Corporate Social Responsibility and Ethics

1
Corporate Social Responsibility and Ethics

• Linda F. Golodner, President
• National Consumers League
• December 2005

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National Consumers League

• Consumer research, education and advocacy since
  1899
• www.nclnet.org
• Network of consumer groups throughout U. S. and
  abroad
• Mission economic and social justice for
  consumers and workers here and abroad

3
Consumer Advocacy in the United States

• National consumer groups
• Consumers Union
• Consumer Federation of America
• Public Citizen
• Public Interest Research Group (PIRG)
• National Consumers League
• National Association of Consumer Agency
  Administrators

4
Every consumer is unique and should have basic
rights

• Information
• Education
• Choice
• Health and Safety
• Right to be heard
• Redress

5
National Consumers League Programs 2005-6

• Healthcare
• Safety
• Consumers in control
• Risk communication
• Fraud fraud.org
• ID Theft
• Internet Fraud
• Fraud Against Seniors
• Counterfeit, including drugs and products

• Food Safety
• Contamination
• Technology to make processed food safer
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Child Labor
• stopchildlabor.org
• Sweatshops
• International Standards
• LifeSmarts for teenagers
• lifesmarts.org

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NCL Relationship with Government

• Federal Trade Commission
• Deceptive and misleading Advertising
• Transborder and e-commerce
• Truth in labeling
• Food and Drug Administration
• Safe and Effective Drugs
• Food Safety
• Department of Justice
• Fraud
• Counterfeit Goods

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Relationships with Industry

• Partnerships on issues of mutual concern
• Open discussion about consumers and the
  marketplace
• Joint efforts to oppose fraud and deception in
  the marketplace

8
NCL and the Direct Selling Education Foundation

• Foundation supports consumer and academic
  programs
• Consumer Advocates on Campus
• Consumer Programs on Technology, Fraud, Womens
  Health
• International Programs on transborder consumer
  protection and e-commerce
• Consumer advocates on DSEF Board of Directors a
  unique relationship

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Ponzi Schemes

• Illegal pyramid scheme
• Take money from new investors to pay off earlier
  investors
• Leads to collapse
• Promoters disguise plan by making it look
  complicated

• How to protect yourself
• Anyone guaranteeing a profit on an investment is
  likely a scam artist
• Look out for highly complicated investment
• Dont be pressured to do something NOW

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Global Consumer Advocacy

• Consumers International
• Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue
• Organization of Economic and Cooperative
  Development (Consumer Policy Committee)
• International Standards Organization Consumer
  Policy Committee
• Direct Selling Education Foundation International
  Programs/Outreach

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Corporate Social Responsibility and Ethics

• ISO-COPOLCO (International Standards Organization
  Consumer Policy Committee)
• Consumers want to be able to trust marketplace
• Ethical businesses
• Social responsibility of all organizations

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ISO 26000 Guidance on Social Responsibility

• Scope of standard
• Assist organizations/corporations
• Guide on identifying and engaging stakeholders
  (those impacted by your business)
• Increase customer satisfaction and confidence

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Working Group three year project

• 42 countries involved
• Experts one from each of the impacted
  stakeholders industry, consumer, labor,
  nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), government,
  and Other (academic and CSR consultants)
• Basic design has been established this year

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Design Specification of Guidance Standard

• Terms and definitions
• Social Responsibility Principles Relevant
• Guidance on Core Subjects/Issues
• Guidance on Implementation
• Bibliography

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Linda GolodnerNational Consumers
Leaguelindag_at_nclnet.orgwww.nclnet.orgwww.fraud
.org202-835-3323