Abstract
Today the world is facing rapid changes and economic, social and environmental challenges. In this context, social responsibility, sustainability and business ethics issues are becoming increasingly important, especially in the business sector. Organizations goals cannot be separated from those of the society and the environment they operate in. The successful implementation of social responsibility programs can impact various matters within a company such as the competitive advantage, its repute, the competences to hire, train and motivate those employees that fit the best the given tasks, to attract the best clients by the means of developing and enhancing the organizational environment, to attract investments, sponsors, to improve community perceptions, connections with governmental bodies, mass/media, providers, clients and the whole community within that company operates.
Nowadays, there is a multitude of private or international bodies’ initiatives (ILO Declaration, OECD Guidelines, and ISO 26000) which provide either a code or a set of standards and principles that act as guide lines on social responsibility issues. Some initiatives address a range of matters covering the rights of employees and clients as well as human rights, the development of local community, the fight against corruption and bribery, and the focus on occupational health and safety as well as on environment protection. Sometimes, the focus goes much more in detail, as only one issue or several of them are assessed and analyzed. There have been created, developed, and implemented initiatives for business only, while others were designed to be used by all organizations, public or private. Primarily, all had in common the desire to support organizations become more involved in improving social and environmental conditions.
Chapter aims to review the wide range of existing initiatives and their main characteristics to determine commonalities and to suggest the adoption of a mandatory standard to allow certification of social responsibility, regardless of the shape and size of the organization. Due to the fact that ISO 26000 successfully harmonizes best principles and practices of social responsibility, the authors consider as necessary to create, on its basis and by the means of the review process currently taking place, a standard enabling organizations certification by transforming ISO 26000 guidelines into requirements and their association, by integration, with the requirements of already established standards.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Aguilera, R. V., Rupp, D. E., Williams, C. A., & Ganapathi, J. (2007). Putting the back in corporate social responsibility: A multilevel theory of social change in organizations. Academy of Management Review, 32(3), 836–863. doi:10.5465/AMR.2007.25275678.
Avetisyan, E., & Ferrary, M. (2012, August 3–7). Dynamics of stakeholders’ implications in the institutionalization of CSR field in France and in the United States. Paper Presented at Annual Academy of Management Conference in Boston.
Brunsson, N., & Jacobsson, B. (Eds.). (2000). A world of standards. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Bustamante, S. (2011). Localization vs. standardization: Global approaches to CSR management in multinational companies (Working papers of the Institute of Management Berlin No. 60). Berlin: Berlin School of Economics and Law. Retrieved January 11, 2015, from http://www.mba-berlin.de/fileadmin/user_upload/MAIN-dateien/1_IMB/Working_Papers/2011/WP_60_online.pdf
Castkaa, P., & Balzarovab, M. (2008). Social responsibility standardization: Guidance or reinforcement through certification? Human Systems Management, 27(3), 231–242. doi:10.3233/HSM-2008-0681.
Christman, P. (2004). Multinational companies and the natural environment: Determinants of global environmental policy standardization. Academy of Management Journal, 47(5), 747–760. doi:10.2307/20159616.
Ecologia. (2011). Handbook for implementers of ISO 26000, global guidance standard on social responsibility. Middlebury Vermont: Ecologia. Retrieved January 18, 2015, from http://www.ecologia.org/isosr/ISO26000Handbook.pdf
Gilbert, D. U., Rasche, A., & Waddock, S. (2011). Accountability in a global economy: The emergence of international accountability standards. Business Ethics Quarterly, 21(1), 23–44.
Global Compact and Global Reporting Initiative (GC-GRI). (2007). Making the connection: The GRI guidelines and the global compact communication on progress. Oslo: Global Compact and Global Reporting Initiative. Retrieved January 16, 2015, from https://www.globalreporting.org/resourcelibrary/GRI-UNGC-Making-The-Connection.pdf
Global Reporting Initiatives (GRI). (2013). GRI G4 guidelines part 1 reporting principles and standard disclosures. Amsterdam: Global Reporting Initiatives. Retrieved January 15, 2015, from https://www.globalreporting.org/resourcelibrary/GRIG4-Part1-Reporting-Principles-and-Standard-Disclosures.pdf
Gond, J.-P., Kang, N., & Moon, J. (2011). The government of self-regulation: On the comparative dynamics of corporate social responsibility. Economy and Society, 40(4), 640–671. doi:10.1080/03085147.2011.607364.
