CSR Europe

Background

CSR Europe's website states that the organisation was established in 1995 by senior European business leaders in response to an appeal by the European Commission President Jacques Delors. In 2009, they describe themselves as 'the leading European business network for corporate social responsibility with around 75 multinational corporations and 25 national partner organisations as members'^[1]. They go on to describe themselves as a platform for:

Connecting companies to share best practice on CSR
Innovating new projects between business and stakeholders
Shaping the modern day business and political agenda on sustainability and competitiveness

Objectives

• To help companies integrate CSR into the way they do business everyday. • To offer business managers learning, benchmarking, and capacity building opportunities. • To energise a broader stakeholder dialogue between businesses, European policy makers, governments, investors, social partners, civil society and academics.

Members

CSR describes how their membership enables companies to exchange ideas, connect to stakeholders and access expertise and information. They also go on to advertise how their membership bring opportunities of engaging in policy debates 'both at a practical and high level'^[2].

2009 Membership

In 2009, CSR Europe's Corporate members are listed as including^[3]:

Previous members

Members for 2005 were listed as:

Partnership Network

CSR Europe lists a Partnership Network of affiliated organisations across Europe. In 2009 there are listed as^[5]:

Affiliations

European Alliance for CSR

The European Alliance for CSR was set in in 2006 as a joint initiative of the European Commission and the business community. The communication and coordination of the Alliance is in the hands of CSR Europe, Business Europe and UEAPME. According to CSR Europe's website, the 'Alliance marks a new political approach on CSR', based on the commitment of the European Commission to strengthen a business friendly environment and to support the development of CSR as a voluntary approach^[6].

Business Europe describes the Alliance as 'an informal grouping' that 'does not involve specific rules or requirements, a charter, signatures or heavy processes'^[7]. The benefits and opportunities of involvement with the Alliance are presented in the form of a diagram which has at its core the benefit of 'higher visibility' of a company's CSR activities. Other benefits are included such as networking & partnerships, sharing ideas and accessing expertise, yet the benefit shown at the top of the diagram is presented as the opportunity of 'high-level dialogue with the European Commission'. It is stated that the European Commission does not directly manage the Alliance but relies on the business community to manage itself with the support of business organisations. According to Business Europe, the Alliance is supported by more than 150 companies.

Business and human rights group

This is a business to business network that meets several times a year. The group structures its discussions around expert contributions and stakeholder dialogue, field trip seminars and what we describe as action learning; examining case studies and, with the help of experts, learning from others' experience.

Companies have the opportunity to contribute to the EC multistakeholder forum roundtable discussions, particularly on human rights & trade issues, in 2003-2004.

Companies involved include: BP Europe, BT, Levis, Mattel, Nike, and Procter & Gamble, GM, Norsk Hydro, Coco Cola, Manpower, KPMG, Volkswagen, Nestlé, CDC, Dexia, Euronext, Fortis and Isis.

About Us CSR Europe is the leading European business network for corporate social responsibility with around 70 multinational corporations and 25 national partner organisations as members.

CSR Europe is a platform for:

Connecting companies to share best practice on CSR Innovating new projects between business and stakeholders Shaping the modern day business and political agenda on sustainability and competitiveness The organisation was founded in 1995 by senior European business leaders in response to an appeal by the European Commission President Jacques Delors. It has since grown to become an inspiring network of business people working at the very forefront of CSR across Europe and globally.

Contact

with effect of July 2009, CSR Europe is located at:

CSR Europe

Rue Victor Oudart 7

1030 Brussels

Belgium

References

↑ CSR Europe About Us Accessed 16th July 2009
↑ CSR Europe Corporate Members Accessed 16th July 2009
↑ CSR Europe Our Members Accessed 16th July 2009
↑ CSR Europe, July 2005 Members Accessed July 2005
↑ CSR Europe Our National Partners Accessed 16th July 2009
↑ CSR Europe What is the Alliance? Accessed 17th July 2009
↑ Business Europe What is the European Alliance for CSR? Accessed 17th July 2009

[1] CSR Europe About Us Accessed 16th July 2009

[2] CSR Europe Corporate Members Accessed 16th July 2009

[3] CSR Europe Our Members Accessed 16th July 2009

[4] CSR Europe, July 2005 Members Accessed July 2005

[5] CSR Europe Our National Partners Accessed 16th July 2009

[6] CSR Europe What is the Alliance? Accessed 17th July 2009

[7] Business Europe What is the European Alliance for CSR? Accessed 17th July 2009

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CSR Europe

Contents

Background

Objectives

Members

2009 Membership

Previous members

Partnership Network

Affiliations

European Alliance for CSR

Business and human rights group

Contact

References

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