‌What is the contribution of business to people’s and communities’ well-being? How do businesses impact their environment and how sustainable are their practices? The OECD Statistics Directorate is expanding its work on measuring well-being at the country level to include the business community.

Lithuania has taken significant steps to strengthen its legislative framework to combat foreign bribery. Yet further efforts are needed to ensure effective enforcement of anti-bribery laws with regard to corporate liability and imposing sanctions for foreign bribery, including confiscation, according to a new report by the OECD Working Group on Bribery.

The next review of Sweden’s implementation of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention, which was scheduled for October 2018, has been delayed until 2019. This is due to the fact that Sweden has not yet enacted legislation to urgently address remaining recommendations to reform its laws on corporate liability for the bribery of foreign public officials.

Australia has stepped up its enforcement of foreign bribery since 2012, when the OECD Working Group on Bribery last evaluated Australia’s implementation of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention, with seven convictions in two cases and 19 ongoing investigations.

The OECD Anti-Corruption Division offers short-term internships of 2-6 months for qualified students. These internships provide students with the experience of working in an international organisation on anti-corruption issues and more specifically the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention.

This paper reviews alleged societal benefits and costs of International Investment Agreements (IIAs) as suggested by academia, governments, business and civil society. It sets out the wide range of issues that diverse actors have proposed in the context of assessing the societal benefits and costs of IIAs.

In the wake of the collapse of the Rana Plaza garment factory in Bangladesh in 2013, initiatives to strengthen regulation of global supply chains in the textile and garment sector have multiplied. Tackling the issues involved requires sustained collaboration among industry, government, worker organisations and civil society. This project promotes such collaboration as well as the harmonisation of existing standards in the sector.

This report is part of a series of assessments on Colombian gold supply chains and the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas. It analyses conditions of mineral extraction and related risks.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are increasingly turning to alternative sources of financing, while new bank lending is declining in a number of countries. Many SMEs remain over-reliant on bank credit, however, and the take-up of instruments other than straight debt varies greatly from one country to another, according to a new OECD report.

As part of the implementation strategy for the recently adopted OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains in the Garment and Footwear Sector, the OECD is conducting a series of surveys that target SMEs operating within the sector.

This report builds on national reviews of seven countries in Southeast Asia. It looks at common challenges across the region and at the interplay between regional initiatives and national reforms.

29/03/2018 - The OECD Working Party on Responsible Business Conduct is seeking candidates for a new Chairs to assist in implementing and promoting the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.

The OECD Due Diligence Guidance is being used as the basis and benchmark by many industry initiatives created to ensure the responsible sourcing of minerals. This report presents the findings of a pilot alignment assessment of five industry programmes against the recommendations of the OECD Guidance to gauge the coherence, effectiveness and credibility of these initiatives.

This paper explores the role of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in the low-carbon transition in OECD and G20 countries. It tracks GHG emissions and energy investments and analyses the impact of on investments in renewable electricity. A descriptive analysis of SOEs’ role in the electricity sector shows the importance of SOEs, including investments in both renewables and fossil-fuel-based electricity generation.

In a vigorous policy debate over investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS), adjudicator selection has emerged as an important new subject. The OECD’s David Gaukrodger looks at why adjudicator selection is attracting attention.

Many governments seek to promote and facilitate inward investments that they expect will benefit their economy. This paper looks at the merits of an international framework to facilitate investment in support of sustainable and inclusive growth.

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Portugal expanded 2.20 percent in the fourth quarter of 2019 over the same quarter of the previous year. GDP Annual Growth Rate in Portugal averaged 1.42 percent from 1996 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 5 percent in the second quarter of 1998 and a record low of -4.50 percent in the fourth quarter of 2012. On the expenditure side, household consumption is the main component of GDP and accounts for 66 percent of its total use, followed by government expenditure (19 percent) and gross fixed capital formation (15 percent). Exports of goods and services account for 40 percent of GDP and imports account for 40 percent. This page provides - Portugal GDP Annual Growth Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Housing Index in China decreased to 7.10 percent in November from 7.80 percent in October of 2019. Housing Index in China averaged 4.65 percent from 2011 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 12.60 percent in November of 2016 and a record low of -6.10 percent in March of 2015. In China, Housing Index is measured by year over year change in house prices in 70 medium and large cities. This page provides the latest reported value for - China Newly Built House Prices YoY Change - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Housing Index in Canada increased to 104.10 points in March from 103.80 points in February of 2020. Housing Index in Canada averaged 68.04 points from 1981 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 104.10 points in March of 2020 and a record low of 37.70 points in May of 1983. In Canada, New Housing Price Index (NHPI) measures changes over time in the contractors' selling prices of new residential houses, where specifications of each house remain the same between two consecutive periods. . This page provides - Canada New Housing Price Index - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Housing Index in Switzerland decreased to 168.74 points in the first quarter of 2020 from 169.34 points in the fourth quarter of 2019. Housing Index in Switzerland averaged 105.83 points from 1970 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 169.34 points in the fourth quarter of 2019 and a record low of 35.65 points in the first quarter of 1970. In Switzerland, housing index refers to Residential House Price Index of single-family homes. This page provides - Switzerland House Price Index - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

This note presents selected findings based on the set of well-being indicators published in How's Life? 2020.

