Congress is pleased to present this guide to corporate social responsibility (CSR) for trade unions. Whether you think CSR is a threat or an opportunity for trade unions, it is a growing phenomenon that we cannot afford to ignore.
Trade unions welcome genuine attempts by companies to integrate social and environmental concerns into their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders. We do not accept it, however, as an alternative to the most effective and proven means of increasing the beneficial effects to society of business activities, i.e. through industrial relations and especially collective bargaining in the framework of effective protection of rights and regulations by governments. Among the most recurring elements in the various definitions of CSR is its voluntary nature. There is little evidence that the growth of CSR initiatives has helped to reduce the number of conflicts between local communities, trade unions and corporations. A voluntary approach is clearly not sufficient and legally binding international social and environmental standards remain the most effective tools to ensure that business has a positive effect on all stakeholders.
That is why we are publishing this resource for trade unions. It is an attempt to explain the concept of CSR in an accessible manner so that unions and their members can engage with CSR initiatives in an informed manner. We hope you find it useful and that it assists trade union engagement with CSR so as to ensure it becomes more about genuine dialogue and not just management systems and checklists.