Lecture given to MSc class at Birkbeck College, University of London Corporate Responsibility module. Focuses on why and how business and NGOs engage, and partner, on corporate responsibility, and sustainability/environment issues and problems

1. Business, NGOs, campaigns and partnerships: The road to engagement Toby Webb, Founder, Ethical Corporation.MSc Corporate Governance and Ethics class, Corporate Responsibility module, Birkbeck College, University of London, January 27 2011 ethicalcorp.blogspot.com / ethicalcorp.com

4. Stakeholder relations seen as a crucial element of CSR. Scholars (e.g. Freeman, Carroll, Epstein, Hartman and Stafford, Waddock et. Al.) assume CSR can only be fully developed in partnership whereby the exploration of new roles is a central element

7. 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development (Rio), 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg)

8. Key events in 1990’s and 2000’s showed importance of dialogue and engagement (Brent Spar, Nigeria, sweatshop scandals, HIV/Aids pharmaceutical NGO campaigns in 2001 etc)Partial Source: “Partnerships for Corporate Social Responsibility” (de Bruin, Nijhof, Honders 1997)

11. Global markets remain politically under-governed in a political sense

12. CSR and business self-regulation have rapidly expanded, and become a “megatrend”Source: Midttun A (2008) “Global governance and the interface with business: new institutions, processes and partnerships. Partnered governance: aligning corporate responsibility and public policy in the global economy”. CORPORATE GOVERNANCE VOL. 8 NO. 4 2008, pp. 406-418

15. In a partnering role, “governments may bring in complementary competencies and resources to tackle social and environmental issues outside their unilateral authoritative control” – in partnership with companiesSource: Midttun A (2008) “Global governance and the interface with business: new institutions, processes and partnerships. Partnered governance: aligning corporate responsibility and public policy in the global economy”. CORPORATE GOVERNANCE VOL. 8 NO. 4 2008, pp. 406-418

18. EU: A billion Euros a year of illegal timber (WWF 2010) 10% of US imports illegal!

19. Est.1993 FSC developed set of principles and criteria for forest management that address legal issues, indigenous rights, labor rights, and environmental impacts

20. 2008 US Lacey Act being enforced. EU rules from 2012, 15-20 years on from FSC!(2010: 37 corporate members of WWF’s Global Forest and Trade Network)

21. Extractive Industries’ Transparency Initiative (EITI), launched in 2002 in Johannesburg at the World Summit on Sustainable Development. (Partial success)

24. Friends of the Earth: “Boots Pollutes” / Climate change / GM

25. WWF: Shell / Coca-Cola / SAB Miller

26. Global Witness: Extractive transparency – Europe & US

27. Transparency International: Corruption - Globally

28. Clean Clothes Campaign: Textile workers in Europe

29. Workers Rights Consortium: Textile workers in the USA

32. Fairtrade: Tate & Lyle/Cadbury (sugar & cocoa)

33. Climate Group: HSBC (Research and policy)

34. Marine Stewardship Council: Findus & Wal-Mart

35. Forest Stewardship Council: TetraPak & IKEA

37. Nestle and the Tropical Forest Trust (Palm Oil)

38. UNEP & Shell (2010) – Nigeria controversy

39. UNDP and Statoil (1999-2004) Plus MANY others (Business Action for Africa, UNDP reports)

42. Clear boundaries

43. An end in sight: How long does it run for?

44. Grievance mechanisms

45. Transparent reporting

46. Agreed outcomes

48. Companies with high impact but outside the list of big brands: Fish, Leather, Soy, Commodities, Mining, Finance, Timber, Oil & Gas, Electronics, textiles, etc etc!

49. Industry groups on commodities

51. Partnerships can and do come to an end

52. Transparency: They do not report

53. Trust: Companies are suspicious

54. Shifting goals: Going where the money is

55. Becoming co-oped by business for cash (WWF?)

56. Annoying governments in dev. Countries (China)

57. Measurement: Can they prove they have delivered?

58. SCALE: Can they deliver more in commodities?