CSR Frameworks

UN Guiding Principles of Business and Human Rights

Established in 2011

Recognised that there was role to play for businesses in the protection of human rights

There were existing obligations for member states of the UN to respect, protect and fufil human rights and fundamental freedoms and these were extended to businesses

The principles apply to all businesses regardless of heir size, sector, location, ownership or structure

Countries are required to put in place effective remedies for those who suffer from business-related human rights abuses

UN Global Compact

Launched in 2000 with the aim of encouraging companies to align their strategies and operations with 10 principles covering human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption

Human rights

Businesses should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights

Make sure they are not complicit in human rights abuses

Labour

Businesses should uphold the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining

The elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labour

The effective abolition of child labour

The elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation

Environment

Businesses should support a precautionary approach to environmental challenegs

Undertake initiatives to promote greater environmental responsbility

Encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies

Anti corruption

Businesses should work against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery

The SIGMA Project

Its purpose was to develop a set of guidelines to provide clear, practical advice to organisations to enable them to make a meaningful contribution to sustainable development

Consist of

A set of guiding principles that help organisations to understand sustainability and their contribution to it. Five capitals similar to those used in the integrated reporting framework make up the guiding principles - natural, human, social, manufactured, finacial

A management framework that integrates sustainability issues into ore processes and mainstream decision making. It is structured into phases and sub-phases. The framework includes the efficient use of natural resources, protection of the environment and the protection of employee and citizen rights

The Equator Principles

A risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for determining, assessing and managing environmental and social risk in projects and is primarily intended to provide a minimum standard for due diligence and monitoring to support responsible risk decision making

Greatly increased the attention and focus on social/community standards and responsiblity including robust standards for indigenous people, labour standards and consultation with locally affected communities within the Project Finance market. They have also promoted convergence around common environmental and social standards

OECD Guidlines for Multinational Enterprises

Aim to encourage the positive contributions that multinational enterprises can make to economic, environmental and social progress and to minimise the difficulties to which their various operations may give rise

General policies

Contribute to economic, social and environmental development with a view to achieving sustainable development

Respect the human rights of those people affected by their activities

Encoruage the development of local business through cooperation with local communities

Encourage the development of human capital in those communitities, by creating employment and providing training

Refrain from seeing or accepting exemption from local laws on the environment or health

Support and promote good corporate governance practice

Avoid improper involvement in local politics

Employment policies

Respect the right of employees to be represented by trade unions

Contribute to the abolition of child labour

Contribute the abolition of forced labour

Avoid discrimination on the grounds of race, gender, religion or political opinion

Observe standards of employment than are not less favourable than those provided by comparable employers in the host country

Take adequate steps to ensure occupational health and safety

As much as possible, use local labour and provide them with skills training

In negotiations with trade union representatives, avoid using the threat of moving all or part of the company's operations to another country or region

Environment policies

Establish and maintain a system of environmental management that includes the collection of adequate information about the environmental and health and safety effects of their activities, targets for improvements in environmental performance and regular monitoring of actual performance in comparison with the established targets

Provide the public with adequate information about environmental and health and safety matters, and engage with communities that are directly affected by the environmental and health and safety policies of the company

Consider the long term environmental, health and safety related consequences when making decisions

Continually seek to improve environmental performance through encouraging environmentally friendly technologies and developing environmentally friendly products

Maintain contingency plans or dealing with unforeseen environmental, health and safety damage arising from their operations inlcuding accidents and emergencies