Kartlegging
Corporate social responsibility in a global economy (abridged version)
A well-functioning private sector is important for welfare and development. Investment and trade are essential for sustainable development in the South. If carried out in a responsible manner, Norwegian companies’ activities can generate significant economic spillover effects, and help to raise standards in important areas such as health, safety and the environment. For example, Norway’s tradition of tripartite collaboration in industrial relations is something we would like to share with others. The current financial crisis shows that business activities that are solely motivated by the desire for short-term profit can have serious global consequences. CSR has a central role to play for the private sector and its various stakeholders, as well as for the political authorities, if positive opportunities are to be grasped and negative consequences avoided. In its white paper on corporate social responsibility in a global economy, the Government outlines how it intends to address this issue. We will play an active role in international processes aimed at strengthening the global framework for responsible business conduct. We will make it very clear to companies what expectations we have of the work they need to do in order to fulfil their obligations. And we will seek to be at the forefront in terms of CSR performance in our ownership, investments and procurement. This document provides a brief overview of the white paper. We hope that it will provide useful information and stimulate debate.