2006, Government of Canada
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is also known by a number of other names: corporate responsibility, corporate accountability, corporate ethics, corporate citizenship, sustainability, stewardship, triple bottom line and responsible business, to name just a few. CSR is an evolving concept that currently does not have a universally accepted definition. Generally, CSR is understood to be the way firms integrate social, environmental and economic concerns into their values, culture, decision making, strategy and operations in a transparent and accountable manner and thereby establish better practices within the firm, create wealth and improve society. The World Business Council for Sustainable Development has described CSR as the business contribution to sustainable economic development. Building on a base of compliance with legislation and regulations, CSR typically includes “beyond law” commitments and activities pertaining to:
1. corporate governance and ethics
2. health and safety
3. environmental stewardship
4. human rights (including core labour rights)
5. human resource management
6. community involvement, development and investment
7. involvement of and respect for Aboriginal peoples
8. corporate philanthropy and employee volunteering
9. customer satisfaction and adherence to principles of fair competition
10. anti-bribery and anti-corruption measures
11. accountability, transparency and performance reporting
12. supplier relations, for both domestic and international supply chains.
