What are the international standards on corporate social responsibility?

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is an area of international law that has been gaining increasing attention over the past few decades. CSR encompasses the responsibility of corporations to respect and uphold human rights, environmental protection, and labor rights of their workers. Generally speaking, there are no overarching international legal standards that define CSR, though there are a number of international initiatives and voluntary programs that seek to address these issues. The UN Global Compact is one of the foremost initiatives for international standards of CSR. It calls for companies to adhere to 10 universal principles in the areas of human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption. The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises provide a set of international standards for businesses and governments to act in responsible ways in their corporate activities. They include recommendations on policies related to human rights, labor, environment, disclosure, and anti-corruption. The International Labour Organization (ILO) has also established a set of core labor standards. These standards protect the rights of workers, including the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining, as well as the right to be free from forced and child labor. North Carolina law, like the law of many other states, encourages companies to follow these international standards on CSR. The North Carolina legislature has passed a number of laws that recognize and enforce CSR principles, such as the North Carolina Responsible Representation Act, which requires companies to act in a socially responsible manner when dealing with stakeholders. Ultimately, while there are no overarching international legal standards that define CSR, many international initiatives and legal regimes have been established in recent years to promote responsible business behavior and protect the interests of workers, the environment, and other stakeholders.

What are the international standards on corporate social responsibility?

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