Better World with Better Products
New direction for Danish CSR efforts
14/06/2012
In March 2012, the Danish government launched a new CSR action plan with the title “Responsible growth – Action Plan for Corporate Social Responsibility 2012-2015”. The action plan is the second CSR action plan adopted by a Danish government. The first was launched in May 2008 and terminated by the end of 2010. It was one of the first CSR action plans ever to be adopted by a national government.
Social Responsibility = Responsible Growth
With the new action plan, the government wishes to strengthen responsible growth by strengthening social responsibility both in the private and public sector as well as among consumers. The action plan reflects the government’s perception that responsible conduct and growth go hand-in-hand and should not be regarded as conflicting goals.
The new CSR action plan comprises four focus areas, each including a number of specific initiatives:
- Strengthening the respect for international principles
- Increasing responsible growth through partnerships
- Increasing transparency
- Using the public sector to promote a good framework for responsible growth
One of the main initiatives is the establishment of a mediation and grievance institution for responsible business conduct. Through this institution, cases involving potential breaches by Danish companies of international CSR guidelines, including human rights violations, can be investigated. The institution will comply with the UN guiding principles on business and human rights and the OECD’s guidelines on multinational enterprises.
Upon launch of the CSR action plan, the Danish Minister for Business and Growth emphasized that with the action plan, the government wants to further accelerate the development to the benefit of the environment, climate and working conditions across the world and in Denmark. He pointed out that in the long run, it makes good business sense to take the surrounding society into consideration when operating a business. And the government hopes that the new action plan provides the right framework for this.
Read the action plan here: http://www.samfundsansvar.dk/graphics/publikationer/CSR/ENG_Ansvarlig_Vaekst_2.pdf
