50 Years of the OECD Guidelines and New Due Diligence Tools for Businesses
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct — the leading international standard providing businesses with a framework for identifying and managing risks to people and the environment across their operations and supply chains.
The OECD Guidelines represent a foundational instrument of international cooperation in the field of responsible business conduct. As a set of recommendations addressed by governments to multinational enterprises, the Guidelines establish expectations across key areas including human rights, labour conditions, environment, anti-corruption and transparency. Over fifty years of implementation, they have become the reference framework for shaping national and European policies — including the recently adopted EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D) — and have contributed to building a global culture of responsible business.
To mark the occasion, the OECD has published a new series of sector-specific case studies — the Responsible Business Conduct Spotlights — designed to help companies understand how to put due diligence into practice, with concrete examples of sector risks and response measures.
Available case studies:
- 📦 Electronics and vehicle manufacturing
- 👔 Garment and footwear
- 🏦 Banking and capital markets
- 💻 Software
- ⛏️ Minerals
- 💊 Pharmaceuticals
Each case study draws on the OECD’s six-step due diligence framework and is relevant for businesses of all sizes looking to strengthen their risk management practices.
The Croatian National Contact Point plans to mark the 50th anniversary of the OECD Guidelines with a promotional event in December 2026. We invite all interested stakeholders — businesses, trade unions and civil society organisations — to follow our announcements.