Corporate Influence on Global Governance: GPF Analysis
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon meets with World Economic Forum Founder and Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab, Davos 2014. (UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe)
This section brings together recent reports and articles written by Global Policy Forum, tracking and analyzing the political influence of the private sector - particularly large transnational corporations - on arenas of global governance. Recent work focuses on the United Nations in particular, and how a small number of corporations, business associations, and private philanthropic foundations engage with multiple processes to ensure that the outcomes align with a global pro-business agenda. As this work illustrates, corporations and their proxies transform the discourse and/or block progressive outcomes in both the UN's sustainable development post-2015 and the business and human rights processes, pushing (overtly and/or silently) for "multi-stakeholder" governance models and voluntary, non-binding corporate social responsibility commitments.Â
2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | before
2018 |
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One step further towards global regulation of businessReport of the third session of the UN working group on a binding instrument on transnational corporations and other business enterprises with respect to human rights (“treaty”) Briefing Author: Karolin Seitz |
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TOWARD GLOBAL REGULATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND BUSINESSPosition paper of the Treaty Alliance Germany on the UN treaty process on transnational corporations and other business enterprises Published by Attac Deutschland, Brot für die Welt, Bund für Umwelt- und Naturschutz Deutschland, Christliche Initiative Romero, CorA-Netzwerk für Unternehmensverantwortung, Femnet, FIAN Deutschland, Forschungs- und Dokumentationszentrum Chile-Lateinamerika, Forum Fairer Handel, Forum Umwelt und Entwicklung, Global Policy Forum, INKOTA-netzwerk, medico international, MISEREOR, PowerShift, SÜDWIND and WEED Berlin, December 2017 |
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UN Treaty - Menschenrechte vor Profit Bündniszeitung Herausgegeben von Christliche Initiative Romero, Attac Deutschland, FIAN Deutschland, Südwind, MISEREOR, Brot für die Welt, DGB, CorA-Netzwerk für Unternehmensverantwortung, Global Policy Forum, medico international, European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR). Berlin, Oktober 2017 |
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Politische Gestaltungsmacht für die sozial-ökologische Transformation Privatisierung, Partnerschaften, Unternehmensmacht und die Umsetzung der Agenda 2030 Internationale Politikanalyse Autor: Jens Martens |
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SPOTLIGHT ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 2017Report of the Reflection Group on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable DevelopmentPrivatization, partnerships, corporate capture and their impact on sustainability and inequality - assessments and alternativesPublished by Social Watch, Third World Network, Global Policy Forum, Arab NGO Network for Development, Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era, Society for International Development, Public Servies International, Center for Economic and Social Rights with support from Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. Beirut/Bonn/Ferney-Voltaire/Montevideo/New York/Penang/Rome/Suva, July 2017 ISBN 978-3-943126-33-4 |
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Partnerschaften mit Risiken Über die Chancen, Gefahren und Nebenwirkungen von Multi-Akteur-Partnerschaften für nachhaltige Entwicklung Ein Dossier von Brot für die Welt, Global Policy Forum und MISEREOR in Zusammenarbeit mit der Redaktion welt-sichten |
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Corporate influence on the G20The case of the B20 and transnational business networks Author: Jens Martens |
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Die Wirtschaftslobby und die G20 Die Business20 und das Geflecht transnationaler Unternehmensnetzwerke rund um die G20 Briefing |
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Globale Partnerschaften Wundermittel zur Umsetzung der 2030-Agenda? Autoren: Jens Martens und Karolin Seitz |
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Multi-Akteur-Partnerschaften in der 2030-Agenda Elemente eines rechtlichen und institutionellen Rahmens Briefing Autoren: Jens Martens und Karolin Seitz |
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Gestiftete Entwicklung? Die Kooperation zwischen der deutschen Entwicklungspolitik und privaten Stiftungen Autor/innen: Jens Martens und Karolin Seitz ISBN 978-3-943126-29-7 |
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2016 |
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“Morality cannot be legislated, but behaviour can be regulated” Bericht über die zweite Tagung der UN-Arbeitsgruppe zur Erstellung eines verbindlichen Rechtsinstruments zu Wirtschaft und Menschenrechten, 24.-28. Oktober 2016, Genf Briefing Autorin: Karolin Seitz |
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FENSA - a fence against undue corporate influence? The new Framework of Engagement with non-State Actors at the World Health Organization Briefing Published by Brot für die Welt/Global Policy Forum/MISEREOR |
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The Struggle for a UN TreatyTowards global regulation on human rights and business Published by Global Policy Forum/Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung—New York Office |
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2015
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Philanthropic Power and DevelopmentWho shapes the agenda? Published by Brot für die Welt/Global Policy Forum/MISEREOR Download the Working Paper here. Download a German summary here. |
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Fit for whose purpose?Private funding and corporate influence in the United Nations Published by Global Policy Forum For single chapters, please see here.
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Corporate influence through the G8 New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition in AfricaWorking Paper Author: Wolfgang Obenland Download here (pdf, 590 KB). |
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La influencia empresarial en el proceso post-2015Cuadernos 2015 y más Autora: Lou Pingeot |
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Beyond the “Partnerships” Approach: Corporate Accountability Post-2015GPF Briefing 2 |
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Privatizing Global Governance: Corporate Influence at the United NationsGPF Briefing 1 |
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Corporate Influence on the Business and Human Rights Agenda of the United NationsWorking Paper Author: Jens Martens |
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Contracting InsecurityPrivate military and security companies and the future of the United Nations Report Author: Lou Pingeot |
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Corporate influence in the Post-2015 processWorking Paper Author: Lou Pingeot |
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2013 |
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Whose Development, Whose UN?Report ÂAuthors: Barbara Adams and Lou Pingeot |
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Misdirecting finance – who benefits?Comments by the Civil Society Reflection Group on Global Development Perspectives Published by the Civil Society Reflection Group on Global Development Perspectives, September 2013. |
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The New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition in Africa: Is the initiative by the G8 countries suitable for combating poverty?A Policy Paper by the German NGO Forum on Environment & Development July 2013 |
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2012 |
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Dangerous Partnership: Private Military and Security Companies and the UNReport Author: Lou Pingeot Download (pdf, 950 kb) |
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2011 |
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Civil Society and the United Nations (December 2011)This paper from Global Policy Forum describes and analyzes the relationship between civil society and the UN. The essay charts the struggle since 1945 to enlarge NGO access, from the first steps in the 1940s and ‘50s, to the blossoming of new organizations in the 1970’s, the dynamism of the 1990s, and the increasing difficulties of 2000 and beyond. (Global Policy Forum) |
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before |
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Problematic Pragmatism (June 2008)Global Policy Forum's Jens Martens gives a critical analysis of the 2008 report by UN Special Representative for Business and Human Rights John Ruggie – "Protect, Respect and Remedy: a Framework for Business and Human Rights." Martens calls the report "a description of the status quo" that does not leave the door open for developing new ideas on international law and corporate responsibility. Martens offers concrete steps, based on Ruggie's recommendations, towards increasing corporate accountability, such as creating an International Advisory Center, using Security Council sanctions and strengthening national complaints mechanisms. Jens Martens: Problematic Pragmatism. The Ruggie Report 2008: Background, Analysis and Perspectives |