Defending Religious Freedom: A Corporate Social Responsibility By Gregory G. Clark For J. Reuben...
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Defending Religious Freedom: A Corporate Social Responsibility By Gregory G. Clark For J. Reuben Clark Law Society 2013 Conference Georgetown University Law Center
Defending Religious Freedom: A Corporate Social Responsibility By Gregory G. Clark For J. Reuben Clark Law Society 2013 Conference Georgetown University
Defending Religious Freedom: A Corporate Social Responsibility
By Gregory G. Clark For J. Reuben Clark Law Society 2013 Conference
Georgetown University Law Center
Slide 2
Religious Freedom under Global Attack Over the past year, while
economic woes captured world headlines, an ongoing crisis of equal
breadth and scope frequently went unnoticed. Across the global
landscape, the pivotal human right of religious freedom was under
escalating attack. To an alarming extent, freedom of thought,
conscience, and religion or belief was being curtailed, often
threatening the safety and survival of innocent persons, including
members of religious minorities. U.S. Commission on International
Religious Freedom 2012 Annual Report
http://www.uscirf.gov/reports-and-briefs/annual-report.htmlhttp://www.uscirf.gov/reports-and-briefs/annual-report.html
Linkage between Governmental Restrictions and Social
Hostilities One might argue that the best hope of reducing social
hostilities related to religion might be the reduction of
corresponding governmental discriminations and/or restrictions
related to religion. How easy is it to affect governmental
discriminations/restrictions related to religion? My own experience
in seeking religious freedom in Qatar might be instructive.
Slide 8
The Qatar Experience 1994 200320052012 Ongoing lobbying with
Qatari Government by religious leaders and various Ambassadors
Slide 9
The Legal Recognition Weapon Denial of legal recognition is a
key weapon of some governments to either limit or suppress
religious freedom. Legal recognition is often required to: Open
bank accounts; Lease or build chapels; Obtain visas for leaders or
missionaries; Import religious materials; and Proselytize.
Slide 10
Qatar Case Study How easy is it to affect governmental
restrictions related to religion? It took at least 9 years
(1994-2003) of lobbying from religious leaders and various
Ambassadors from USA, UK and Vatican for Qatar government to
finally grant official registration to 6 non-Muslim churches. Is
there a way religious freedom could have been accelerated in
Qatar?
Slide 11
Influence of Business Community with Governments In Qatar, only
religious leaders and Ambassadors were lobbying for reform of
religious restrictions in Qatar. What would have happened if
foreign corporations, who were doing business (and investing
billions of US dollars) in Qatar, had also lobbied on behalf of
their expatriate employees?
Slide 12
Influence of Business Community with Governments Could the
business community have accelerated religious freedom in Qatar, for
the benefit of their employees, if it had also engaged in lobbying
the Qatar government? Fortunately, Qatar had (and still has) a
pro-active Emir who made religious freedom more of a reality in
Qatar, after many years, while (unfortunately) the business
community stood on the sidelines.
Slide 13
Influence of Business Community with Governments Perhaps the
business community in Qatar did not understand its role in
promoting human rights, including the most basic human right of
religious freedom.
Slide 14
Role of Business Community in Promoting Human Rights
International organizations have played an influential role in
promoting human rights, as an integral part of the Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) initiatives of the business community: United
Nations Global Compact (has over 7,300 business and non-business
participants); Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Developments Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises; and
International Organization for Standardizations guidance in ISO
26000:2010 Social Responsibility.
Slide 15
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) United Nations Global
Compact Principal 1 Businesses should support and respect the
protection of internationally proclaimed human rights
Slide 16
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) The most basic of these
internationally proclaimed human rights is the right to freedom of
thought, conscience and religion, as noted in Article 18 of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which reads: Everyone has
the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this
right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and
freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or
private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice,
worship and observance.
Slide 17
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) United Nations Global
Compacts official website proposes making reasonable accommodations
for all employees religious observance and practices as an example
of supporting and respecting human rights through their daily
activities.
http://www.unglobalcompact.org/AboutTheGC/TheTenPrinciples/principle1.html
Slide 18
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) The economic power
corporations exert within communities and on governments can serve
as a strong impetus for change where human rights are being denied
or are not fully protected. In particular, businesses can become
influential catalysts for change in protecting and fostering
religious freedom on a global basis. Why would the business
community want to engage in promoting religious freedom in
countries where they operate?
Slide 19
Religious Freedom is Good for Business A Boston University
empirical study found that laws burdening religion harm economic
growth. Hylton, Church and State: An Economic Analysis, 2, 20 (May
2008) An empirical study done by Harvard also supports the positive
effect of religion and religious pluralism on economic growth.
Robert J. Barro & Rachel M. McCleary, Religion and Economic
Growth, Harvard University, 34-37 (Apr. 8, 2003)
Slide 20
Why is it in Economic Interest of Businesses to Promote
Religious Freedom? Reduced war and violence. War and violence, and
the resulting political instability, are bad for most businesses.
Dr. Brian Grim found that when governments and religious groups in
society do not erect barriers to religious competition but respect
and protect such activities as conversion and proselytism,
religious violence is less. Brian J. Grim, Religious Freedom and
Social Well-being: A Critical Appraisal, 2 IJRF 1, 44 (2009).
Slide 21
Why is it in Economic Interest of Businesses to Promote
Religious Freedom? Reduced corruption. Corruption is bad for
business and empirical studies confirm that laws and practices that
burden religion increase corruption. Lipset, Seymour Martin and
Gabriel Salman Lenz; C ORRUPTION, C ULTURE, AND M ARKETS, IN C
ULTURE M ATTERS : H OW V ALUES S HAPE H UMAN P ROGRESS, 112-24
(Lawrence E. Harrison and Samuel P. Huntington, eds., N.Y Basic
Books, 2000). Improved community environments. Churches provide
substantial healthcare, education and humanitarian contributions to
their communities, which improve the overall community environment
in which they operate.
