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

17 December 2020

Signatories of the Dutch Agreement on Sustainable Garments and Textile use more sustainable raw materials

The share of more sustainable raw materials used by the companies that are signatories of the Dutch Agreement on Sustainable Garments and Textile increases again. In 2017, 16 percent of the raw materials were more sustainable, in 2018 this was 28 percent and in 2019 it has increased to 38 percent. Again, the signatories take another step towards a more sustainable supply chain.

15 December 2020

Clothing companies can reduce environmental impact with new handbook

Clothing and textile companies can significantly reduce the use of water, energy and harmful chemicals with the "Wet Processing Guidebook". This handbook has been drawn up by Solidaridad in collaboration with the Dutch Agreement on Sustainable Garments and Textile. It gives companies practical tools on how to map the so-called wet processes, including the coloring, printing and treatment of textiles, and how to significantly reduce their impact on the environment.

30 November 2020

Bridging global gap in remediation of adverse impacts requires concerted effort by all stakeholders

Enabling access to remedy is an opportunity for a company to gain better insight into and to address issues in its supply chains, to prevent costs and to strengthen its reputation. More collaboration between companies and stakeholders is needed to increase leverage for remedy, to develop expertise on remediation processes and to develop ideas on how to finance remedy. These are amongst the key findings of the Access to Remedy webinar organised by the Social and Economic Council (SER) and the Dutch OECD National Contact Point (NCP) with the support of Shift.

News overview