News

“We do not worry if companies use CSR as a competitive advantage to maintain or protect their market in a specific location. We question if they practice CRS genuinely, not for show or as a marketing ploy. The best test for CSR sincerity is a corporation’s commitment to their own employees, to the community around them, and their customers from whom they derive revenue and generate profit,” said Christopher Ng, UNI Apro Regional Secretary.



Christopher was speaking at the Asia-Pacific Business Forum 2012 co-organized by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute, the OECD, and the UN Development Programme. Over 150 participants attended the forum aimed to give an overview of the recently transformed landscape of international Corporate Responsibility instruments and to enhance cooperation and dialogue between the public and business sectors. Christopher intervened a panel to question corporate values and the use of CSR.



This is what he said:



“Very few CSR policies and statements address labour related issues, they avoid committing to critical issues such as respecting employees’ rights to join trade unions and collective bargaining. That is how corporations discharge one of their basic social responsibilities, denying workers from an ILO-defined decent standard of work and employment.



“Our position on CSR as a protectionist measure is simple -- all corporations, especially multinationals, should observe a universal CSR. They should comply with internationally-accepted social, labour and environmental standards reflected in the ILO Decent Work Program.



“As part of USR – Union Social Responsibility - workers and their trade unions can and must play a role in socializing the globalisation process. We are anxious to see a stable, progressive and sustainable economy in every country and globally.



“The global trade union movement, including our organization, negotiates and concludes global framework agreements with multinational companies to encourage universal compliance and respect for core labour standards. These written agreements give credibility to MNCs claim of their commitment to be decent global corporate citizens. MNCs pledge to observe internationally recognized standards be it in relations to environments, social and labour related issues. To date, UNI has concluded 45 global agreements, and negotiations with more companies are ongoing.



“But achieving social partnership industrial relations requires employers and governments to put away misconceptions about trade unions. Efforts to weaken the trade union movement will always be in vain as unions will only be replaced by labour related NGOs who are equally committed to assert workers’ rights but certainly more innovative in their strategies. Trade unions are not obstacles preventing corporations from confronting or adjusting to the global competitive challenge. Like employers, trade unions are concerned in sustaining the viability and profitability of businesses which it is essential in creating decent, secure and sustainable jobs. Sustainable business requires sustainable relations with the employees and their union. Enlightened employers must look at their partnership with the employees and their trade unions as a long-term proposition.



“Good social partnership between is possible even in the most difficult environment or situation. We are very encouraged by the positive response of managements and trade unions in our experiment with companies in various countries. The positive result of social partnership relations on the sustainability and profitability of these companies is now a competitive advantage that other companies are inspiring to achieve.



“The ASEAN trade unions grouped under ASETUC are committed to work in partnership with ASEAN employers to develop harmonious labour management relationship based on the concept of social partnership industrial relations.



“To propagate and encourage the concept of social partnership industrial relations, UNI Apro has initiated the UNI Apro Employer-Partner Award to recognise outstanding cases of social partnership involving UNI affiliates in Asian countries. The award has been presented to companies and organizations around Asia Pacific on the recommendation of UNI affiliates.



“We need a new CSR, one with clear social and labour rules and universally enforced. CSR should help shape a new global economic order, and dedicate to improving the lives of all peoples, not the enrichment of a few corporates on this planet. Equally essential, the new CSR must enable and facilitate the participation of civil society organizations including trade unions in developing the CSR principles and monitoring the compliances process.”