Corporate Social Responsibility
Introduction
(Corporate Social Responsibility and the impact it has on society at a global level is studied (discussed/investigated) as we look at whether current regulations are sufficient or mandatory regulations are required in order to sustain our environment in the future.)
Since the 1990’s there has been an increasing trend for companies to provide information regarding the environmental implications of their operations (Gozali et al., 2002). This has arisen due to the increasing importance of environmental issues worldwide, and as such there is increased discussion on whether environmental reporting should become regulated internationally or continue to remain voluntary. The environment disclosures are generally through a sustainability report, which may also include the social and economic performance of an organisation. This is commonly referred to as triple bottom–line reporting, and is tied together closely with the term Corporate Social Responsibility.
What is Corporate Social Responsibility?
While sustainable development is most commonly defined as ‘development that meets the needs of the present world without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’ (World Commission on Environment and Development – Brundtland Report, 1987), Corporate Social Responsibility focuses on the mission and values of an organisation and its obligations and impacts on a wider range of stakeholders. (CSR (promotes) principles are for sustainability, accountability and transparency regarding the information required to promote positive corporate social responsibility which can be acknowledged (around the world) internationally.) It is argued that organisations have more than just a responsibility to their shareholders, their responsibilities branch out to employees, consumers, the environment and the communities in which they operate. Demand for companies to be responsible and accountable for their actions whether environmental or social
(Corporate Social Responsibility and the impact it has on society at a global level is studied (discussed/investigated) as we look at whether current regulations are sufficient or mandatory regulations are required in order to sustain our environment in the future.)
Since the 1990’s there has been an increasing trend for companies to provide information regarding the environmental implications of their operations (Gozali et al., 2002). This has arisen due to the increasing importance of environmental issues worldwide, and as such there is increased discussion on whether environmental reporting should become regulated internationally or continue to remain voluntary. The environment disclosures are generally through a sustainability report, which may also include the social and economic performance of an organisation. This is commonly referred to as triple bottom–line reporting, and is tied together closely with the term Corporate Social Responsibility.
What is Corporate Social Responsibility?
While sustainable development is most commonly defined as ‘development that meets the needs of the present world without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’ (World Commission on Environment and Development – Brundtland Report, 1987), Corporate Social Responsibility focuses on the mission and values of an organisation and its obligations and impacts on a wider range of stakeholders. (CSR (promotes) principles are for sustainability, accountability and transparency regarding the information required to promote positive corporate social responsibility which can be acknowledged (around the world) internationally.) It is argued that organisations have more than just a responsibility to their shareholders, their responsibilities branch out to employees, consumers, the environment and the communities in which they operate. Demand for companies to be responsible and accountable for their actions whether environmental or social
References: Deegan, C. & Rankin, M. (1999) “The environmental reporting expectations gap: Australian evidence”, British Accounting Review, vol. 31, no. 3, pp. 313–346. Frost, G. R. ‘An Investigation of the Introduction of Mandatory Environmental Reporting in Australia’, 3rd Asia Pacific Interdisciplinary Research in Accounting Conference, 15–17 July 2001, Adelaide. Deegan, C and Rankin, M (1996) “Do Australian Companies Objectively Report environmental news? An analysis of environmental disclosures by firms successfully prosecuted by the Environmental Protection Agency’, Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal, Vol. 9 No.2. pp 50-67 http://www.env.go.jp/en/policy/ssee/erg2000.pdf www.globalreporting.org ( keeping with many industrialised countries, Australia has adopted the OECD 's pressure-state-response model for its reporting system. Australia is a party to a number of other multilateral environmental agreements, international activities, organisations and partnerships for which SoE reporting is an obligation or has direct relevance: ) Australia 's membership of international organisations also brings with it reporting obligations for various aspects of the condition of the Australian environment. Australia is a member of key international organisations and signatory to many international agreements. The National Strategy for Ecologically Sustainable Development (Objective 14.2) of December 1992 called for national SoE reporting leading to 1st independent report 96. Each of the five-yearly State of the Australian Environment (SoE) reports released to date (1996, 2001 and 2006) have been well received by the public and appear to have been effective in fostering environmental policy debates. Past reports 2011, 2006, 2001, 1996 copy and pasted