Orientation Research behind this presentation Activities of RIMAS

Policies on CSR in Europe VHB Kommission Umweltwirtschaft, Herbsttagung 2007

Policies on CSR in Europe: An Overview of Topics and Instruments

Reinhard SteurerGerald Berger

RIMAS - Research Institute for Managing SustainabilityVienna University of Economics and Business Administration

www.sustainability.eu


Orientation

1. Research behind this presentationActivities of RIMAS

2. Sustainable Develpoment: The context of CSR PoliciesConceptual and political clarifications

3. The CSR policy field Instruments and topics

4. A closer look at two topicsCSR awareness raising & Sustainable Public Procurement

5. Conclusions EU and Member State policies on CSR


Orientation


2. Sustainable Develpoment: The context of CSR Policies Conceptual and political clarifications





Recent projects on Sustainble Development (SD)• “European Environment” special issue on SD Strategies in

Europe

• ESDN (European Sustainable Development Network) Office www.sd-network.eu (financed by 8 European countries)



Recent projects on SD• “European Environment” special issue on SD Strategies in

Europe

• ESDN (European Sustainable Development Network) Office www.sd-network.eu (financed by 8 European countries)

Recent projects on CSR• Policies on CSR in Europe (City of Vienna)

• Corporate Sustainability and CSR in Western and CEE Europe (Austrian National Bank)

• Analysis of National Policies on CSR -- www.sustainability.eu/csr-policies for EU CSR High Level Group (DG Employment)


Orientation







CSR and SD: Similarities

1. Normative assumptions are at the core of both SD and CSR/stakeholder management

2. Integratingenvironmental and social aspects into economic policies/strategies is key for SD and CSR (triple bottom line)

3. Participationin the societal context of SD is mirrored by stakeholder management in the context of CSR

Source: Steurer, R et al (2005): Corporations, Stakeholders and Sustainable Development: A Theoretical Exploration of Business-Society Relations, in: Journal of Business Ethics, 61/3, 263-281.


CSR and SD: Differences

1. HistorySD comes from the environmental, CSR from the social dimension

2. Institutional affiliationSD still located in Environment, CSR in Social Ministries

3. Time horizonSD focuses on future generations, CSR on present stakeholders

4. ScopeSD is a societal concept, CSR a management approach

Source: Steurer, R et al (2005): Corporations, Stakeholders and Sustainable Development: A Theoretical Exploration of Business-Society Relations, in: Journal of Business Ethics, 61/3, 263-281.


Sustainable Development

Corporate Sustainability

Environmental dim

ension

Economic dimension

Socia

l dim

ensio

n

CSR

SRMSRM

Societal Concept

Management Approach

Corporate Concept

Management Systems

Starting Point of conceptual developmentStakeholder Relations Management (SRM)Level of specification

SRM

ISO …

Source: Steurer, R et al (2005), Journal of Business Ethics, 61/3, 263-281.


Preliminary conclusions

„CSR is a business contribution to SD” (European Commission 2001)

Since CSR re-defines state-business and business-society relations, shaping concept and activities also concerns governments and civil society

CSR policies are a new „government contribution to SD“ that complements (or compensates for the lack of) traditional social and environmental policies


Orientation







CSR policy instruments

1. Informational or endorsing instruments:Campaigns, guidelines, trainings

2. Partnering instruments: Agreements, networks, PPPs, dialogues

3. Financial or economic instruments: Subsidies, grants, prices/awards

4. Legal (mandating) instruments:Laws, regulations, decrees

5. „Hybrid instruments“Strategies, action plans, platforms, centres

Source: Fox T, Ward H, Howard B. 2002; World Bank; http://www.iied.org/pubs/pdf/full/16014IIED.pdf

CSR policies study on awareness raising, see www.sustinability.eu/csr-policies


Character of policy instruments in general




4. Legal (mandating) instruments: Laws, regulations, decrees


New governance and “soft-law

approach”

Regulatory approach


Character of CSR policy instruments




4. Legal (mandating) instruments: Laws, regulations, decrees


New governance and “soft-law

approach”


Orientation



3. The CSR policy field Instrument and topics




Not traditional social and environmental regulations, but

Raise awareness for CSR

Increase disclosure & transparency

Foster Socially Responsible Investment

Make Public Procurement sustainable

Help develop management and audit tools

Key topics of CSR policies


1. Raise awareness for CSR

2. Increase disclosure & transparency

3. Foster Socially Responsible Investment

4. Make Public Procurement sustainable

5. Help develop management and audit tools

Topics covered in study for DG Employment


Orientation



3. The CSR policy field Topics and policy tools




CSR awareness raising initiatives in Europe

1. RationaleIncrease awareness for CSR among government authorities, businesses and stakeholders

2. Method24 telephone interviews - 20 EU Member States covered3 case studies (Sw, NL, Den)

3. Number of initiatives85


Overview of CSR awareness raising instrumentsOverview of CSR awareness raising instruments

