The concept of “ADR Pledge” has been known for at least last three decades. Most often it is a public statement in which those who sign it (corporations, law firms, governmental agencies etc.) declare to adopt a systemic approach to dispute resolution with more focus on mediation and ADR. In different forms ADR pledges have been promoted in many countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France or Singapore. From March 2013, a similar pledge is opened for signatures by business entities and lawyers in Poland.
The concept was first developed in the 1980s by the International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution (CPR) with its Corporate Policy Statement on Alternatives to Litigation. The “CPR Pledge” was singed by more than 4,000 operating companies and 1,500 law firms which committed to consider ADR before filing suit. Now CPR promotes its 21st Century Corporate ADR Pledge.
Other well known examples include:
– the Dispute Resolution Commitment in the UK,
– La Charte de la médiation inter-entreprises in France,
– the Singapore Mediation Charter,
– the INTA’s ADR Pledge for Brand Owners.
The most recent initiative in Poland has been brought up the Civic ADR Council and endorsed by the Ministry of Justice. On March 4, 2013, it was officially released at the conference in Warsaw with participation of over fifty major business and lawyers’ organizations.
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