Conference 30-31 March 2004, London, Ethical Corporation

“China is in the midst of an economic boom: The market is changing – and the responsibility of corporations must change with it”

An upcoming Conference held by Ethical Corporation Magazine aims to help companies resolve the difficult issues of developing corporate social responsibility, understanding the relevant legal frameworks and ensuring consumer satisfaction while working in China.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has been increasing in popularity despite some recent suggestions that CSR has already passed its peak of popularity and has been proved to be unworkable and even unwanted in any genuine sense by big business. It remains however an important issue for many companies, large and small, and there has been a proliferation of groups which provide advice and monitoring for related projects in China.

Despite the huge interest in CSR there has been little progress towards involving the workers themselves in the development of projects and standards -- both within the Chinese factories and in the foreign company’s’ headquarters or branches in other countries. There is also little communication with the trade unions within the foreign corporations.

The Conference aims to focus on the “complex nature of operating in China and how to ensure that your Corporate Responsibility programmes are on the right track. There is no doubt about it, Corporate Responsibility is becoming bigger and bigger in the global business world and it is no different in China.”

The Conference will have some 40 companies participating and will cover issues such as

- Supply chains and the working conditions Chinese workers

- Reducing overtime in China

- Improvement of factory standards

- Relevant legal issues

- Toy manufacturing and Supply

- Bribery and Corruption

Although CLB welcomes the genuine interest in - and efforts made by - many corporations in working towards the fulfillment of labour rights and human rights for Chinese workers, it remains to be seen just how much success CSR will have in changing the daily lives of the majority of China’s workforce. It is also unclear if work on CSR in China by foreign corporations will help achieve the fundamental and internationally recognized right to freedom of association, currently denied to Chinese people.

In the next few months CLB will be producing a short report on the role and future for CSR in China.

March 2004