Corporate Social Responsibility / CSR

Corporate Social Responsibility is defined by the European Commission as “the responsibility of enterprises for their impacts on society”. This includes how a company’s activities affect – among other things – human rights, workers, the rule of law, the community, and the environment.

CSR is not a ‘voluntary’ gesture but means integrating responsible behaviour into a company’s day-to-day operations and activities, to the long-term benefit of customers, workers and the enterprise itself.

25.04.2023 Press release

MEPs back business accountability 10 years after Rana Plaza disaster

The European Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee (JURI) Committee today voted for amendments to the European Commission’s proposal for a Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence that would improve the conduct of European companies and hold them accountable for violations of human rights.
01.03.2023 Press release

MEPs back workers' voice in corporate due diligence

MEPs have today voted for the explicit involvement of trade unions and workers’ representatives in defending human rights in corporate supply chains.
22.03.2022 Document

ETUC initial analysis of the Commission’s proposal for a Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence and updated roadmap for ETUC actions in 2022- 2023

ETUC initial analysis of the Commission’s proposal for a Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence and updated roadmap for ETUC actions in 2022- 2023 Adopted at the virtual Executive Committee meeting of 16-17 March 2022 European Commission finally proposed a Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence
10.09.2021 Page

Ground-breaking deal on supply chain standards

The well-known Spanish department store El Corte Inglés has reached an agreement with the CCOO and UGT trade unions which recognises the principle of due diligence in selecting the company’s product suppliers.
01.06.2021 Document

EU must not give multinationals choice where to pay tax option

The ETUC salutes the enormous efforts that have been made by citizens and organisations to ensure that multi-national companies are required by the European Union to report country by country on their economic activities. This is vital to ensure that multinationals pay their fair share of tax in the countries where their profits are generated, and do not engage in clever accounting to end up declaring only where taxes are very low.   Today the European Union is in final secret negotiations to agree a deal on public country by country reports (pCBCR).
17.02.2020 Document

An EU directive on due diligence and responsible business conduct

A European directive on Human Rights due diligence and responsible business conduct including their supply chains will make the difference in better protecting workers rights and environmental standards. The Commission needs to act! In the next days, the European Commission will publish a report of the British Institute of International and Comparative Law (BIICL) on due diligence requirements for supply chains. The report analyses the state of play and the need for initiatives at European level, paving the way to a possible commission initiative.
01.12.2016 Page

New French law holds companies responsible

A new law imposing a duty of care (“vigilance”) on parent and contracting companies, adopted by France’s National Assembly, represents a major success for French trade unions. The new bill puts consultation with stakeholders at the heart of the plan: a decisive step towards stronger social dialogue in the field of corporate social responsibility.
28.12.2015 Publication

China Investment Policy - Consequences for Workers

This is a propitious time for the publication of the Syndex study, which will help inform European trade unions about the state of play in the economic relations between two of the major world players and feed their discussions towards elaborating ETUC policy on the issues.
07.06.2015 Publication

ETUC Toolkit on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

Through the period 2012/2013 - the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) ran a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project backed by the European Commission. This project highlighted the new CSR practices that have been rolled out by ETUC affiliates since 2006 and also resulted in the identification of trade union priorities for the years to come, particularly regarding the renewed EU strategy.
09.10.2013 Publication

Corporate Social Responsibility

Brussels, 2013
30.09.2013 Page

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Trade union training on the renewed EU strategy for 2011-2014

Brussels, 30/09/2013
18.04.2013 Page

Corporate social responsibility

Reiner Hoffmann ([email protected]) Sec: Barbara Boyle ([email protected]) Tel: +32 2 2240428 fax: +32 2 2240582 Contact Patrick Itschert (send a mail) Advisor: Juliane Bir (send a mail) Sec: Roxane Bertolini (send a mail) Tel: +32 2 2240421 fax: +32 2 2240454/55
07.09.2012 Page

Call for tenders for the sub-contracting of external expertise within the framework of a project on "Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Trade union position on the EU's new strategy"

Bruxelles, 07/09/2012
16.12.2011 Document

Renewed EU strategy 2011-14 for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

Brussels, 07-08/12/2011 Introduction
09.03.2006 Document

Resolutions 2004 (Publication)

Brussels, 2004
09.03.2006 Document

Resolutions 2001 (Publication)

Brussels, 2001
09.06.2004 Document

Corporate Social Responsability (Employees Financial Participation )

Brussels, 09-10 June 2004 - 1 - The journey begun by the European Commission back in July 2001 with the Green Paper on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) which was intended to launch a debate on "how to build a partnership for the development of a new framework for the promotion of corporate social responsibility, taking account of the interests of both business and the various stakeholders", will reach an important milestone on 29 June when the Multi-Stakeholder Forum comes to an end and the key elements of its final report are presented.