Corporate Social Responsibility, Human Rights and the Law examines the responsibilities of business enterprises for human rights from a legal perspective. It analyses the legal status of the ‘corporate responsibility to respect human rights’ as articulated by the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). This concept currently reflects an international consensus and is promoted by the UN. The book contemplates the various founding perspectives of the UNGPs, and how the integration of notions such as ‘principled pragmatism’ and ‘polycentric governance’ within its framework provides insights into the future course of law and policy, compliance, and corporate respect for human rights. The book thus takes a global focus, examining the interaction of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), human rights, and the law in a broader global governance context. Setting out a possible future scenario for the legalization of the corporate responsibility to respect human rights that is informed by the UNGPs' founding perspectives and reflects current realities in the human rights landscape, this book will be of great interest to scholars of business ethics, international human rights law, and CSR more broadly.

The control of multinational corporations is an area of law that has attracted immense attention both at national and international level. In recognition of the importance of the subject matter, the United Nations Secretary General has appointed a special representative to work in this area. The book discusses the current trend by MNCs to self regulate by employing voluntary corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy. Olufemi Amao argues that the CSR concept is insufficient to deal with externalities emanating from MNCs’ operations, including human rights violations. Amao maintains that for CSR to be effective, the law must engage with the concept. In particular, he examines how the law can be employed to achieve this goal. While noting that the control of MNCs involves regulation at the international level, it is argued that more emphasis needs to be placed on possibilities at home, in States and host States where there are stronger bases for the control of corporations. This book will be useful to academic scholars, students, policy makers in developing countries, UN, UN Agencies, the African Union and its agencies, the European Union and its agencies and other international policy makers.

With this book, Charlotte Walker-Said and John D. Kelly have assembled an essential toolkit to better understand how the notoriously ambiguous concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) functions in practice within different disciplines and settings. Bringing together cutting-edge scholarship from leading figures in human rights programs around the United States, they vigorously engage some of the major political questions of our age: what is CSR, and how might it render positive political change in the real world? The book examines the diverse approaches to CSR, with a particular focus on how those approaches are siloed within discrete disciplines such as business, law, the social sciences, and human rights. Bridging these disciplines and addressing and critiquing all the conceptual domains of CSR, the book also explores how CSR silos develop as a function of the competition between different interests. Ultimately, the contributors show that CSR actions across all arenas of power are interdependent, continually in dialogue, and mutually constituted. Organizing a diverse range of viewpoints, this book offers a much-needed synthesis of a crucial element of today’s globalized world and asks how businesses can, through their actions, make it better for everyone.

This book challenges the separation between CSR and law. It also demonstrates that BRHR may be gradually separating from CSR through emphasis on state obligations. Authors from around the world discuss how businesses engage in CSR and human rights, and how governments and intergovernmental organisations may support business in taking responsibility

As corporate states join the universe of nation states, the challenge of securing both corporate social responsibility and accountability becomes one of the core challenges facing the social and legal order. Bryan Horrigan s masterly, comprehensive account of this protean subject offers an assured guide for future thought and action. Paul Redmond, Professor, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia CSR continues to be one of the most important aspects of business in the global economy receiving much attention from business managers, government leaders and academics. While continuing to increase in prominence, there are many aspects and many approaches evolving in this global phenomenon. In this book Horrigan provides the most complete interdisciplinary analysis of these perspectives yet undertaken combining theoretical insights with practical examples while pointing the way forward towards future developments. David Crowther, Professor, De Montfort University, UK and Social Responsibility Research Network In this book Professor Horrigan brings together the many facets of, and perspectives on, the concept [of CSR]. . . and he places them in the context of the development of thought in the crossover from the 20th to the 21st century. . . I doubt whether such an ambitious and comprehensive account of the concept has been previously attempted. There is no doubt that it is a hugely important subject in today s world; and one which will not go away. I believe that the book will be valuable to all who need to deal with this issue, whether as government officials, regulators, businessmen, lawyers, academics, media commentators or concerned citizens. The Right Honourable Lord Butler of Brockwell KG, GCB, CVO, was Secretary of the United Kingdom Cabinet and Head of the Home Civil Service from 1988 to 1998. 1998 2008 Master of University College Oxford and a Non-Executive Director of ICI plc and of HSBC Holdings, also Chairman of the Board's Corporate Social Responsibility Committee This timely and thorough book offers one of the most wide-ranging, inter-disciplinary, and cross-jurisdictional analyses of corporate social responsibility so far in the 21st century. Professor Bryan Horrigan spans subjects as diverse and topical as global corporate responsibility and governance debates, practical guidelines for responsible businesses and their professional advisers, governmental roles in corporate social responsibility, corporations and human rights, and the new era of enlightened shareholder value . He also highlights an emerging transnational and comparative body of law, regulation, and practice on corporate social responsibility. Illustrated throughout with meaningful controversies and examples, the book also highlights the major recent global developments in corporate social responsibility already this century, focusing especially on Europe, the UK, North America, and Australasia, and charting its future regulatory and research directions worldwide. The book s scholarly foundation, up-to-date coverage, and accessible style will appeal particularly to academic researchers and students of corporate social responsibility in the fields of law, business, management, economics, and political science in a number of countries. It will also be of great interest and use to those whose work involves corporate social responsibility within government, business, and civil society.

Examines the concepts of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the context of globalisation and its many challenges, focusing on different legal perspectives that arise.

This book critically evaluates the Ruggie Framework and the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and investigates the normative foundations as well as the nature, extent and enforcement of corporate obligations for the realisation of human rights.