ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the role of company- nongovernmental organizations (NGO) collaboration in relation to the role of national and international law in finding solutions for complex and transboundary sustainability issues. It outlines the changing relationships between government, companies and NGOs in addressing various policy issues. In discussions on promoting sustainable development, the government, companies and NGOs are often placed in a 'governance triangle'. Limitations of national and international law to address the complex issues may enhance the changes in relationships and may in particular constitute an additional argument for companies and NGOs to intensify their relations, or even to start partnerships. From a governance perspective, the limitations of traditional national and international law make the emergence of multi-stakeholder approaches all the more interesting. Sustainability standards can be set within industry or business organisations alone, and in business-NGO collaboration projects.