Slide 22
Why is it in Economic Interest of Businesses to Promote
Religious Freedom? Enhanced goodwill and public image. Business
will benefit from enhanced goodwill and public image for promoting
such a fundamental human right as religious freedom. Improved ties
with like-minded business partners and ethical investment funds.
Some partners and investment funds prefer companies that are
responsive to human rights.
Slide 23
How Does Religious Freedom Improve Business Productivity?
Improved recruitment and retention. Individuals with key expertise
might reject expatriate assignments, or end them early, if the
country of assignment restricts their ability to exercise their
religion this will impact productivity. Improved employee morale.
Morale of employees will improve, especially for those with strong
religious beliefs, if they can practice their religion this will
improve productivity.
Slide 24
How Does Religious Freedom Improve Business Productivity?
Improved workplace environment. Promoting religious freedom will
engender a corporate culture of greater tolerance and less
hostility among fellow employees with different religious views
this hostile-free environment will enhance productivity. Improved
communication and collaboration. A work environment that is not
plagued by religious intolerance or hostility among colleagues will
result in improved communication and collaboration among employees
this will enhance productivity.
Slide 25
How Does Religious Freedom Improve Business Productivity? Fewer
employee claims of religious discrimination. A work environment
that promotes religious freedom will be less troubled by the
turmoil and costs (time and money) associated with religious
discrimination claims this will improve productivity. Improved
internal goodwill. The goodwill of the company in the eyes of its
own employees will be improved for recognizing the importance of
life outside the workplace, including religious freedom, which
should engender greater loyalty to the company this will improve
productivity.
Slide 26
Strong correlations between religious freedom and numerous
other social goods: protection of other human rights; gender
empowerment; lower levels of armed conflict; lower poverty; greater
economic freedom; overall liveability; lower income inequality;
higher earned income, and so forth. Such influences create greater
societal stability and a better environment for business
operations. Brian J. Grim and Roger Finke, The Price of Freedom
Denied: Religious Persecution and Conflict in the Twenty First
Century (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011), 202-213.
Additional Benefits from Promoting Religious Freedom
Slide 27
How Can Businesses Engage in CSR Initiatives Related to
Religious Freedom? Joining the United Nations Global Compact and
openly support international standards on religious freedom;
Supporting educational projects related to religious freedom and
tolerance; Engaging in dialogue with other companies,
nongovernmental organizations, and local and national authorities
on preventing religious discrimination and promoting religious
freedom, both in the workplace and community;
Slide 28
How Can Businesses Engage in CSR Initiatives Related to
Religious Freedom? Training management and employees on
international religious freedom standards; Ensuring that religious
freedom is an integral part of the companys strategic planning;
Establishing clear corporate policies against religious
discrimination including restrictions on religious clothing,
prayers, and holy days;
Slide 29
How Can Businesses Engage in CSR Initiatives Related to
Religious Freedom? Requiring business partners, supply chain, sub-
contractors, etc. to implement specific policies prohibiting
religious discrimination; Promoting a culture of religious
understanding and respect within the workplace; and Speaking out
publicly or in private to relevant authorities in areas where
governments are guilty of restricting religious freedom.
Slide 30
Defending Religious Freedom: A Corporate Social Responsibility
The business community is uniquely situated to be a powerful ally
in promoting and defending religious freedom throughout the world,
as part of its CSR initiatives, once it understands it is its best
interest to do so.
Slide 31
Recent Developments CSR-Religious Freedom Initiative November
2012 Commission for Religious Liberty of the Brazil Bar Association
(Sao Paulo) enthusiastically endorsed CSR approach for promoting
religious freedom.
Slide 32
Recent Developments CSR-Religious Freedom Initiative December
2012 - Informal coalition formed to promote religious freedom
within the Brazilian business community via the CSR-religious
freedom initiative. Coalition comprised of: Commission for
Religious Liberty of the Brazil Bar Association (Sao Paulo)
International Association for Religious Freedom (IRLA) in Brazil,
and Brazilian Association of Religious Freedom and Citizenship
(ABLIRC).
Slide 33
Recent Developments CSR-Religious Freedom Initiative February
2013 Dr. Brian Grim and Greg Clark briefed General Counsel of
United Nations Global Compact on CSR-religious freedom initiative
and upcoming CSR-religious freedom events in Brazil in May 2013.
General Counsel for the United National Global Compact requested
copies of CSR-religious freedom White Paper and Executive Summary,
and suggested that such documents be posted on United National
Global Compact website.
Slide 34
Recent Developments CSR-Religious Freedom Initiative February
2013 Greg Clark engaged in ongoing correspondence with Local
Network representatives of United National Global Compact in Brazil
related to CSR-religious freedom initiative.
Slide 35
Recent Developments CSR-Religious Freedom Initiative May 2013 -
Key CSR-religious freedom presentations will be made during the
"Festival of Freedom", a major religious freedom event in Brazil,
and before key business organizations and possible other religious
organizations (Catholics). Notable participants in these upcoming
presentations: Cole Durham John Graz Dr. Brian Grim
Slide 36
Recent Developments CSR-Religious Freedom Initiative If you
desire: To receive a copy of this presentation; To receive a copy
of the White Paper or Executive Summary on CSR-religious freedom
initiative; or To Collaborate on CSR-religious freedom initiatives
within your sphere of influence please contact me
[email protected]@ldschurch.org
