Corporate Social Responsibility
What’s new?
‘Raising the Bar: Corporate Social Responsibility and Human Rights.’ This speech was delivered by Graeme Innes AM, the Human Rights Commissioner at the annual national conference of the Australian Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility in Sydney on 20 February 2008.
‘Corporate Social Responsibility and Human Rights.’ This short paper addresses some basic questions regarding Corporate Social Responsibility and the role of Australian companies in promoting and protecting human rights. Issues covered include the following:
- What is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)?
- What do human rights have to do with CSR?
- What is happening on CSR and human rights at the international level?
- How are human rights relevant to Australian companies?
- What does HREOC do on CSR and human rights?
- Where can I find more information on CSR and human rights?
What is Corporate Social Responsibility?
The concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is generally understood to mean that corporations have a degree of responsibility not only for the economic consequences of their activities, but also for the social and environmental implications.
Various terms are used to describe CSR initiatives, including ‘Corporate Responsibility,’ ‘Corporate Accountability’, ‘Corporate Citizenship’ and ‘Sustainability.’
Human rights are one key aspect of CSR. Human rights are relevant, in various ways, to the economic, social and environmental aspects of corporate activity.
While the primary responsibility for the enforcement of international human rights standards lies with governments, there is a growing acceptance internationally and in Australia that corporations also have an important role to play in the promotion and protection of human rights.
For further information see our paper, ‘Corporate Social Responsibility and Human Rights.’
Current projects
During 2008, HREOC will be embarking on a project focusing on the role of Australian companies in promoting and protecting human rights.
The initial aims of this work are to learn more about what the Australian corporate sector currently does in the area of human rights; identify any major gaps in corporate responsibility for human rights in Australia; and consider how these gaps might best be filled.
As part of this process, HREOC aims to ‘demystify’ the concept of human rights for the corporate sector, and illustrate the relevance of human rights for all Australian companies.
Some of the questions HREOC will consider as part of this project include:
- What do Australian companies understand human rights to be?
- How do Australian companies see human rights as being relevant to the economic, environmental and social aspects of their activities?
- Which of the various national and international CSR guidelines and codes of conduct are currently being used by Australian companies?
- What practical steps are Australian companies taking in order to comply with human rights standards?
- What practical steps could be taken to increase the role of Australian companies in promoting and protecting human rights as part of their every day activities?
- Given the federal government’s obligations to ensure the protection of human rights in Australia, what implications are there for the government’s role in promoting corporate social responsibility?
Past projects and publications
A range of past HREOC projects have touched on various aspects of corporate social responsibility and the links between corporate activity and human rights. Some examples include:
- Good Practice; Good Business – a set of resources which provide practical guidance for businesses on eliminating discrimination and harassment in the workplace.
- It’s About Time: Women, Men, Work and Family – a project examining the need for a new framework to support a better balance between paid work and family responsibilities.
- Access to electronic commerce – a project aimed at improving the accessibility of electronic financial services for older Australians and Australians with a disability, including through the adoption of voluntary standards for the Australian banking industry.
- Development and Indigenous Land: A Human Rights Approach – a set of principles addressing resource development on Indigenous land, developed by a forum of Indigenous people from Australia's major mineral resource regions.
- Corporate Social Responsibility, Native Title and Agreement Making – a report analysing the policies of eight major mining companies in Australia, and identifying approaches which companies might adopt in relation to the rights and interests of Indigenous peoples.
In addition, many aspects of HREOC’s everyday work relate to the links between corporate activity and human rights. For example, this includes:
- conciliating complaints regarding discrimination in the workplace or in the provision of goods or services;
- considering applications made by companies for specific exemptions under certain anti-discrimination laws; and
- intervening in court proceedings involving human rights complaints lodged against companies
