The IRBC Agreement for the Renewable Energy Sector celebrates their 60th member: Oxfam Novib

We are very pleased to announce the membership of Oxfam Novib to the IRBC Agreement for the Renewable Energy Sector. In the Agreement, solar and wind energy companies, trade unions, NGOs and the Dutch government work together with the aim of promoting international responsible business conduct (IRBC) in the renewable energy sector.

This is done by jointly identifying risks in the value chain in the field of human rights and the environment and addressing or preventing them, for example through collective projects. In addition, commitment to IRBC is expected to increasingly become an integral part of tenders in the solar and wind sector.

Oxfam Novib:

“The shift to renewable energy is urgent but at this moment we see it is coming at the cost of human rights, in particular in global South countries. Too often, transition minerals are linked to land grabs, unsafe working conditions, and the exploitation of Indigenous peoples and local communities. We’ve joined this RBC Agreement to work together - with companies, trade unions, CSOs and Ministries - towards an energy transition that is rooted in justice, not in exploitation. In the next 2.5 years, we expect companies to step up: to deliver on their due diligence obligations, respect community consent, and help build a future that’s not just green, but also fair.”- Jacqueline Persson, Policy Lead Climate & Inequality, Oxfam Novib.