Businesses are using corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a shield behind which to campaign against environmental and human rights regulations, warns a report published recently.
Christian Aid claims CSR in some cases worsens relations between business and local communities.
Shell’s chairperson Sir Philip Watts is among the executives attacked for playing a leading role in CSR while lobbying against tougher international laws. Some of the company’s CSR initiatives in Nigeria are said to be backfiring.
Christian Aid’s report, Behind The Mask: The Real Face Of Corporate Social Responsibility, calls for new international guidelines to govern company behaviour.
It wants British legislation to make corporate social and environmental reporting and disclosure mandatory and enable people harmed by United Kingdom companies’ operations overseas to seek redress in British courts.
It says CSR is being used as a public relations tool and believes it is no coincidence that companies in areas such as oil, mining and tobacco are its biggest public champions.
The charity highlights United Nations attempts to introduce principles governing corporate responsibility in relation to human rights that were opposed by business groups on the grounds they were already dealing with such issues through voluntary CSR initiatives.
It also notes that attempts to use the United States Alien Tort Claims Act (ATCA) by those claiming to be victims of corporate human rights and environmental abuses overseas have been resisted by companies.
The UK branch of the International Chamber of Commerce — chaired by Watts — has been lobbying against ATCA. A Shell spokesperson insisted the company recognised the right of governments to introduce mandatory codes, as long as they were clear and well formulated.
Christian Aid says despite Shell’s claims about ”honesty, integrity and respect for people” it has failed to bring about change in the Niger Delta. Shell argued that outside auditors had assessed its programmes in Nigeria and found that 93% were functional and 75% successful. — Â