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Back | Programme Area: Markets, Business and Regulation (2000 - 2009)

Conference News: Promoting Socially Responsible Business in Developing Countries: The Potential and Limits of Voluntary Initiatives



This report of the UNRISD workshop reviews the issues discussed during the event, including the international regulation of transnational corporations; codes of conduct, certification, monitoring and verification; and the role of NGOs and trade unions in promoting corporate responsibility. It asks what drives companies to improve their social and environmental performance, whether corporate responsibility is relevant for the South, and whether “voluntary initiatives” or stronger regulatory mechanisms are appropriate for raising labour and environmental standards. The report refers to country case studies of Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, the Philippines, Singapore and South Africa that were presented at the meeting. The conference concluded that if the corporate social responsibility agenda it is to become more relevant for developing countries, it must more in tune with their concerns and be pushed by groups from the South.

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  • Pub. Date: 21 Jan 2002
    Pub. Place: Geneva
    ISSN: 1020-8054
    From: UNRISD