Chapter 1 - Introduction to Corporate Social Responsibility Flashcards
The awareness of the environmental and social dimension of companies has diverged. What are the Main steps (important milestones) of CSR?
1987
Is started with thee Definition of the « sustainable development concept» and publication of the «Our common future» report by the Bruntland Commission.
1992
Rio Earth Summit. Adoption of the first «Agenda 21». Agreement on the Climate Change Convention that led to Kyoto Protocol (1997) and Paris Agreement (2015).
2000
Adoption of the UN Global Compact (UNGC), a call to companies asking them to implement strategies based on environmental and social responsibility.
2000
Launch of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), a standard aiming to help companies to communicate on their E&S strategies and impacts.
2015
Adoption of the Paris Agreement on Climate at the 21st session of the conference of parties (COP 21).
2015
Adoption by the United Nations of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) included in the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.
Explain the Brundtland Commission of 1987
“Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”
–>The company is in the middle not only on the economy but also with the environmental dimension and social (mapa dee las 3 partes)
What are the 3 dimensions of sustainable development? And what does it mean?
Must be equitable, it is not automatically sustainable but also the other in between dimensions.
Equitable
Liveable
Viable
As a consequence of the SOCIAL, ECONOMIC and ENVIRONMENTAL dimension.
How else is the Rio “Earth Summit” known?
United Nations Conference on the environment and development
How was it made up/who were the attendees at this Rio “Earth Summit” event?
- 178 countries and 120 heads of states and governments
- 2400 NGO representatives
- 17’000 participants in the NGO Forum (held in parallel)
What issues were addressed at the Rio Earth Summit?
Adoption of the 3 docs:
• Rio Declaration: composed of 27 principles that specify the
sustainable development concept
• Agenda 21: includes 2500 recommendations for the implementation of the Rio Declaration
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change: asserts the necessity to reduce GHG emissions; led to adoption of the Kyoto Protocol
In what year the Rio Earth Summit was it held?
1992
What does the Rio Declaration document consist of, carried out at the Rio Earth Summit?
Two new concerns:
• The deterioration of the natural environment
• The interdependence between economic progress and environmental protection
(there are 2 new concerns also the most important is to mention that you cannot do all, there’s an interdependence between economic progress and environmental protection)
27 principles: ( the 27 principles are aborded: 1, 3 and 4 on the course aborded)
… Principle 1
Human beings are at the center of concerns for sustainable development.
… Principle 3
The right to development must be fulfilled so as to equitably meet developmental and environmental needs of present and future generations.
… Principle 4
In order to achieve sustainable development, environmental protection shall constitute an integral part of the development process and cannot be considered in isolation from it.
What does the Agenda 21 document consist of, carried out at the Rio Earth Summit?
It has an action plan and it has the 2500 recommendations but for some countries are some more important than others. Those important are applied in reality.
What does the Agenda 21’s action plan consist of, carried out at the Rio Earth Summit?
• Implementation of the 27 principles of the
Rio Declaration
• Aimed at regional and local authorities
What do the Agenda 21’s recommendations consist of, carried out at the Rio Earth Summit?
2500 recommendations:
- Poverty
- Health
- Housing
- Pollution
- Desertification
- Ocean, forest, mountain management
- Water resource management and sanitation
- Agricultural management
- Waste management
What does the UN-Framework Convention on Climate Change consist of, carried out at the Rio Earth Summit?
It is the 1st tentative by the UN to identify climate change:
- The Convention incorporates the principles included in the Rio Declaration and Agenda 21
- Is not mandatory (a country can decide to participate or not (acuerdo acordado desde la primera tentative ))
- Will result in the signature of the Kyoto Protocol in 1997
there are 3 principles identified:
• The principle of precaution (: if it’s dangerous and you’re not sure what will have in the future please be careful and don’t do that (genetically modified organics: if you do something and it doesn’t go well it’s difficult to come back to the original substance, be careful).
• The principle of common but differentiated responsibilities
• The principle of the right to development
What was the UN Global Compact - UNGC? And in what year was it carried out?
It was the 1st UN program to include the business world in the debate with the aim to encourage and to guide companies towards more environmental and social responsibility rather than sanction, the UN can’t take sanction. It was launched by Kofi Annan in 2000. Today it has more than 10K signatory companies and concretely there are 85 local networks which try to encourage the companies to do more with the 10 principles of responsible management relating to 4 areas (those principles abord human rights, international labor standards, the environment and fight against corruption).
It’s important to fight against corruption in all its forms, entirely.
It was carried out in 2000.
In what do the 10 principles of the UN Global Compact consist?
Human Rights:
- Promote and respect the protection of international human rights law within their sphere of influence
- Ensure that their own companies are not complicit in human rights violations
International labour norms:
- Respect freedom of association and recognize the right to collective bargaining
- Eliminate all forms of forced or compulsory labour
- Abolish child labour
- Eliminate discrimination in employment and occupation
Environment:
- Apply the precautionary approach to environmental problems
- Undertake initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility
- Promote the development and dissemination of environmentally friendly technologies
Fight against corruption:
10. Act against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery
Underlying international conventions: The UN Global Compact principles are all derived from international conventions such as:
Universal Declaration of Human Rights:
• Principles 1 & 2
Declaration of the International Labour Organisation on fundamental principles and workplace rights:
• Principles 3, 4, 5 & 6
Rio Declaration on environment and development:
• Principles 7, 8 & 9
UN United Nations Convention against Corruption
• Principle 10
