Business and International Organizations
In Geneva
A Review of Challenges and Opportunities
By Katherine Hagen
Council for Multilateral Business Diplomacy
Business and IOs in Geneva Changing perceptions of sustainable
development CMBD services Three case studies – new issues, new actors,
new coalitions Looking to the future
Traditional View of IO Policies Affecting Global Business Conventions and treaties
Universality of standards Level playing field for fair
competition Regulatory framework for
reasonable competition Guidelines, codes and
recommendations Evidence-based and state of the art Information clearing house
Publicity and comparative assessments Indices and rankings
Changing Perceptions of Sustainable Development
Integration of economic, social and environmental aspects of development
Evolving role of the private sector Contributing to sustainable
development Mainstreaming of corporate social
responsibility Policy dynamics
Impact of IO policies on global business Shift to global business interest in IO
policies
The Role of the CMBD in Geneva Neutral forum for better understanding and
networking Information flow on major trends, meetings
and reports Targeted services on specific issues
Business Interest in International Policy and Governance
Trade (WTO, UNCTAD, ITC) Intellectual property (WIPO, WTO, WHO) Health and social protection (WHO, ILO) Information and communications technology (ITU,
Internet Governance Forum, Commission on Science and Technology for Development)
Food security (FAO, WTO, WHO, ILO, Codex Alimentarius, Standing Committee on Nutrition)
Emerging role of Human Rights Council
The Geneva International Scene 25 major international organizations
More international conferences than United Nations HQ in New York
Policy, research and capacity building Plethora of NGOs 150 diplomatic missions
Case Studies for PAC Seminar
Food security – new issues Internet governance – new
actors Health – new coalitions
Food SecurityA Pressing Global Challenge Poverty & the Millennium Development Goals
1 billion people suffering from hunger Growing demand for improving agricultural
production and productivity 9 billion population by 2050 and 75% increase in
food production Increasing food prices as well as volatility in
food prices
Food Security A Pressing Global Challenge Rights-based approach
Freedom from hunger Access to adequate food Access to safe, sufficient and nutritious food
Access issues also involving Supply chains and markets Credit and financial services Secure land tenure Appropriate and affordable technologies
Food Security and Business:CMBD Highlights the Issues
Sustainable development footprint
Supply chain responsibilities Smallholder practicalities Global versus local markets Scaling up nutrition Nutrition and chronic diseases
Food Security: CMBD and theAvenues for Policy Engagement
Committee on Food Security and the FAO Land tenure Principles of Responsible Agricultural Investment
Nutrition, food safety and the WHO Rural development, commodities and UNCTAD Smallholder livelihoods, child labor and the
ILO Right to food and the Human Rights Council
Internet Governance and the IOs World Summit for the Information Society
Internet Governance Forum World Intellectual Property Organization
Copyright and broadcasting rights International Telecommunications Union
Updating Telecommunications Regulations Human Rights Council
Privacy and access issues
Internet Governance and New Actors: CMBD Highlights the Issues
Technical regulations Intellectual property rights Freedom of expression Privacy vs the public domain Cybersecurity and cybercrime Technology transfer and capacity Role of governments in Internet governance
New Actors in Internet Governance Multistakeholder Advisory Group for the
Internet Governance Forum Business has a dedicated slot Developing country NGOs
Human Rights Council and Internet Rights First-ever panel First-ever resolution
Global Health Diplomacy World Health Organization at the center of
global health policy Donor-driven transformation of global health
Global Fund for HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria International Health Partnerships Health as a foreign policy priority
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and other new non-state actors
Global burden of disease
Communicablediseases
Chronicdisease
Injuries
1990 2020
Source: Harvard School of Public Health
CMBD Highlights theBroadening of Business Interests in Health
Slide 18
Up to:• 80% of cases of type 2 diabetes• 80% of cases of heart disease
and stroke• 40% of cases of some cancers
can be prevented.
...so how can we focus on health, not sickness?
The NCD Alliance Four major disease-based
federations International Diabetes Federation International Union for Cancer Control World Heart Federation Int’l Union against TB and Lung
Disease Funding from the private sector but
kept separate Accomplishments
High-Level UN Summit in 2011 Rio+20 Summit in June 2012
CMBD Support of the NCD Campaign Broadening of multi-stakeholder collaboration
on non-communicable diseases to include the private sector
Policy statement in support of including the private sector
Building the central messages for multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder collaboration
The Partnering Framework Global Compact principles
Environmental, human rights and worker rights
Anti-corruption UN Guidelines on Partnering
with the Private Sector Human rights and business
Protect, respect and remedy Universal Declaration on
Human Rights Principle of due diligence
Conclusions and Looking Forward New issues, new actors and new coalitions Integrating the economic, social and environmental aspects
of sustainable development Defining the “new” economics with business as part of
sustainable development Linking business with civil society in multi-stakeholder and
multi-sectoral settings