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Should Swiss companies and their subsidiaries be held accountable for violations of human rights and environmental standards abroad? Commoners think: yes. And not.
The corporate responsibility initiative (Kovi) divides the parties to the right of the center. Representatives from GLP, CVP, BDP and EVP gave the go-ahead to their yes campaign on Wednesday in the splendid “Salon Rouge” of the Hotel Bellevue in Bern. More than 350 bourgeois politicians are part of the procommittee. A few hours later and a few hundred meters away, a committee does not present its arguments.
“Without asking too much”
Opponents enter with CVPler Gerhard Pfister (57), FDP wife Petra Gössi (44) and SVP Council of States Marco Chiesa (45) with three party presidents. The party celebrities behind the lecterns make it clear how seriously no-camp takes the initiative, which is supported by the economic umbrella organization Economiesuisse.
Because what the initiative demands should be something natural. BDP party chairman Martin Landolt (52) thinks: “Responsible entrepreneurship is far from asking too much.” From the point of view of the head of BDP, a yes to the initiative would reinforce Switzerland’s reputation and therefore its competitiveness. Proponents noted that other countries already know rules similar to those required by the Kovi.
The wrong way
Pfister, whose CVP has merged with Landolt’s BDP to form the central faction in the Bundestag building, and wants to form the central party with him, has a completely different opinion.
Pfister admits that the initiative pursues noble goals. However, in his opinion, the path is not correct. Opponents are convinced: the initiative is causing massive damage to the economy by putting Swiss companies at a disadvantage in international competition.
Kovi oder Uvi?
Switzerland would now have the “strictest regulation in the world,” warns FDP leader Gössi. Not only large corporations but also SMEs are affected by the referendum, so your committee does not want to talk about the corporate responsibility initiative, but wants to sell it as a corporate responsibility initiative.
With reference to the text of the initiative, former CVP national adviser Dominique de Buman (64) Gössi vehemently contradicts: It is clear that SMEs are taken into account. The text establishes that the legislator “takes into account the needs of small and medium-sized companies”, which have a low risk of violating human rights and environmental regulations. “Nothing will change for most companies!” Adds Landolt.
It’s about 1 percent
Pfister also admits that 99 percent of companies would already take their responsibility seriously. The big point of contention is and remains what Switzerland should do with the remaining 1 percent. Voters have the final say on
November 29th.
On November 29, Switzerland will vote on the Corporate Responsibility Initiative. She wants Swiss-based companies to be held accountable if they or their subsidiaries and suppliers abroad violate human rights or environmental standards. As part of due diligence, companies will need to demonstrate in the future that they have taken “appropriate steps” to prevent such violations.
On the other hand they are the Federal Council and Parliament. They argue that a yes would be only for Switzerland, which would mainly damage the location of the business. The no-camp includes CVP, FDP and SVP, as well as business associations, especially the umbrella organization Economiesuisse. They fear a weakening of Swiss companies, the withdrawal of SMEs from developing countries, too much bureaucracy and exorbitant lawsuits.
Thus Joining the more than one hundred non-governmental organizations that have taken the initiative, the SP, Greens, EPP and BDP. There is also a civil committee with representatives from CVP and FDP.
