Transparency data

Minutes of UK NCP steering board meeting held on 6 March 2024

Updated 2 October 2024

Date: 6th March 2024

Venue: Hybrid MS Teams

Attendees

Name	Organisation
George Foster (Chair of the UK NCP Steering Board)	Department for Business and Trade (DBT)
Nicholas Crook (Board Member)	Trades Unions Congress (Trade Union)
Lorand Bartels (Board Member)	Independent (University of Cambridge)
FCDO Representative (Board member)	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)
DWP Representative (Board Member)	Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
DESNZ Representative	Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ)
CMA Representative	Competition and Market Authority (CMA)
UK NCP Steering Board Secretariat	Department for Business and Trade (DBT, Trade Policy)

Observers / Presenters

Department for Business and Trade (DBT, UK NCP)

• Head of the UK NCP
• Senior Policy Advisor, UK NCP

Item 1: Welcome and Introductions

The Chairman welcomed the Steering Board.

Item 2: Minutes and Actions from Previous Meeting

The minutes from the December 2023 meeting were confirmed as accurate.

The Chair of the Board gave an update on the status of actions arising from the previous Steering Board meeting.

The Steering Board were satisfied these had been noted and acted upon by the UK NCP.

Item 3: Updates

Updates to UK NCP

• The Chairman of the Board updated the Steering Board on new staff hires and projected support.

• The Chairman of the Board updated the Steering Board on the status of the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive.

• The Chairman of the Board updated the Steering Board on plans to provide advance notice of future Steering Board meetings to better facilitate participants attendance.

• The Chairman of the Board provided an update on shaping the NCP narrative.

Item 4: UK NCP Case Update

Current case overview

• The UK NCP updated the Board on its current caseload, noting a high volume relative to other NCPs and to prior years for the UK NCP.

• The UK NCP provided an overview of cases processing from initial assessment, offers of mediation to final statement.

Trends in UK NCP case load and subject matter

• The UK NCP updated the Board on current trends seen in the UK NCP, including the number of cases and subject matter of the Complaints.

Revision of Rules of Procedure

• The UK NCP updated the Board on their proposal to revise the NCP’s Rules of Procedure, including retention of a consultant for that purpose.

Mediation Structure and Services

• The UK NCP updated the Board on their actions and proposal to use a hybrid approach to delivering mediation services, using in-house and contracted mediators.

• The UK NCP updated the board on training received by UK NCP staff to become certified mediators to participate in future UK NCP mediations in fulfilment of the hybrid approach to mediation services delivery.

Item 5: OECD Engagement

OECD Working Party on Responsible Business Conduct Meeting

• The UK NCP updated the Board on their attendance of the OECD Working Party on Responsible Business Conduct in March 6-8, 2024.

• The UK NCP updated the Board on promotion and stakeholder engagement projected for the next quarter.

Item 6: RBC Engagement/Policy Updates

The UK NCP updated the Board on their attendance at the UN Forum for Business and Human Rights.

The UK NCP briefed the Board on their participation in the Society for Compliance and Ethics Professionals annual EU conference on RBC.

Item 7: AOB

The Steering Board were thanked for their contributions.