Education activities, e.g. conferences, seminars,

trainings; 17.7%

Government-sponsored guidelines; 10.6%

Information resources, e.g. website, studies, reports etc.; 10.6%

Information/awareness raising campaigns; 9.4%

Networks/partnerships/ agreements; 10.6%

Multi-stakeholder fora; 4.8%

Prices and awards (CSR audits/labels); 8.2%

Economic incentives (loans, grants,

subsidies); 3.5%

Action plans/ programmes/strategy for

CSR; 9.4%

Institutions: platforms/ centres; 8.2%

Others; 7.0%

Informational or endorsing instruments

Partnering instruments

Financial or economic instruments

Hybrid tools and others


Target groups of CSR awareness raisingTarget groups of CSR awareness raising

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Companies; 40.3%

Young people; 1.6%

Business/industry sectors; 1.6%

Universities/schools; 6.2%

Consumers/consumer organizations/general

public; 7%

Ministries/governmental officials; 7.6%

Trade unions/social partners; 8.5%

NGOs; 10.1%

SMEs; 12.4%

Employees; 1.6%

Others; 3.1%



0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Companies; 40.3% Consumers/consumer organizations/general

public; 7%



NGOs; 10.1%

SMEs; 12.4%

Few initiatives focus exclusively

on SMEs (no prices/awards) ---

generally regarded as most important

target group



0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Companies; 40.3% Consumers/consumer organizations/general

public; 7%



NGOs; 10.1%

SMEs; 12.4%

Social partnersrarely mentioned as target group

(even not in networks, multi-stakeholder fora

etc.)


Three case studies on CSR awareness raising

Sweden: “Globalt Ansvar”

• Partnership for global responsibility

• Government invites companies to join the partnership

by adopting the OECD guidelines and the UN Global

Compact

Netherlands: “Knowledge and

Information Centre” on CSR since 2004

• Disseminate knowledge and good

practices

• Promote stakeholder dialogues

• Foster partnerships

Denmark: “People & Profit”

• Programme initiated in 2004

• Activities: research, training,

dissemination of information

• Goal: enhance competitiveness (foster CSR as a business case)


Orientation







Sustainable Public Procurement

1. RationaleBy making public procurement sustainable governments provide economic incentives for CSR

2. Method24 interviews, 7 times (additional) written information, 26 EU Member States covered


Countries covered in the SPP survey

Green: survey

Orange: other studies

Grey: not covered


Sustainable Public Procurement

1. RationaleBy making public procurement sustainable governments provide economic incentives for CSR

2. Method74 contacts, 24 interviews, 7 times (additional) written information, 26 EU Member States covered

3. Number of initiatives103


Overview of SPP initiativesOverview of SPP initiativesEducational activities, e.g.

conferences, seminars, trainings; 3.9%


Information resources, e.g. websites, studies,

reports, etc.; 11.7%


Networks/partnerships/agreements; 1.0%

Decrees, resolutions; 4.9%

Circulars; 4.9%

Action plans/programmes/strategies

for CSR; 27.2%

Platforms/centres/institutions; 5.8%

Informational instruments


Legal instruments

Hybrid instruments

Laws; 25.2%

1/3


EU Directives* on PP: Status of implementation

19: implemented

2 (Es, Lux): in preparation

1: not implemented

5: status unclear

* „Procurement directive“ 2004/18/EC „Utilities directive“ 2004/17/EC










Circulars; 4.9%


for CSR; 27.2%




Legal instruments

Hybrid instruments

Laws; 25.2%

1/3


Member States with National Action Plans on SPP/GPP

9: NAP adopted

7: NAP in preparation/ drafted

3: No (draft) NAP

8: Status unclear










Circulars; 4.9%


for CSR; 27.2%




Legal instruments

Hybrid instruments

Laws; 25.2%

Economic/financial instruments are missing, but…










Circulars; 4.9%


for CSR; 27.2%




Legal instruments

Hybrid instruments

Laws; 25.2%

Indirectly: All SPP initiatives foster CSR by

providing economic/ financial incentives


0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Target groups of SPP initiativesTarget groups of SPP initiatives

Public sector in general; 66.0%

Business; 10.7%

Regional and/or local level; 6.8%

National/federal level; 19.4%

not identified; 8.7%

Others; 1.9%

„Direct“ target group: 92.2% public sector

„Indirect“ target group 100% businesses

R. Steurer

spp statt aware


Orientation







Conclusions on CSR policies in Europe

1. CSR policies are different to traditional policy fields because they rely more on new governance and soft-law

2. CSR policies can be pursued proactively or passively, depending on political ideologies and interests (change of course by the European Commission in 2005/2006!)

3. CSR policies complement traditional policies, i.e. they cannot replace social, environmental or trade regulations


THANK YOU!

Reinhard Steurer [email protected]

Gerald [email protected]

RIMAS – Research Institute for Managing SustainabilityVienna University of Economics and Business Administration

Vienna, Austria

www.sustainability.eu

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.sustainability.eu/

Documents

Orientation Research behind this presentation Activities of RIMAS