Guertler, G. (2013). Is ISO 26000 ready for revision? Retrieved January 17, 2015, from http://www.26k-estimation.com/Is_ISO26000_ready_for_revision-v6.pdf
Henriques, A. (2011). Understanding ISO 26000: A practical approach to social responsibility. London: BSI British Standards Institution.
Hess, D. (2007). Social reporting and new governance regulation: The prospects of achieving corporate accountability through transparency. Business Ethics Quarterly, 17(3), 453–476. doi:10.5840/beq200717348.
Hiscox, M. J., Schwartz, C., & Toffel, M. (2009). Evaluating the impact of SA8000 certification. In D. Leipziger (Ed.), SA8000 the first decade: Implementation, influence, and impact (pp. 1–11). London: Greenleaf.
Hohnen, P. (2009). Overview of selected initiatives and instruments relevant to corporate social responsibility. In OECD (Ed.), Annual report on the OECD guidelines for multinational enterprises 2008 (pp. 235–260). Retrieved January 12, 2015, from http://www.oecd.org/corporate/mne/40889288.pdf
Igalens, J., & Gond, J. P. (2005). Measuring corporate social performance in France: A critical and empirical analysis of ARESE data. Journal of Business Ethics, 56(2), 131–148. doi:10.1007/s10551-004-3529-7.
International Labour Office (ILO). (2003). Information note on corporate social responsibility and international labor standards. Working Party on the Social Dimension of Globalization (ILO publication No. GB.288/WP/SDG/3). Geneva: International Labour Office. Retrieved January 18, 2015, from http://www.ilo.org/public/english/standards/relm/gb/docs/gb288/pdf/sdg-3.pdf
International Organization for Standardization (ISO). (2010). ISO 26000—Guidance on social responsibility. Geneva: International Organization for Standardization. Retrieved January 23, 2015, from https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#iso:std:iso:26000:ed-1:v1:en
International Organization for Standardization (ISO). (2012). ISO 26000 communication protocol (ISO publication No. ISO 26000 PPO SAG N15 rev1).Geneva: International Organization for Standardization. Retrieved January 20, 2015, from http://www.iso.org/iso/n15_rev_1_ppo_sag_-_communication_protocol.pdf
Jorgensen, T. H., Remmen, A., & Mellado, M. D. (2006). Integrated management systems-three different levels of integration. Journal of Cleaner Production, 14(8), 713–722. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2005.04.005.
Kaphengst, T., Ma, M.-S., & Schlegel, S. (2009). At a tipping point? How the debate on biofuel standards sparks innovative ideas for the general future of standardization and certification schemes. Journal of Cleaner Production, 17(s1), S99–S101. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2009.01.005.
Kaphengst, T., Smith, L., Hohnen, P., Huetz-Adams, F., & Schneeweiss, A. (2013). New options for strengthening standards on social and environmental responsibilities of corporations and their implementation. Brussels: European Parliament, Directorate-General for External Policies, Policy Department. Retrieved January 25, 2015, from http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/etudes/join/2013/457138/EXPO-DEVE_ET%282013%29457138_EN.pdf
Lal, H. (2004). Re-engineering the ISO 9001:2000 certification process. ISO Management Systems, 4(5), 15–17.
