Anglais des affaires master 1

ANGLAIS DES AFFAIRES

CSR: there is no central definition of CSR, and a variety of terms are used to refer to corporate social responsibility: Business Ethics, Corporate Citizenship, Corporate Accountability and Sustainability. It is also described as the business declination of the sustainable development concept that integrates the three pillars: environmental, social and economic (Earth Summit in Johannesburg, 2002). «Act local, think global»

Definition of CSR by Aguinis: context specific organizational actions and policies that take into account stakeholders ‘expectations and the triple bottom line of economic, social and environmental performance.

1. Shareholder is one who owns at least one share of stock in a company.
2. Stockholder means the exact same thing as shareholder.
3. Stakeholder is someone who has an interest in something, in this case a business. A shareholder and a stockholder are examples of a stakeholder.

All definitions of CSR describe companies’ effort to address the next topics to disclose:

1. ethical practices
2. employee friendly policies
3. environmental impact
4. governments
5. human rights
6. community engagement

Soft law: refers to rules that are neither strictly binding (obligatoire) in nature nor completely lacking legal significance. In the context of international law, soft law refers to guidelines, policy declarations or codes of conduct which set standards of conduct.

A coherent CSR strategy based on integrity sound values and a long term approach offer clear business to companies and contributes to the well-being of society. Corporations of the 21th century have a threefold CSR: economic, ethical and strategic.

Different approaches:

• Philanthropy: includes monetary donations given to local organizations and communities in developing countries.
• Incorporate the CSR strategy directly into the business strategy of an organization. CSR is committed to reinforcing effective business risk management as a key element is strategic plan decision making and execution of strategies.
• Creating Shares Value or CSV, the model is based on the idea that corporate success and social welfare are interdependent. Policies and operating practices that enhance (enforcer) the competitiveness of a company while at the same time advancing the economic and social conditions in the communities in which it operates.

Implementing CSR

The aim is to align the organization with the dynamic demands of the business and social environment.

It is essential that the firm aligns its CSR goals and decision making with its overall goals and strategies.

1. Plan

1. conduct a CSR assessment
2. develop a CSR strategy

1. Do

1. develop CSR commitments
2. implement CSR commitments

1. Check

1. verify and report on progress

1. Improve

1. evaluate and improve

← Cross-check

Laws, standards and guidelines

Measures are stated before vary from voluntary standards to law by law in some countries as France, Denmark or Great Britain while many countries have adopted soft-law in order to promote the applications of responsible practices.

Four types of actors in the sector

1. Governments (domestic and international levels)
2. International level
3. Business initiatives
4. NGOs

Current CSR landscape: complex and multi-faceted, cause there are hundreds of initiatives: they share a desire to help enhance the contribution that business organizations can make to improvement of social and environmental including labor and other human rights.

Frameworks

OECD Guidelines: they provide voluntary principles and standards for responsible business conduct in areas such as employment and industrial relations, human rights, environment, information disclosure, combating bribery, consumer interests, science and technology, competition and taxation.

ILO (International Labor Organization): negotiated between governments, workers’ and employees’ organizations in 1977, it represents the first international tripartite consensus on desirable behavior of enterprises with regard to labor and social policy areas.

UN Global Compact: the objective of the GC is to encourage an alignment of corporate policies and practices with universally agreed and internationally applicable values and goals.

Standards

ISO 26000: guidance on social responsibility, intended for use by any organizations.

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