Corporate Social and Environmental Responsibility, Research Paper Example

Corporate social responsibility is also referred to as sustainable activities an organization is involved with that helps it sustain current rules, regulations, and/or standards pertaining to sustainability and corporate social responsibility reporting in the U.S. its existence. These activities are self regulated by the organization itself. They are carried out in a way that integrates them with the business of the organization. CSR functions in a way that ensures that the organization complies with the laid down laws and ethical values and norms. CSR aims at encouraging positive activities on the community (Bureau of National Affairs, 2004, 16).

Social accounting is a significant element of CSR. Businesses must be fully accountable in order for them to be responsible. This describes the existing communication in terms so socio-environmental effects a company on the community. This element is based on the notion of corporate accountability. There are a number of guidelines that serve as frame works for social accounting, auditing and reporting:

• Accountability’s AA1000 – this is a standard, based on John Elkington’s triple bottom line (3BL) reporting (Business Publishers 14)
• The Fair Labor Association – this is responsible for conducting audits on its Workplace Code of Conduct. The audit results should be posted on the FLA website.
• The Fair Wear Foundation – it takes a unique approach to verifying labor conditions in companies’ supply chains. It uses interdisciplinary auditing teams.

Global Reporting Initiative’s Sustainability Reporting Guidelines

• Good Corporation’s Standard – this was developed in association with the Institute of Business Ethics to act as watch dogs monitoring ethical conduct of all businesses.
• United Nations Global Compact – this regulates companies by encouraging them to communicate on their progress and to describing the company’s implementations on universal principles. This report requires that all companies include their financial statements and reports of their performance (Bureau of National Affairs, 2002, 17).

The government must ensure that corporations are prevented from harming the community. In Denmark, CSR remains voluntary despite the adoption of a new law on CSR in Dec 2008. The parliament passed a bill that made it mandatory for companies to provide all information regarding their CSR in their annual financial reports. Organizations must abide by the laid down legal frameworks when carrying out their activities. All organizations are responsible of addressing the entire human rights in the course of their activities (Bureau of National Affairs, 1996, 9).

In addition, organizations must follow the rule of product and services that calls for quality products. This will ensure that the beneficiaries are satisfied. The guidelines of Japan also touch on other areas such as communication. This involves supplying the stakeholders with the relevant information about the organization. This makes the stakeholders feel valued and important to the company. The company must show how its beneficiaries are confident in its products and therefore satisfied.

Works Cited

Bureau of National Affairs. Environment reporter. Bureau of National Affairs, 2004. Print

Bureau of National Affairs. Environment reporter. Bureau of National Affairs, 1996. Print

Bureau of National Affairs: International environment reporter: Current report. Bureau of National Affairs, 2002. Print

Business Publishers. World Environment Center: World Environment Report. Center for International Environment Information, 1975. Print