Loew, T. (2005). CSR in der supply chain: Herausforderungen und Ansatzpunkte fur Unternehmen. Berlin: Institute for Sustainability. Retrieved January 17, 2015, from http://www.4sustainability.de/fileadmin/redakteur/bilder/Publikationen/Loew_2006_CSR_in_der_Supply-Chain.pdf
Miraglio, M., Hunter, P., Iucci, L., & Pinoargote, P. (2007). International instruments and corporate social responsibility. A booklet to accompany the training programme the labour dimension of CSR: From principles to practice. Geneva: International Labour Office. Retrieved January 21, 2015, from http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/@ed_emp/@emp_ent/@multi/documents/instructionalmaterial/wcms_101247.pdf
Muller, A. (2006). Global versus local CSR strategies. European Management Journal, 24(2–3), 180–191. doi:10.1016/j.emj.2006.03.008.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (2009). Employment and industrial relations—Annual report on the OECD guidelines for multinational enterprises 2008. Paris: OECD Publishing. Retrieved January 12, 2015, from http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/governance/annual-report-on-the-oecd-guidelines-for-multinational-enterprises-2008_mne-2008-en;jsessionid=25mgic368hlq.x-oecd-live-02
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (2010).Corporate responsibility: Reinforcing a unique instrument—Annual report on the OECD guidelines for multinational enterprises 2010. Paris: OECD Publishing. Retrieved January 12, 2015, from http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/governance/annual-report-on-the-oecd-guidelines-for-multinational-enterprises-2010_mne-2010-en
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (2011). OECD guidelines for multinational enterprises. Paris: OECD Publishing. Retrieved January 12, 2015, from http://www.oecd.org/corporate/mne/48004323.pdf
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (2012). A new agenda for the future, annual report on the OECD guidelines for multinational enterprises 2011. Paris: OECD Publishing. Retrieved January 12, 2015, from http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/governance/annual-report-on-the-oecd-guidelines-for-multinational-enterprises-2011_mne-2011-en
Schlegel, S., Kaphengst, T., & Cavalleri, S. (2008). Options to develop a global standard-setting scheme for products derived from natural resources (NRS). Berlin: WWF Germany and Ecologic.
Seferian, N. (2013, July–September). “We’re ISO 26000 certified.” Say what?! Responsible Business, 34–36. Retrieved January 16, 2015, from http://www.26k-estimation.com/ISO26000_Article_Responsible_Business_Issue_7.pdf
Social Accountability International (SAI). (2014). Social accountability 8000 standard. New York, NY: Social Accountability International. Retrieved January 22, 2015, from http://sa-intl.org/_data/n_0001/resources/live/SA8000%20Standard%202014.pdf
Tate, W., Ellram, L., & Kirchoff, J. (2010). Corporate social responsibility reports: A thematic analysis related to supply chain management. Journal of Supply Chain Management, 46(1), 19–44. doi:10.1111/j.1745-493X.2009.03184.x.
Tschopp, D., Wells, S., & Barney, D. (2012). The institutional promotion of corporate social responsibility reporting. Journal of Academic and Business Ethics, 5(1), 1–18. Retrieved January 10, 2015, from http://www.aabri.com/manuscripts/121258.pdf.
United Nations (UN). (2007). Business and human rights: Mapping international standards of responsibility and accountability for corporate acts (Report of the special representative of the secretary-general. UN publication No. A/HRC/4/035). Retrieved January 24, 2015, from http://business-humanrights.org/sites/default/files/media/bhr/files/SRSG-report-Human-Rights-Council-19-Feb-2007.pdf
United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP) and Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). (2011). Universal ownership: Why environmental externalities matter to institutional investors. Geneva: PRI Association and UNEP Finance Initiative. Retrieved January 25, 2015, from http://www.unepfi.org/fileadmin/documents/universal_ownership_full.pdf
Waddock, S. (2008). Building a new institutional infrastructure for corporate responsibility. Academy of Management Perspectives, 22(3), 87–108. doi:10.5465/AMP.2008.34587997.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Sitnikov, C., Bocean, C. (2017). The Need for Harmonization and Certification in Social Responsibility Area. In: Aluchna, M., Idowu, S. (eds) The Dynamics of Corporate Social Responsibility. CSR, Sustainability, Ethics & Governance. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39089-5_14
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39089-5_14
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-39088-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-39089-5
eBook Packages: Business and ManagementBusiness and Management (R0)