IRBC Agreements

Agreements promoting International Responsible Business Conduct (IRBC agreements) involve partnerships between businesses, government, unions and NGOs. Together, these partners work to prevent such abuses as exploitation, animal suffering and environmental damage.

Cotton pickers in action. Illustration for the Dutch Agreement on Sustainable Garments and Textile.

Why conclude IRBC agreements?

International business dealings may involve complex problems such as environmental pollution and child labour. By concluding agreements, businesses work with other stakeholders to tackle these problems.

Background

In 2014, the Social and Economic Council of the Netherlands (SER) recommended concluding multistakeholder agreements in each relevant sector. By cooperating, stakeholders can concentrate their efforts to combat abuses.

Man working at his sawing machines. Illustration for the Dutch Agreement on Sustainable Garments and Textile.

Agreements overview

There are IRBC agreements in the garments and textile, banking, and gold sectors. Other agreements are being negotiated.

State of play

Brief overview of the state of play with all IRBC agreements.

Agreements

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agreements

News

21 October 2020

International RBC Agreement for the Metals Sector participates in consultation SDG Zinc Sector Roadmap

UNICEF, Terre des Hommes, and the Dutch Trade Union CNV participated in an online stakeholder consultation of the International Zinc Association (IZA), who invited the organizations to gather feedback on their SDG Zinc Sector Roadmap. This collaboration between IZA, as a supporting organisation of the International RBC Agreement for the Metals Sector, and the NGOs marks the start of further dialogue on jointly maximizing contributions in reaching the SDGs in the zinc industry.

13 October 2020

The government plays a key role in making the natural stone supply chain more sustainable

Sustainable public procurement of natural stone demands a process and cultural shift. This is evident from the interim report about pilot projects drawn up on behalf of the TruStone Initiative. The report provides a large number of recommendations on how contracting authorities can contribute to improvements for people and environmental conditions in supply chains.

20 October 2020

GoodWeave International joins the Agreement on Sustainable Garments and Textile as a supporting organisation

GoodWeave recently joined the Dutch Agreement on Sustainable Garments and Textile as a supporting organisation. GoodWeave International is a leading nonprofit organisation working to end child labour in global supply chains while improving overall working conditions through a holistic, market and community-based system.

News overview