Danish EU Presidency Conference on Corporate Social Responsibility November 21 â 22
Date: 20-11-2002 - Helsingoer, Denmark
Mainstreaming CSR Across Europe - Challenges and Opportunities of a Common Framework
More than 250 delegates from all European member states and from applicant countries meet to discuss the way forward for corporate social responsibility (CSR). Ministers, EU-Commissioners, the social partners, NGOs and others take stock of the Commissions recent communication on CSR. Regulation or a voluntary approach is at the core of the discussion.
Press Conference: 9.45, November 22 at conference venue:
- Mr Claus Hjort Frederiksen, Minister for Employment, DK
- Mr Roberto Maroni, Minister for Labour and Social Affairs, Italy
- Ms Anna Diamantopoulou, EU Commissioner
CSR is taking centre-stage
Stick or carrot? Regulation or a voluntary approach? CSR is taking centre-stage in the European debate. The EU Commissions communication ' Corporate Social Responsibility - a business contribution to sustainable development' sets the scene for two days of multi-stakeholder dialogue.
For more than a decade, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has been a focal point of the debate on responses to the new challenges of a globalized world. Although questions and doubts have been raised, the efforts of companies, networks, organisations, and policy makers have brought CSR to the forefront of discussions on social, environmental and economic development in Europe.
Next step: Mainstreaming CSR
This conference invokes a new and important development in the area of CSR. The Danish Presidency invites, for the first time, the major European players to discuss how to mainstream CSR across Europe. The Commission's communication on CSR is an essential point of reference, and top-level representatives from key European actors will contribute to the discussion including cross cutting themes such as:
- How can CSR become a common cause for employers, trade unions, civil society (NGOs) and governments, dynamically adding value to well-proven commercial, social, labour market and environmental strategies?
- Acknowledging a diverse and voluntary approach to CSR as fundamental, is there a need for common framework or regulatory measures, and what are the roles of the major actors, including governments, in this regard?
Please note that the conference opens with a reception November 21, 19.30h â 22.30h. Here, the National Network of Business Leaders will give a special CSR Prize to:
- Ms Anna Diamantopoulou, EU Commissioner
- Mr Viscount Etienne Davigon, Chairman CSR Europe
for their longstanding promotion of corporate social responsibility in Europe.
The full conference programme is open for the press.
The conference is organised by The Copenhagen Centre and the Ministry of Employment, with the support of the EU Commission.
Contact information
Flemming Schultz, + 45 3528 8574
email: fps@copenhagencentre.org