Council Resolution of 6 February 2003 on corporate social responsibility
Date: 2003-02-06
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: business policy, social labelling, social role, type of business

18.2.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 39/3

COUNCIL RESOLUTION

of 6 February 2003

on corporate social responsibility

(2003/C 39/02)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

— support of, and compatibility with, existing internationally

agreed instruments.

RECALLING:

The Commission Green Paper on promoting a European
framework for corporate social responsibility, which launched
a consultation procedure on the concept of corporate social
responsibility (CSR);

The Council Resolution of 3 December 2001 on follow-up to
the Commission's Green Paper (1), which recognised that CSR
can contribute to reaching the objectives laid down by the
European Councils in Lisbon, Nice and Göteborg for the
European Union to become
and
dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world fostering
social integration and sustainable development;

competitive

the most

The Commission Communication concerning corporate social
responsibility: A business contribution to Sustainable Devel-
opment, which constitutes a follow-up to the Green Paper;

Existing internationally agreed instruments, whose relevance to
CSR was recognised in the above Resolution;

The World Summit on Sustainable Development
in Johan-
nesburg and the adopted plan of implementation according
to which the international community should promote CSR,
accountability and the exchange of best practices in the context
of sustainable development.

WELCOMING the Communication from the Commission,
including the Commission's view that a strategy to promote
CSR should be based on:

— recognition of the voluntary nature of CSR,

— a need for credibility and transparency of CSR practices,

— a focus on activities where Community involvement adds

value,

— a balanced and broad approach to CSR,

economic,
consumer interests,

social and environmental

including
issues as well as

— attention to the specific needs and characteristics of small

and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and

EMPHASISING that CSR is behaviour by businesses over and
above legal
requirements, which should continue to be
properly enforced, and that:

— globalisation has created new opportunities for enterprises,
but it has also increased their organisational complexity;
therefore policies on CSR should focus not only on single
undertakings, but also on their subsidiaries and subcon-
tractors,

— the debate on CSR must be seen in the wider context of

corporate governance and accountability,

— in order to be effective, CSR should be a part of a concerted
effort by all
those concerned towards meeting shared
objectives, including social and civil dialogue in accordance
with national law and practice,

— undertakings should address not only the external aspects
of CSR, but also the internal aspects such as health and
safety at work and management of human resources.

SUPPORTING the intentions of the Commission, in particular to
focus its strategy on:

— increasing knowledge about the positive impact of CSR on
business and societies in Europe and abroad, in particular
in developing countries,

— developing exchange of experience and good practice on
in particular

CSR between undertakings,
including SMEs,
through business organisations and networks,

— promoting the development of CSR management skills,

— facilitating convergence and transparency of CSR practices
and tools, which should, inter alia, build on the fundamental
ILO Conventions and on the OECD Guidelines for Multi-
national Enterprises, as minimum common standards of
reference,

(1) OJ C 86, 10.4.2002, p. 3.

— integrating CSR into Community policies.

C 39/4

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

18.2.2003

WELCOMING the launch of a Multi-Stakeholder Forum on CSR
at EU level.

WELCOMING the commitment of the Commission to involve
the EU
the candidate countries in the implementation of
strategy to promote CSR.

— to take into account, when developing a European strategy
on CSR, the goals and commitments agreed at the World
Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, and

— to increase awareness about the valuable involvement of all
those concerned, including social partners and civil society
organisations, in practices of CSR at all levels.

CALLS UPON the Commission and the organisations represented
in the Multi-Stakeholder Forum:

CALLS UPON the Member States, while bearing in mind the
principles of CSR outlined above:

— to continue to ensure the transparency and efficiency of the
the Multi-Stakeholder Forum through regular

work of
reporting on their work,

— to make sure that

the views of all relevant actors at
European, national, regional and local level will be chan-
nelled into the work of the Multi-Stakeholder Forum,

— to promote CSR at national level in parallel with the devel-
opment of a strategy at Community level, in particular by
making companies aware of its benefits and highlighting
the potential results from constructive cooperation between
governments, business and other sectors of society,

— to continue to promote the dialogue with social partners

and civil dialogue,

— to make sure that any outcome of the work in the Multi-
Stakeholder Forum, operating on the basis of consensus,
takes fully into account and respects the abovementioned
principles of CSR,

— to promote transparency of CSR practices and tools,

— to exchange information and experiences regarding their

policies,

— to ensure that the Multi-Stakeholder Forum addresses the

gender dimension in its work, and

— to continue to put an emphasis on how CSR can contribute
to the objectives of
the European Union as laid down
particularly at the European Councils in Lisbon, Nice and
Göteborg.

CALLS UPON the Commission:

— to integrate CSR into national policies, and

— to integrate, where appropriate, CSR principles into their

own management.

CALLS UPON future Presidencies:

— to continue to stimulate the debate on CSR and maintain
in the Multi-Stakeholder

the involvement of the Council
Forum.