CSR Ethical Corporations
Wanda Pazdan
22 Nov 2008
Last year, a number of companies which crop up increased significantly when we enter the following terms, in Polish or in English, in the Google search engine:
Odpowiedzialny biznes (responsible business),
Zrównoważony rozwój (sustainable development),
CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility),
Ethical Corporation,
Accountability.
This is really encouraging, especially, if apart from expressing it in words and announcing on the Internet, an organizational unit decides to put the sustainable development strategy into actual plans of action, integrating it into its entire internal management system and using it during cooperation with customers or partners.
It is a shame, however, that only the media dealing with environmental protection write about this.
In Poland, the Ministry of Economy is currently the leader in implementing sustainable development. There is still no person who would act as a coordinator managing sustainable development of Poland at the level of the government of the Republic of Poland.
To the main measurable goals of the Strategy for Sustainable Development of Poland to 2025 belong maintaining about 5% economic growth and, as a target value, four times increase in efficiency of utilization of raw materials, fuels, and natural resources.
Among other things, we do not have any specified goals for reduction of CO2 in the aforementioned document…, but we organize COP14.
Business in Poland, regardless of the political parties in power, has a chance to put the principles of sustainable development into practice.
The 19th century was a century of industry, the 20th – belonged to science and computer technology, but the 21st century, experts say, will be a century when the needs of various communities and respect to the natural environment will be incorporated into business.
Last year CSR even managed to become part of the governmental policy in several countries in Europe and around the world. Governments of many countries have appreciated the role of corporate social responsibility. A discussion on the new role of business in society has been in progress.
In July, 2008, the COM(2008) 397 document was published, namely, the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the Sustainable Consumption and Production and Sustainable Industrial Policy Action Plan.
As early as in 2006, the Commission issued the COM(2006) 136 document, i.e. a Communication on Making Europe a Pole of Excellence on Corporate Social Responsibility.
