Rhetoric and Realities:Corporate Social Responsibility

in Europe

Strategic Targeted Research Project

EU 6th Framework Programme

Contract N°: CIT2-CT-2004-506043

Main Research Questions

1. Does CSR contribute to the achievement of EU policy goals?

2. What are the actual impacts of CSR policies? – Efficacy and efficiency of CSR as policy instrument for

sustainability– Differentiating ‘rhetoric’ from realities’

3. What are success factors for CSR impact?– Which company internal and external (sectoral/ economic,

socio-political) factors account for effective CSR policies?– How can CSR schemes be improved to become more

effective?

Specific Features of RARE

• Method development (CSR Impact Assessment Tool, Modelling Success Factors)

• Sector focus of CSR analysis– Oil– Banking– Fisheries / Fish Processing

• Issue focus of CSR analysis– Climate Protection– Gender Equality– Ressource Management– Anti Bribery

• Cross-instrument approach• Cross-company size approach• Political governance dimensions

Research Design

Phase I:Method Development

Phase II:Empirical Analysis

Phase III:Synthesis

CSR Background Analysis

Methodology: CSR Impact Assessment, Success Factors

Integration / Enlargement EU 

Governance Capacities of CSR

S Y N T H E S I S

EU Anti-Bribery Policy

Case Study Bribery

EU Resource Management

Policy

Case Study Resource

Management

EU Climate and Chemicals

Policy

Case Study Climate/Chemicals

Policy

EU Gender Policy

Case Study Gender

SME Study

Sector Survey Oil Industry

Sector Survey Fishery

Sector Survey Banks

                 

 

Policy Recommendations

The Research Consortium

Peter Wilkinson AssociatesConsultant to Transparency International

Budapest University of Technology and Economics