Corporate Social Responsibility:

Moral responsibility and legal liability

In 2009 the Norwegian Government’s White Paper on corporate social responsibility (launched January 23rd), and the upcoming evaluation of the Ethical Guidelines for the Government Pension Fund – Global, will be debated in Parliament. On that background, Forum will arrange an International conference with the aim of:

1) exploring the effectiveness of legal and non-legal instruments to improve corporate behaviour based on real cases,
2) identifying the governance gaps in a globalised economy and
3) discussing viable options to fill them

Free entrance: conference@forumfor.no – www.forumfor.no

Program

Chair: Liv Tørres

08.30 Coffee and registration

09.00 Welcome and objectives of the day: Elin Enge and Per Bondevik, Forum for Environment and Development

09.15 Opening of the conference by Erik Solheim, Minister of the Environment and International Development

09.30 “Global supply chains: child labour and human trafficking. The harsh realities of the garment industry” Presentation by Lakshmi Bhatia, Director – Global Partnerships, Social Responsibility, Gap Inc.

09.50 Corporate behaviour in change?

• “The impact of multinational mining companies in developing countries”
Presentation by Mark Curtis, author and consultant (UK)
• “What impact will the financial crisis have on corporate behaviour?”
Presentation by Bent Sofus Tranøy, researcher Fafo, (Norway)

10.30 Setting the scene: The instruments for regulating corporations: Where are we, what are the gaps? Presentations by:

• Hannah Ellis, Corporate Responsibility Coalition (UK)
• Njål Høstmælingen, The Norwegian centre for human rights, UiO
• Joris Oldenziel, OECD watch, (Netherlands)

11.15 BREAK

11.40 Plenary discussion on the presentations

12.30 LUNCH

13.30 Case studies: Problems and prospects in corporate behaviour

1. AkerKværner at Guantanamo Bay: Human rights in the “war on terror”

• “The realities at Guantanamo”: Released prisoners, professor Michael Ratner and attorney Katherine Gallagher, Center for Constitutional Rights, USA, interviewed by Erling Borgen

• “AkerKværner´s activities at Guantanamo.” Presentation by Beate Ekeløve-Slydal, Amnesty International-Norway

Comments by: lawyer Mette Yvonne Larsen (Norway)

Followed by plenary discussion
(Aker Solutions, former AkerKværner, has declined the invitation to participate)

2. Norsk Hydro in Qatar: Labour rights and special obligations of a state owned company

• Presentation by Ole Helgesen and Truls Tunmo, journalists in Teknisk Ukeblad (Norway)
• Presentation by Halvor Molland, Vice-president communication, Norsk Hydro

Comments by: Leif Sande, President Industry Energy trade union and
Yann Queinnec, lawyer Sherpa, France

Followed by plenary discussion

15.30 BREAK

15.50 Continuation Case studies: Problems and prospects in corporate behaviour

3. Barrick and AngloGold Ashanti in Tanzania: The consequences of gold mining

• Presentation by Tundu Lissu,Tanzania, environmental lawyer
• Presentation by Alan Fine, public affairs manager, AngloGold Ashanti

Comments by: Kathryn McPhail, International Council on Mining and Metals (tbc); Atle Sommerfeldt, Norwegian Church Aid; Charmian Gooch, Global Witness and Erik Hagen, Norwatch.

Followed by plenary discussion

1635 What can the different mechanisms offer in cases like these?

• OECD Guidelines, Margaret Sutherland, UK National Contact Point

• Global Compact, Kristian R. Andersen, UNDP Nordic office and Cecilie Hultmann UN Global Compact secretariat

• National criminal law and international business, Professor Ståle Eskeland, University of Oslo

• International criminal law and international business, Attorney Katherine Gallagher, Center for Constitutional Rights, USA

• International Labour Standards, Deputy Director Karen Curtis, ILO labour standards department.

Followed by plenary discussion

1750 Wrap up: Forum for Environment and Development

1800 End