Anglais des affaires master 1

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ISO 14000: provides practical tools for companies and organizations of all kinds

AA1000: intended for use by external auditing bodies that assure organizations’ reports or social accounts

GRI (Global Reporting Initiative)

ISO 9001

Communicating CSR

CSR is to be able to structure the message about the significance of CSR for the company. Externally, the other challenge is justifying, explaining and convincing different stakeholders and interest group why certain CSR issues are logical and necessary to be undertaken.

The source of information: what and how the stakeholders get their information and remain fundamental issues that need to be addressed.

The audience/stakeholders: unique and represent their own unique issues and consensus

The content: investors and owners are more interested about the cost, revenues and the financial implication of adopting CSR principles thus their message should contain more statistical information.

Two main purposes: the community well-being and the importance of such practices.

The channels: utilization of multiple channels to position your CSR message is paramount for the success (external committees, social media etc.)

The timing: firstly, educate the stakeholders about CSR and secondly identify the CSR issues that should be addressed

Potential benefits and limits

Benefits of adopting a policy of social responsibility:

- improved financial performance

- lower operating costs

- enhanced brand image and reputation

- increased sales and customer loyalty

- greater productivity and quality

- more ability to attract and retain employees

- reduced regulatory oversight

- access to capital

- workforce diversity

- product safety and decreased liability

Benefits to the community and the environment:

- charitable contributions

- employee volunteer programs

- corporate involvement in community education, employment and homelessness programs

- product safety and quality

- greater material recyclability

- better product durability and functionality

- greater use of renewable resources

- integration of environmental management tools into business plans

Great deal of enthusiasm for environmental causes: controlling pollution, global warming, deforestation, mitigate carbon emissions

Limits and criticism

CSR is a recognition that a business has social, cultural and environmental responsibilities along with the economic and financial ones in order to achieve and maintain long-term sustainable success for the organization and for the community at large. Some people perceive CSR as incongruent and indeed view ethical values as simply as a costly hindrance to free trade.

In fact it is a serious concern when companies claim to promote CSR and be committed to sustainable development whilst simultaneously they engage in harmful business practices.

Media saturated culture → CSR offers up many potential avenues such as word of mouth or guerilla marketing for subtly reaching consumers.

Laws and regulation

CSR is a corporate reaction to public mistrust and calls for regulation.

Companies are holding the government to ransom on the issue of regulation, saying that regulation will threaten the positive work they are doing…

Separate organizational bodies are established to administer the working of fair trading on a local and global front.

COCA COLA Case study

Coca Cola has been asked to pay 47 million dollars in compensation for environmental damage caused at a bottling plan in southern India, in the state of Kerala. It had to be closed in 2005 as a result of nationwide protests amid accusations of depletion (épuisement) of the local ground water, pollution of water supplies and farmland between 1999 and 2004 as well as attempting to corrupt local officials.