Ep88 - What are Good Offices?

In the previous two episodes, we saw what a National Contact Point (NCP) is and how a complaint - formally known as a Specific Instance - undergoes an Initial Assessment to decide whether alleged non-compliance with the OECD - OCDE Guidelines should proceed.

But what happens when the complaint is accepted?

A new stage may begin:

🔹 GOOD OFFICES

According to OECD Watch, when a complaint is accepted, the NCP offers assistance to the parties - known as Good Offices - usually through mediation or conciliation, to help them resolve the issues raised.

📌 The objective is to create a space for dialogue.

Mediation seeks to facilitate an agreement between the parties on the issues raised in the complaint.

The NCP may conduct the mediation itself or use an external professional mediator.
Meetings may be held separately with each party or jointly.

📌 But there is one fundamental characteristic: participation is voluntary.

According to OECD Watch, because the OECD Guidelines are not binding on companies, a company may decide not to participate in mediation - or even in the complaint process as a whole.

Therefore, the offer of Good Offices does not mean that the NCP has concluded that the company violated the Guidelines.

It means the complaint should proceed and the NCP is offering a mechanism for the parties to try to resolve the issues through dialogue.

📌 And mediation does not guarantee an agreement.

According to OECD Watch, it may result in:

🔹 an agreement on all issues;

🔹 an agreement on some of them;

🔹 or no agreement at all.

If no agreement is reached, the process does not necessarily end without an outcome: the NCP publishes a Final Statement, which may include recommendations to the company and, depending on the NCP and the case, a determination regarding possible non-compliance with the Guidelines.

And this is where these three conceptual episodes connect directly with my story.
So far, we have seen:

🔹 what an NCP is;

🔹 what a Specific Instance is;

🔹 how the Initial Assessment works;

🔹 and what Good Offices are.

Now we can return to the documents.

In 2020, after once again approaching Eni’s Board of Directors and receiving no response, I decided to turn to this mechanism.

THE FLINTO CASE WOULD REACH NCP BRAZIL.

What did I submit?

Which Guidelines did I allege may have been breached?

And, most importantly:

Did NCP Brazil accept my Specific Instance?

That is what we will examine through the documents in the next episode.

🔷 NEXT EPISODE: THE FLINTO CASE REACHES NCP BRAZIL

THE PURPOSE OF THE ENI’S WAY CAMPAIGN REMAINS THE SAME

After almost 20 years, one question remains unanswered:

🔴 Why doesn’t Eni submit the facts, the documents and the different versions regarding my dismissal to a truly independent investigation?

I am not asking anyone to believe me.

Know the facts.

Examine the supporting evidence.

And reach your own conclusion.


❎ Learn more:

1️⃣ www.oecdwatch.org