Corporate Social Responsibility Across Europe
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become an increasingly important topic in our global society. Corporate Social Responsibility Across Europe is the first volume of its kind to bring together twenty-three national perspectives on this issue. Thirt
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Andr Habisch ´ Jan Jonker Martina Wegner ´ Ren Schmidpeter (Editors)
Corporate Social Responsibility Across Europe With 7 Figures and 18 Tables
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Professor Dr. Andr Habisch Martina Wegner Ren Schmidpeter Catholic University of Eichstått-Ingolstadt Ostenstraûe 26±28 85072 Eichstått Germany Dr. Jan Jonker Nijmegen School of Management Radboud University Nijmegen PO Box 9108 6500 HK Nijmegen The Netherlands
Cataloging-in-Publication Data Library of Congress Control Number: 2004113533
ISBN 3-540-23251-6 Springer Berlin Heidelberg New York This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilm or in any other way, and storage in data banks. Duplication of this publication or parts thereof is permitted only under the provisions of the German Copyright Law of September 9, 1965, in its current version, and permission for use must always be obtained from Springer-Verlag. Violations are liable for prosecution under the German Copyright Law. Springer is a part of Springer Science+Business Media springeronline.com ° Springer Berlin ´ Heidelberg 2005 Printed in Germany The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. Hardcover-Design: Erich Kirchner, Heidelberg SPIN 11327578
43/3130-5 4 3 2 1 0 ± Printed on acid-free paper
Foreword
Corporate Social Responsibility, or CSR, helps businesses to build up credibility and trust which are the key to hiring – and retaining – the best and brightest staff, and to a reputation which consumers and investors can identify with. For the public at large, CSR plays another role. The impact of trade liberalisation and technological change brings concern about globalisation, economic restructuring and the ever growing power of multinationals. If corporations demonstrate a sense of social and environmental responsibility, they help to ease the transition towards the new economic order. But why are governments interested in CSR? – Their task is to make sure that the process of global economic and social change is managed properly and fairly. Let me give you a simple but striking example. The ILO estimates that two hundred and fifty million children are currently working world wide in dangerous or degrading conditions. This can only be changed if the countries concerned ratify and apply the ILO instrument outlawing such practices. With proper CSR, we can at least ensure that European companies commit to respecting children’s rights in all their global operations and thus send out a signal to others. Moreover, CSR is a major contributor to Europe’s employment and social agenda – the pursuit of more and better jobs. It is also an important driver of better global governance, reinforcing
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