SocialDialogue.net

Date:29-11-200

The second Round Table on Corporate Social Responsibility Standards was held in Brussels on 27th May 2002. There were 4 presentations in the agenda. The framework introduction: "Mapping standards for Corporate Social Responsibility" courtesy of the Institute for Social and Ethical Accountability (ISEA); a presentation from the European Eco-management and Audit Scheme (EMAS); a presentation of a possible ISO standard and a presentation of the Q-RES Project.

The focus was whether a firm's social bottom line (economic, social and environmental performance) must adhere to standards such as the quality standards defined by ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 Management System Standards or should the International Standards Organisation take a more hands-off approach and offer guidelines that may lead to future standards.

At the meeting, the Centre for Ethics, Law and Economics (CELE) introduced the "Q-RES Project: Towards a Quality standard for the Social and Ethical Responsibility (RES) of corporations". The project's mission is the following: "Fostering a business vision based on a social contract with stakeholders through the definition of a new quality standard, certifiable on an international level, of corporate social and ethical responsibility, able to protect corporate reputation and build trust in the relations with stakeholders".

To what extent standards will be set is under much debate; whether ISO will set standards or guidelines that may turn to Management System Standards in the future and be incorporated into the 9000 and 14000 series will be a subject of deliberation. More research in this subject is needed into how the setting of guidelines or standards will affect the various stakeholders that constitute Corporate Social Responsibility.

Participants included Employers groups, Trade Unions, Consumer groups, Investors, Civil Society groups, Business Networks, and European Commission Staff members.

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