Dominican business organisations draw up an action plan to strengthen democracy and social dialogue
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (ILO News) - Based on the premise that democracy, the rule of law and social dialogue are essential conditions for investment, job creation and the development of sustainable enterprises, COPARDOM, with technical support from ACT/EMP, organised the Forum on Democracy and Social and Labour Governance in the Dominican Republic. The meeting, held on 18 September 2026, brought together representatives from the country’s business organisations to analyse political and institutional risks, exchange experiences and best practices, and identify courses of action that would enable the business sector to contribute to strengthening democracy and social dialogue.
During the opening session, Laura Peña Izquierdo, president of COPARDOM, highlighted three responsibilities for business organisations: ensuring consistency between the values they publicly uphold and their own internal governance; engaging responsibly in public affairs; and broadening opportunities for participation to include small and medium-sized enterprises, women, young people, local organisations and new productive sectors. Social dialogue was presented as part of the democratic infrastructure: a tool for building consensus, maintaining channels of communication and resolving differences without allowing them to lead to rifts.
Democracy and the business environment: anticipating institutional erosion
One of the central themes of the conference was the presentation of the working paper ‘The role of business organisations in promoting and defending democracy in Latin America’, by Randal Arias of ACT/EMP.
The defence of democracy by business and employers membership organisations does not imply taking partisan positions, but rather defending the rules and institutions that allow business activity to flourish with autonomy and predictability. The idea was summed up in: “partisan neutrality yes, institutional indifference no.
Randal Arias, ACT/EMP's Regional Specialist for Latin America and Caribbean
The document identifies three essential components of a democratic system: legitimate governments emerging from free and periodic elections; accepted rules that allow for binding decisions to be taken; and effective limits on the exercise of power through the rule of law, institutional checks and balances, freedom of association, a free press and guarantees of due process. For the business sector, these elements translate into concrete assets: protected contracts; property and licences subject to general rules; independent judges and regulators; and institutional mechanisms for resolving conflicts without arbitrariness or violence.
The Forum’s working paper, drafted by the consultant Evelyn Villarreal, paints a complex picture. Whilst some indicators show stabilisation or partial progress, others continue to point to a deterioration in democratic standards. Added to this is a gap between the regulatory framework supporting democracy and citizens’ satisfaction with its outcomes. It also highlights the low levels of interpersonal and institutional trust in the region and warns that business organisations cannot take their legitimacy for granted: their capacity for advocacy depends on their representativeness, transparency, integrity and ability to generate public value. Democratic erosion, it was noted, rarely occurs suddenly.
In response, it was proposed that business organisations develop four ongoing capabilities: institutional prevention and monitoring; evidence-based advocacy; protection of their autonomy and governance; and strengthening of their social legitimacy.
From the regional assessment to the Dominican reality
The discussion amongst representatives of business organisations belonging to COPARDOM, as well as the National Council of Private Enterprise of the Dominican Republic (CONEP), provided an opportunity to compare this regional framework with the experience of the Dominican Republic. Among the main threats to the business environment, the following challenges were identified: the lack of effective separation of powers; polarisation and disinformation; the gap between sound regulations and their actual implementation; corruption; legal uncertainty; low participation among younger generations; the discontinuity in the ‘ ’ resulting from turnover in public office; and decisions that disregard evidence and technical analysis.
At the same time, participants recognised institutional assets upon which it is possible to build: the robustness of the electoral system; the existence of sustained relationships between different interest groups; open channels of communication between the business community and the Government; the capacity to accept dissent; and existing institutional relationships with Congress, the Presidency and other authorities. These strengths were valued as part of a framework for dialogue that can help address the remaining challenges.
Within this framework, it was shown that business organisations in Latin America are already carrying out numerous initiatives linked to democracy and governance. A survey conducted in 2024 among 29 business organisations in the region identified 66 initiatives, focusing particularly on integrity and the fight against corruption, transparency and access to information, civic political culture, the rule of law and the administration of justice. Among the best practices reviewed were legislative observatories, business accountability mechanisms, integrity campaigns, electoral observation and advocacy, forums on the rule of law, and joint actions with other social actors.
Four areas for moving from reflection to action
The final part of the Forum was aimed at turning the analysis into proposals. Regarding electoral participation and support for the electoral authority, it was proposed that a Business Fund for Democratic Culture (FECDE) be created to coordinate the sector’s initiatives. Possible areas of work included civic education within the education system and amongst the adult population; campaigns to promote informed voting; research and monitoring of the state of democracy; and tailored communication strategies for young people, older adults and Dominicans living abroad. The initiative that received the most support was public awareness-raising to encourage informed electoral participation.
In the area of civic education and a culture of legality, participants prioritised induction programmes and regular training on active citizenship, democratic values and non-discrimination. It was also proposed to take these initiatives directly to venues frequented by young people, to incorporate content on citizenship, ethics and compliance into internship programmes, and to promote round-table discussions tailored to different age groups.
On anti-corruption and integrity, the most widely supported proposal was to establish a permanent and inclusive business dialogue forum to coordinate the sector’s efforts on ethics, integrity and bribery prevention. The group also proposed disseminating best business practices, strengthening due diligence on suppliers, promoting certifications and integrity policies, and addressing structural challenges such as informal employment.
Finally, the group on access to information, disinformation and fake news argued that the business sector must back up its positions with more evidence, improve its communication capabilities and participate more actively in public discourse. The proposal to create a permanent forum, discussion group or technical roundtable to develop a joint communication strategy for the private sector received unanimous support.
A work programme that continues
The discussions led to a common conclusion: business action in defence of democracy gains legitimacy and effectiveness when it is undertaken collectively, based on evidence and in partnership with other social actors. For business organisations, this means going beyond merely reacting to specific situations and incorporating the monitoring of institutional quality into their core capabilities, strengthening their own governance, developing technical proposals, promoting a culture of integrity and building alliances with universities, civil society and other representative bodies.
The Forum thus set out a work programme for the organised private sector in the Dominican Republic, aimed at transforming concerns about democratic quality into concrete initiatives. The challenge is to move beyond diagnosis towards sustained business engagement that helps to uphold reliable rules, broaden dialogue and strengthen the institutions necessary for the development of sustainable businesses, the creation of decent work and a democracy capable of delivering results for the whole of society.
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