The Corporate Responsibility: Code Book

The field of corporate responsibility and sustainability has changed radically since the publication of the first edition of The Corporate Responsibility Code Book in late 2003. This second edition of the book reflects these changes, with the inclusion of a raft of new initiatives, revisions reflecting the improvements made to many others and the elimination of several initiatives that have been outgrown by developments. The Corporate Responsibility Code Book explains some of the best CR instruments available, and distils their most valuable elements. It is a guide for companies trying to understand the landscape of corporate responsibility and searching for their own, unique route towards satisfying diverse stakeholders. There is no one-size-fits-all approach. A company may face quite different challenges if it operates in more than one part of the world. And yet stakeholders, especially consumers and investors, are keen for some degree of comparability with which they can evaluate corporate performance. This book is based on interviews with the standard-setters, the implementers of standards, academics, activists and other key stakeholders from around the world; and in many cases includes the full text of the code profiled. Each of the standards and codes described has been shared with the promulgators of the instrument to ensure that the information is as up to date as possible. The Corporate Responsibility Code Book will be an invaluable tool for companies developing their own code, but will also be a key tool for companies with a strong track record in CR, seeking to understand the interrelationships among codes and standards to create their own corporate vision. It will continue to be the key reference text on corporate codes of conduct for many years to come.About the AuthorDeborah Leipziger advises companies, governments and UN agencies on corporate responsibility (CR) issues.Her books have been translated into Portuguese, Chinese, and Korean. She serves on the board of a number of organizations, including Aviva Investors’ Advisory Committee on Socially Responsible Investment, and is a Member of the International Board, Institutio Ethos, Brazil. Ms. Leipziger has worked in the field of corporate responsibility in the UK, the US, and the Netherlands.Table of ContentsIntroduction Code paradoxes The need for a code book Introduction to the second edition Introduction to the Indian edition Executive summary of corporate responsibility initiatives Values, principles, norms, codes and standards Part I: Global initiatives The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises The UN Global Compact ISO 26000 Part II: Human rights The Universal Declaration of Human Rights The Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights Part III: Labour rights A note on the challenges and problems of multi-sectoral approaches Reference International Labour Organisation: Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy Social Accountability 8000 Fair Labor Association: Workplace Code of Conduct Ethical Trading Initiative: Base Code Other major initiatives in the clothing industry Part IV: Health Issues ILO Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS and the World of Work Part V: From Environment to sustainability The environment-sustainability continuum References The business charter for sustainable development Eco-management and audit scheme The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development The Ceres Principles The Natural Step Part VI: Combating corruption The OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative The Business Principles for Countering Bribery Part VII: Corporate governance The OECD Principles of Corporate Governance Part VIII: Company codes of conduct Shell’s Business Principles Johnson & Johnson’s ‘Credo’ Part IX: Framework, sectoral and regional agreements Framework agreements Sectoral and regional agreements The Equator Principles The Principles for Responsible Investment Part X: Implementation AccountAbility 1000 Series: AA 1000 AccountAbility Principles Standard 2008 AccountAbility 1000 Assurance Standard The Global Reporting Initiative ISO 14001 Part XI: Visions for the future An emerging consensus .