Scott, Colin --- "Reflexive Governance, Meta-Regulation and Corporate Social Responsibility: The ‘Heineken Effect’" [2008] ELECD 293; in Boeger, Nina; Murray, Rachel; Villiers, Charlotte (eds), "Perspectives on Corporate Social Responsibility" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2008)

Book Title: Perspectives on Corporate Social Responsibility

Editor(s): Boeger, Nina; Murray, Rachel; Villiers, Charlotte

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN (hard cover): 9781847205612

Section: Chapter 8

Section Title: Reflexive Governance, Meta-Regulation and Corporate Social Responsibility: The ‘Heineken Effect’

Author(s): Scott, Colin

Number of pages: 16

Extract:

8. Reflexive governance, meta-regulation
and corporate social responsibility: the
`Heineken effect'
Colin Scott

INTRODUCTION
The governance of corporations has become a central theme in the discussion
of regulation and governance generally because of the recognition of the
power of corporations in national and global governance regimes (Shamir,
2005: 92).The invention of `corporate social responsibility' (CSR) as an alter-
native ethos and set of processes to the traditions associated with the joint
stock company presents significant challenges. For some, CSR risks being
little more than an invention of the PR people to enhance corporate reputation
without affecting the substance of corporate behaviour (Christian Aid, n.d.;
Frankental, 2001). For others, CSR is, by definition, something that requires
firms to demonstrate that they are going `beyond' what is required by law in
terms of the pursuit of positive environmental and social goals (Shamir, 2005:
101). For example, European Community policy on CSR emphasizes the
voluntary nature of corporate action (European Commission, 2006). Similarly
the UN Global Compact encourages firms to sign up to a set of ten universal
principles relating to human rights, labour standards, the environment and
anti-corruption (United Nations Global Compact Office, 2005). A third posi-
tion, associated with some NGOs, is that, in order for CSR to be effective, it
must be supported by mandatory legal requirements on firms (Oxfam, 2005:
17). Claimed shortcomings in the effectiveness of the Global Compact are
linked to its voluntary character. Supporters of the Compact might tend to
overstate the ...