Conference on corporate social responsibility
Metope of the frieze of the Palais d'Iéna
© CES
- from: 30.10.2008
- to: 30.10.2008
- In: Paris, Palais d'Iéna
The European Union has made corporate social responsibility (CSR) a component of its strategy for growth and employment and its renewed social agenda. The Economic and Social Committee, the European Commission and the French Economic and Social Committeee are holding a conference on this subject on 30 October 2008 in Paris.
The aim of this conference is to highlight the determining role of partnership and transparency for European added value with regard to CSR. It aims to show how successful partnerships favour the sustainability of responsible initiatives and will examine this issue from the perspectives of both responsible production and responsible consumption. The conference will also examine how the frameworks negotiated at national, European or international level can determine the spread and the success of corporate social responsibility.
The following topics will be discussed: transparency and reliability of information on the responsible actions of European companies; requirements for measuring and evaluating performance; and the capacity of the actors. The conference will give the floor to the actors, favouring the presentation of specific cases, i.e. corporate practices and public authority initiatives. It will bring together officials and recognised experts in the domain of corporate social responsibility, including company directors, social partners, NGOs, representatives of the Member States, the European institutions and international organisations.
Corporate social responsibility was defined by the European Commission as a concept whereby "companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis". It includes:
- a social aspect (improvement of social dialogue, recruitment policy favouring the local labour market)
- an environmental aspect (rational use of natural resources)
- an economic aspect (responsible social investment, considered to be the financial manifestation of CSR).
There are multiple incentives for adopting an approach of corporate social responsibility. It often facilitates better anticipation of the development of technical and legal regulations and of individual and collective behaviour. It also allows companies to positively differentiate themselves with regard to competing enterprises. Thanks to better human resources management, it also helps to attract quality coworkers and favours the company's maintained presence in a country. Lastly, it is an advantage in terms of market capitalisation, evaluation by investors, access to loans or to public markets and for finding partners. CSR is the manifestation of the principles of sustainable development at company level.
Press contact :
Christian Weger
Press service of the European Economic and Social Committee
Tel. : +32 (0) 2 546 9586 - Fax : +32 (0) 2 546 9764
e-mail : christian.weger @ eesc.europa.eu
- Updated: 18.12.2008
