Economic Diplomacy

February 10, 2026
Preface Basic Nature of and Background of the Guidelines
I.
Concepts and Principles		 The Guidelines provide multinational enterprises with principles and standards of good practice. Observance of the Guidelines by enterprises is voluntary and not legally enforceable. Governments adhering to the Guidelines promote them and establish National Contact Points (NCPs). While the Guidelines revised in 2023 continue to not define precisely on the multinational enterprises, they added that the main factors to consider in this regard are the international nature of an enterprise’s structure or activities and its commercial form, purpose, or activities.
II.
General Policies		 Enterprises should conduct activities in such a way as to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development, respect for human rights, capacity building, human capital formation, and maintenance of good corporate governance. The Guidelines introduced risk-based due diligence as a major tool for enterprises to identify, prevent, and mitigate the adverse impacts caused by their activities including those conducted across their supply chains. The 2023 revision clarifies the scope of due diligence to the downstream of the supply chain, by explicitly including subcontractors, franchisees, customers, joint venture partners, etc., and states that companies should prioritise entities with higher due diligence risk when there are many subcontractors and other related parties.
III.
Disclosure		 Enterprises should ensure that timely and accurate information is disclosed regarding their activities, structure, financial situation, performance, and others. This chapter lists the material information that enterprises should disclose and the information that enterprises are encouraged to disclose. The 2023 revision reflects the growing expectations for the disclosure of not only financial information but also information on responsible business conduct, including human rights and the environment related information. It also ensures consistency with the G20/OECD Principles of Corporate Governance.
IV.
Human Rights		 Environment Chapter was newly established in 2011. Enterprises should respect human rights and carry out human rights due diligence appropriately in their own and their business partners’ activities and others. The 2023 revision emphasises the description of human rights defenders and indigenous people.
V.
Employment and Industrial Relations		 Enterprises should respect the rights of workers, provide them with necessary information, promote cooperation between employers and workers, provide the best possible work conditions when operating in developing countries, provide training, and provide reasonable notice of collective layoffs. The 2023 revision emphasises the importance of freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining.
VI.
Environment		 Enterprises should take due account of the need to protect the environment, public health, and safety toward the goal of achieving sustainable development. The 2023 revision clarifies expectations for responsible business conduct regarding challenges such as climate change and biodiversity. For the first time, it specifies responsibility of enterprises for climate change mitigation (reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing absorption by forests and others) and adaptation (reducing adverse impacts by adjusting natural ecosystems and social and economic systems, etc.).
VII.
Combating Bribery and Other Forms of Corruption		 Enterprises should not offer, promise, give, or demand a bribe or other undue advantage. The 2011 revision expands the scope to include the prevention of bribery demands and extortion of money and goods, and mentions small facilitation payments.
VIII.
Consumer Interests		 Enterprises should act in accordance with fair business, marketing, and advertising practices and should take all reasonable steps to ensure the quality and reliability of the goods and services that they provide. They should respect consumer privacy, prevent deceptive marketing practices, and take into consideration the needs of vulnerable and disadvantaged consumers and the specific challenges that may be posed by e-commerce.
IX.
Science, Technology and Innovation		 Enterprises should contribute to the development of innovative capacity of host countries and to the transfer of technologies and know-how to the countries. The 2023 revision reflects the development of digital transformation (DX) and specifies the expectation for the implementation of risk-based due diligence on the development, sale and use of technology by enterprises.
X.
Competition		 Enterprises should carry out their activities in a manner consistent with all applicable competition laws and regulations.
XI.
Taxation		 Enterprises should contribute to the public finances of host countries by making timely payment of their tax liabilities.

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