Fighting corruption and promoting integrity in both the private and public sectors are critical to fostering an environment of trust and accountability, and conducive to sustainable and inclusive economic development.

Well-designed competition law, effective enforcement and competition-based economic reform promote consumer welfare and economic growth while making markets more flexible and innovative. The OECD actively encourages governments to tackle anti-competitive practices and fosters market-oriented reform throughout the world.

Corporate governance guides how a company is directed and its relationships with its shareholders and stakeholders. With the right structure and systems in place, good corporate governance enables companies to create an environment of trust, transparency and accountability, which promotes long-term patient capital and supports economic growth and financial stability. OECD work on corporate governance is guided by the G20/OECD Principles of Corporate Governance, the global standard in this area.

About 70% of international trade involves global value chains (GVCs), as services, raw materials, parts, and components cross borders – often numerous times. A strong trend has emerged towards the international dispersion of value chain activities such as design, production, marketing, distribution, etc. This emergence of GVCs and increased interest in their sustainability and resilience requires analysing supply chains as a whole and developing policies around them.

Industrial policy refers to government assistance to businesses to boost or reshape specific economic activities, especially to firms or types of firms based on their activity, technology, location, size or age. Governments use industrial policies to address important economic, social and environmental challenges that markets cannot address on their own, such as to accelerate the green transition, or improve the robustness of value chains for critical products and services.

Sectors such as semiconductors, steel, renewable energy, and automotives form the cornerstone of modern economies, each with unique structural and functional characteristics that necessitate specific analysis. Conducting sector-specific analysis provides an in depth understanding of these strategic industries and facilitates the formulation of informed policy assessments and recommendations.

The OECD's work on investment supports governments in attracting more and better-quality investment, prioritising sustainability, while caring about security. The OECD aims to equip governments with the tools to attract more capital into productive sectors and generating positive social and environmental outcomes. This approach contributes to building resilient, inclusive, and prosperous economies globally.

Responsible business conduct (RBC) sets out an expectation that all businesses – regardless of their legal status, size, ownership or sector – avoid and address negative impacts of their operations, while contributing to sustainable development in the countries where they operate.

Empowering SMEs and entrepreneurs is crucial to sustainable and inclusive growth. They fuel innovation and competition, sustain competitiveness in global markets and value chains, provide a main source of employment, champion inclusion and represent the lifeblood of local economies and communities. They are also pivotal in the transition of economies to a digital and sustainable future. The OECD works with countries and regions to develop policies that strengthen the resilience of SMEs and entrepreneurs and unlock their potential in a changing global landscape.

Businesses are the engine of the economy – they shape our planet, the way we work, produce, consume and live. The OECD works with the private sector and governments sharing data, analysis, recommendations and global standards to help implement policies that create more sustainable, green and inclusive businesses across supply chains. The goal is to encourage long-term value creation for all, inclusive societies and sustainable natural resources. Businesses of all sizes can become powerful drivers for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Tourism is an important driver of economic prosperity, jobs, income and wellbeing in OECD countries and beyond. Awareness of the sector’s role as an economic and social force has been elevated at the highest levels, following the near complete shutdown of tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, rapid and unbalanced tourism development also brings challenges for people, places and businesses. We analyse policies and structural changes impacting the development of tourism and provide policy makers with policy solutions, data, expertise and good practices to set tourism on a path to a more resilient, sustainable and inclusive future.