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In whose name? The accountability of corporate social responsibility
JOURNAL: Development in Practice
VOLUME: 15 ISSUE: 3/4
THEME: Development and the Private Sector
Abstract |
AUTHOR:
Jem Bendell
EDITED BY:
Deborah Eade
ISSN: 0961-4524 E-ISSN: 1364-9213
STOCK CODE: 002J0664
AVAILABILITY:
Available online only
PUBLISHER: Routledge
FORMAT:
Downloadable PDF
(pp: 13)
PUBLISHED:
Jun 2005
READERSHIP:
Professional and Practitioners, Activists and Campaigners, Postgraduate, Undergraduate,
Read this article online (PDF file)
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ABSTRACT
Stakeholder dialogue, participation, and partnership have become mainstream concepts in international development policy, in particular in the field of corporate social responsibility (CSR). However, the accountability of multi-stakeholder initiatives on CSR to their intended beneficiaries in the global South is increasingly questioned. This paper looks at how the agendas of some initiatives in the areas of ethical trade and sustainability reporting are driven by what Western NGOs push for, what large companies consider feasible, and what consultants and accountants seek to provide. It describes how the resulting practices and discourse restrict change and marginalise alternative approaches developed by Southern stakeholders. It is argued that enthusiasm for stakeholder dialogue, participation, and partnership in CSR matters, and beyond, needs to be reconceived with democratic principles in mind. 'Stakeholder democracy' is offered as a conceptual framework for this endeavour, and some recommendations are made for NGOs, companies, and governments.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not
necessarily reflect the policies of Oxfam GB
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