ISO Social Responsibility MAY 2011: ECOLOGIA's Handbook for Implementers of ISO 26000 ECOLOGIA has prepared this 33-page Handbook to meet the needs of small and medium sized businesses, who want to improve their impacts on their communities through developing their corporate social responsibility activities. In Summer 2011, ECOLOGIA will be working with a limited number of businesses in Vermont and in China, using the Handbook. The Handbook includes: overview of the standard and its goals, and what it can offer users workbook, featuring questions, tables to fill out, graphics, charts, real-life examples, and sections such as "Engaging Your Stakeholders: How to Begin the Process" definitions,principles and action suggestions for each of the seven core subjects: Organizational governance Human rights Labor practices Environment Fair operating practices Consumer issues Community involvement and development View the Handbook in .pdf format . NOVEMBER 1, 2010: Official "launch" of ISO 26000 in Geneva, Switzerland Dr.
bench-marks.org / home rporate social responsibility - Factsheets The area of corporate responsibility (CR) has developed with the recognition that organisations’ operating activities impact on society, the environment and the economy. In committing to CR, organisations look at their stakeholders and attempt to maximise the positive impact of their operations and minimise any negative effects. CR informs the way an organisation does business, including all aspects of corporate governance, to ensure that they are operating ethically and in a transparent and accountable way. This often goes beyond organisations’ legal obligations; indeed, CR has grown in part due to perceived limitations of legislation, either in its scope, detail or power to influence. Precise definitions of CR vary and the term is often used almost interchangeably with other terminology such as corporate social responsibility (CSR), sustainability and sustainable business.
Associated Grant Makers Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) - Sustainable and responsible business - Enterprise and Industry Corporate social responsibility (CSR) refers to companies taking responsibility for their impact on society. As evidence suggests, CSR is increasingly important to the competitiveness of enterprises. It can bring benefits in terms of risk management, cost savings, access to capital, customer relationships, human resource management, and innovation capacity. European Commission Strategy CSR is defined by the European Commission as "the responsibility of enterprises for their impacts on society" (COM (2011) 681 ). The Commission’s CSR agenda for action is: A detailed table showing progress in implementation of this agenda is available here
Corporate social responsibility The term "corporate social responsibility" became popular in the 1960s and has remained a term used indiscriminately by many to cover legal and moral responsibility more narrowly construed. Proponents argue that corporations increase long term profits by operating with a CSR perspective, while critics argue that CSR distracts from business' economic role. A 2000 study compared existing econometric studies of the relationship between social and financial performance, concluding that the contradictory results of previous studies reporting positive, negative, and neutral financial impact, were due to flawed empirical analysis and claimed when the study is properly specified, CSR has a neutral impact on financial outcomes.[5] Critics[6][7] questioned the "lofty" and sometimes "unrealistic expectations" in CSR.[8] or that CSR is merely window-dressing, or an attempt to pre-empt the role of governments as a watchdog over powerful multinational corporations. Definition[edit] Approaches[edit]
Well behaviour change has certainly changed Samantha Heath, chief executive of the London Sustainabilty Exchange (LSx), and Gayle Burgess, Behaviour Change Programme Director, reflect on their experience of connecting and motivating people for a more sustainable London, drawing lessons for current and future work to change behaviour. The challenge of getting Londoners to lead “greener”, healthier lives — to reduce their waste, conserve energy and water, recycle more, eat healthily and exercise more and so on — is a mighty one. In LSx’s early years, the clarion call for sustainable lifestyle choices and behavioural change was typically “If everyone in the world lived as Londoners do, we would need three planets’ worth of resources” . For quite a while the vision of living the ideal of a ‘One Planet lifestyle’ was the descriptor of choice: people and governments were able to understand it, we thought they could imagine it. London is a unique city with dynamic demographics. Challenges to changing behaviour Community empowerment
Climate Change Adaptation and Corporate Strategy Corporate Strategy On the boardroom agenda, most organisations will now be discussing issues around environmental impact, climate change adaptation and sustainability. Your business may have strategies and policies in place. There might be posters on the walls charting performance or advertising the next initiative. At WSP our worldwide team will be able to relate to your specific position and work collaboratively with you to shape, implement and track the most appropriate environmental or sustainability strategy for your business. Explore this part of our website and we’ll explain: We also deliver knowledge management through highly visual and user-friendly Web 2.0 tools. > Use our directory to find what you’re looking for The importance of sustainability How do you measure the importance of sustainability across the value chain in your business?
What is CSR?