On 10 December 2014, the Global Policy’s eBook published the article “Achieving Global Rules on Social Impacts for Export Credit Agencies” written by the IHR Project co-leads, Andrea Shemberg and Andrea Saldarriaga.
The article argues that harmonisation of environmental and social standards for the operation of Export Credit Agencies (ECAs) has emerged as an urgent priority to be addressed. Harmonisation can help prevent a race-to-the-bottom on key societal issues among ECAs globally and will help avoid a shadow being cast on their public policy role that can threaten to erode the rationale for their own existence.
The authors formulate a series of policy recommendations including a call on the countries that have supported the development and dissemination of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights to drive the inclusion of such standards in the context of ECAs. They also suggest that the ongoing work of the International Working Group on export credits may be an opportunity to initiate this discussion.