The tax wedge for the average single worker in Denmark remained the same at 35.4 percentage points between 2018 and 2019. The OECD average tax wedge in 2019 was 36.0 (2018, 36.1). In 2019 Denmark had the 23rd lowest tax wedge among the 36 OECD member countries, occupying the same position in 2018.

This note presents selected findings based on the set of well-being indicators published in How's Life? 2020.

The tax wedge for the average single worker in the Czech Republic increased by 0.1 percentage points from 43.8 in 2018 to 43.9 in 2019. The OECD average tax wedge in 2019 was 36.0 (2018, 36.1). In 2019 the Czech Republic had the 7th highest tax wedge among the 36 OECD member countries, occupying the same position in 2018.

The United States spent 16% of its national income (GDP) on health in 2007, which is by far, the highest share in the OECD. This presentation was given by Mark Pearson, Head of OECD Health Division, to the U.S Senate Special Committee on Aging.

An overview of the long-term care situation in Norway is available here.

An overview of the long-term care situation in New Zealand is available here.

An overview of the long-term care situation in Switzerland is available here.

An overview of the long-term care situation in Sweden is available here.

Health spending continues to rise faster than economic growth in most OECD countries, maintaining a trend observed since the 1970s. Health spending reached 9.5% of GDP on average in 2009, the most recent year for which figures are available, up from 8.8% in 2008, according to OECD Health Data 2011.

The Swiss health system is one of the world’s best but must adapt to deal with rising costs and higher rates of cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes, according to a new OECD/WHO report.

Mental illness is a growing problem in society and is increasingly affecting productivity and well-being in the workplace, according to a new OECD report.

More people in developed countries are overweight or obese than ever before, dooming them to years of ill-health and early death. New OECD data show however that in some countries obesity rates are slowing, and that’s good news for people’s health and government budgets.

This book introduces the concept of knowledge networks and markets (KNMs) in the life sciences, the emerging organisations and mechanisms to share and trade an increasing variety of knowledge assets.

한국의 GDP 대비 국민의료비 비중은 2000년 4.5% 에서 2010년 처음으로 7%을 넘은 것(7.1%)으로 나타났다. 그러나 한국의 GDP 대비 국민의료비 비중 7.1%는 OECD 평균 9.5 %에 비해서는 낮은 편이다. 미국은 GDP 대비 17.6%로 가장 높다.

Growth in health spending slowed or fell in real terms in 2010 in almost all OECD countries, reversing a long-term trend of rapid increases, according to OECD Health Data 2012.

New OECD data show that men are more likely to be admitted to hospital as a result of poor management of diabetes than women, even when there are no significant differences in the number of men and women living with diabetes.

This workshop will convene leading experts from health and finance backgrounds in government, academia, and international organisations to take stock of progress in health expenditure forecasting and to discuss future directions, in light of policy needs and recent advancements in techniques, detailed data and computing power.

Belgian companies, mutualities and employment services should be more proactive in helping people with mental health problems stay in the workplace or find a job, according to a new OECD report.

OECD Health Working Papers No. 60: Health Spending Growth at Zero: Which Countries, Which Sectors Are Most Affected?

The main purpose of this meeting is to shortly present where the Mental Health and Work project stands and to discuss some good practice examples from the first countries that have been reviewed.

An overview of OECD work on Employment, Social Protection and International Migration.

The number of people over 80 will double by 2050 rising from 3.9% of the population to 9.1% in 2050 across OECD countries and from 4.7% to 11.3% across 27 EU members. Estimates are that up to half of them will need help to cope with their daily needs. Yet even today governments are struggling to deliver high-quality care to elderly people with reduced physical and mental abilities, says a new OECD/EC report, A good life in old age? .

Norway is better placed to cope with population ageing than most other countries. But it could still do more to improve incentives and opportunities for people to stay working longer which would help ensure the country’s long-term future, according to a new OECD report.

This paper provides new projections of public spending on health and long-term care for OECD countries and the BRIICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, Indonesia, China and South Africa). Despite the inevitable uncertainty surrounding projections, they suggest a rapidly rising trend over the next 50 years.

The future of public health: policy decisions today for tomorrow’s populations. Our health, our economy, our society, our future: a Brave New World. Remarks by Yves Leterme, Deputy Secretary-General, OECD. Brussels, Belgium, September 4th 2013.

This document outlines the methodologies and tools currently used to assess the risk of chemicals to children’s health and also identifies possible needs for additional guidance or tools based on the results of an on-line survey conducted in November 2011. The following areas of risk assessment are covered: definitions, hazard and exposure assessment, risk characterisation, cohort studies and combined exposure to multiple chemicals.

The future sustainability of health systems will depend on how well governments are able to anticipate and respond to efficiency and quality of care challenges. Bold action is required, as well as willingness to test innovative care delivery approaches. This book examines the whole new world of possibilities in using mobiles and the Internet to address healthcare challenges.

Earlier detection and better treatment for cancer would cut death rates from the disease by around a third, saving the lives of nearly a million people in the developed world every year, according to a new report by the OECD prepared with the support of the European Commission, building on earlier World Health Organisation research.

The global economic crisis has had a profound impact on people’s well-being, reaching far beyond the loss of jobs and income, and affecting citizens’ satisfaction with their lives and their trust in governments, according to a new OECD report.