CSR: Be nice

December 18, 2008 | BY

clpstaff &clp articles

Companies urged to embrace ethical practices

New guidelines on corporate social responsibility (CSR) may not be binding, but companies will need to take them seriously if they want to succeed in China.

The Guidelines on Corporate Social Responsibility Compliance for Foreign Invested Enterprises were issued by the Chinese Academy of International Trade & Economic Cooperation (CAITEC) in August 2008. They lay out the government's expectations of a CSR-compliant company and make recommendations about its responsibilities and obligations.

Many of these responsibilities would be impossible to enforce by law. Clare Pearson, CSR manager for Asia at DLA Piper, acknowledges there is no obligation for companies to follow CAITEC's Guidelines. But, she says, they are written in a way that suggests they could become legislation in the not-too-distant future.

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