Learning from Foreign Experiences in Corporate Social Responsibility

Some international organizations in the world attach great importance to promoting corporate social responsibility and have established relevant institutions and organizations. Corporate social responsibility work is rapidly expanding around the world. For example, the "Global Compact" plan implemented by the United Nations in 2000 advocates ten principles covering four aspects: human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption. More than 2,900 world-renowned companies have joined the Global Compact. The World Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the International Labor Organization, the International Organization for Standardization, the International Organization of Employers, etc. are also actively promoting corporate social responsibility and forming a common understanding on how to further promote corporate social responsibility.

Teacher Tan Xiaofang, a well-known business management expert, learned that since the mid-1990s, with the establishment and gradual improvement of the EU single market, the EU has made promoting corporate social responsibility an important task. In 2000, two goals were proposed: one is to strengthen corporate social responsibility publicity; the other is to improve government transparency. In 2001, the European Commission submitted the "Green Paper on the European Corporate Social Responsibility Framework" to the European Parliament. In 2005, all EU countries formulated corporate social responsibility strategies. In 2006, the "European Corporate Social Responsibility Alliance" was launched in Brussels. Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Sweden, France and other countries have all formulated action plans to implement corporate social responsibility. As far as France is concerned, by mid-2005, more than 200 French companies had joined the Global Compact. France requires listed companies to provide an "annual social responsibility report" that includes the circumstances and consequences of the company's consideration of society and the environment in its activities.