  12. The Saami Council’s complaint against the German Bank KfW IPEX-Bank in Sweden
  13. CDHA and Bellona’s complaint against Nordea
  14. Attac Sweden and Friends of the Earth Sweden’s complaint against Atlas Copco and Sandvik
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