Corporate social responsibility in the EU

SUMMARY OF:

Making Europe a pole of excellence on corporate social responsibility — COM(2006) 136 final

SUMMARY

WHAT DOES THIS COMMUNICATION DO?

—	It sets priorities and measures on corporate social responsibility* (CSR) matters in order to better use companies’ potential in contributing to sustainable development and the objectives of the strategy for growth and development.

—	In doing so it benefits companies, the EU economy and society as a whole.

KEY POINTS

—	The development of CSR practice involves a wide range of actors (for example trade unions, investors, consumers, and non-governmental organisations).

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To promote CSR, the European Commission focuses on: — supporting multi-stakeholder initiatives; — cooperating with EU countries within the Group of High Level National Representatives on CSR in order to mobilise the national and regional instruments; — raising consumer awareness on the impact of choices; — promoting CSR among small and medium-sized enterprises.

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It also makes use of respected international benchmarks, such as: — the UN guiding principles on business and human rights; — the UN Global Compact; — the ILO Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (ILO MNE Declaration); — ISO 26000 guidance on social responsibility; and — the OECD guidelines on multinational enterprises.

—	Progress has been made in the area of CSR thanks to the policy pursued by the European Commission. A 2011 communication outlines the modern concept of CSR as defined by the Commission and the actions to be pursued in this area over the 2011-2014 period.

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The EU strategy on CSR includes: — enhancing the visibility of CSR and spreading good CRS practices; — improving and monitoring levels of trust in business; — improving self- and co-regulation practices; — improving the market rewards for CSR; — improving transparency on businesses’ social and environmental information; — integrating CSR into education, training and research; — stressing the importance of CSR public policies; and — better aligning European and global approaches to CSR.

—	To evaluate the CSR strategy, the Commission launched a public consultation on CSR 2011-2014. This sought to identify achievements, shortcomings and future challenges.

BACKGROUND

Since the publication of its 2001 Green Paper on corporate social responsibility, the European Commission has played a pioneering role in the development of public policy in favour of CSR.

—	Corporate social responsibility (CSR)

KEY TERM

* Corporate social responsibility (CSR): a concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with stakeholders on a voluntary basis. Although CSR should be company led, governments can play a supporting role through policy measures and regulations.

ACT

Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council and the European Economic and Social Committee — Implementing the partnership for growth and jobs: making Europe a pole of excellence on corporate social responsibility (COM(2006) 136 final, 22.3.2006)

RELATED ACTS

Commission staff working document on implementing the UN guiding principles on business and human rights — State of play (SWD(2015) 144 final, 14.7.2015)

Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council and the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions — A renewed EU strategy 2011-14 for corporate social responsibility (COM(2011) 681 final, 25.10.2011)

Public consultation on corporate social responsibility, 2014

Regulation (EU) No 995/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 October 2010 laying down the obligations of operators who place timber and timber products on the market (OJ L 295, 12.11.2010, pp. 23-34)

Directive 2014/95/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 amending Directive 2013/34/EU as regards disclosure of non-financial and diversity information by certain large undertakings and groups (OJ L 330, 15.11.2014, pp. 1-9)

last update 09.11.2015