Global Codes of Conduct: An Idea Whose Time Has Come

by Oliver F. Williams C.S.C. (Editor)

Overview

We are living in an exciting and challenging era, characterized by what many are calling globalization—the integration of economic activity on an international scale. It involves unparalleled movements not only of capital but also of goods and services, technologies, and people.

Globalization is perceived as both a promise and a threat. The promise is seen in the rising prosperity experienced by many in rich and poor countries alike in the aftermath of international linkages. The threat is the growing perception, by nations and individuals, that we can no longer control our way of life. Whether it be corporate downsizing, takeovers, bankruptcies, human rights abuses, or the loss of jobs, the pace of change and the disruption of communities is very troubling to many.

We are experiencing a growing call for a global ethic. From various parts of the world, proposals are emerging for a new global code of conduct, along with an ever-increasing concern for the promotion and protection of human rights in developing countries. To further the discussion on global codes of conduct, the University of Notre Dame Center for Ethics and Religious Values in Business presents the reflections of a group of distinguished leaders from business, the academy, and other parts of civil society. This resulting collection asks important questions for us to consider in the rush toward globalization: What is the next step in this chorus of activity? Should we try to move toward one global code of conduct? What accountability structures are helpful?

Global Codes of Conduct: An Idea Whose Time Has Come will be of value to all readers interested in the emerging global economy. It will be particularly useful as a textbook for courses in business ethics.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780268010409
Publisher:	University of Notre Dame Press
Publication date:	05/01/2000
Series:	John W. Houck Notre Dame Series in Business Ethics
Edition description:	1
Pages:	432
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.87(d)

About the Author

Oliver F. Williams, C.S.C., is Associate Professor of Management in the College of Business Administration and academic director of the Center for Ethics and Religious Values in Business at the University of Notre Dame. He is the co-editor of Is the Good Corporation Dead? Social Responsibility in a Global Economy (1996), and The Moral Imagination: How Literature and Films Can Stimulate Ethical Reflection in the Business World (Notre Dame Press, 1998).

Table of Contents

	Introduction	xiii
Part I	Why Global Codes? Defining a New Relationship Between Business and Society
1	Raising the Ethics Bar in a Shrinking World	3
2	The Globalization Phenomenon and Multinational Corporate Developmental Responsibility	13
Part II	The Past as Prologue: Experience as a Teacher
3	Business Codes and Conduct in a Global Political Economy	39
4	A Lesson from the Sullivan Principles: The Rewards for Being Proactive	57
5	An International Human Rights Perspective on Corporate Codes	83
Part III	Codes as a Contemporary form of the Social Control of Business: Prospects for Success
6	Global Codes of Conduct: Activists, Lawyers, and Managers in Search of a Solution	103
7	Gaps in Research in the Formulation, Implementation, and Effectiveness Measurement of International Codes of Conduct	117
8	A Behavioral Perspective on Codes of Conduct: The Ambiguity-Specificity Paradox	128
9	International Instruments on Bribery and Corruption	141
Part IV	The Caux Round Table's Principles for Business: A Framework for Company Codes
10	Executives' Code of Business Conduct: Prospects for the Caux Principles	169
11	The Caux Round Table Principles: Corporate Moral Reflection in a Global Business Environment	183
12	Ethical Guidelines for the Reform of State-Owned Enterprises in China	196
Part V	Principles for Global Corporate Responsibility: the Point of View of Church Groups
13	In Whose Interest? A Global Code of Conduct for Corporations	211
14	Making Codes of Conduct Credible: The Role of Independent Monitoring	221
Part VI	An Experiment: the White House Apparel Industry Partnership Workplace Code of Conduct and Principles of Monitoring
15	The Apparel Industry Code of Conduct: A Consumer Perspective on Social Responsibility	241
16	Voting with Their Pocketbooks: The Strengths and Limits of Consumer-Driven Codes of Conduct	253
Part VII	Global Codes of Conduct and the Environment
17	Who Speaks for the Trees? Considerations for Any Transnational Code	267
18	Effective Codes of Conduct: Lessons from the Sullivan and CERES Principles	280
Part VIII	What Remains to be Done
19	Corporate Ethics Statements: An Update	295
	Appendices
1	The Business Charter for Sustainable Development	305
2	The CERES Principles	307
3	Principles and Criteria for Forest Stewardship	309
4	Bellagio Principles	315
5	The International Labor Organization Convention Concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries (Convention 169)	317
6	Amoco Canada Petroleum Co. Ltd Aboriginal Policy	320
7	International Code of Ethics for Canadian Business	322
8	GM Board Guidelines on Corporate Governance Issues	324
9	The Code of Best Practice (Cadbury Code)	328
10	International Labor Organization (ILO) Standards (extracts)	329
11	The Convention on the Rights of the Child (extracts)	332
12	International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (extracts)	333
13	The Wood-Sheppard Principles for Race Equality in Employment	334
14	International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights	335
15	Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women	337
16	Beijing Declaration	340
17	Equal Opportunity of Employment for Women	343
18	United Nations Draft Declaration on Gender Equity (extracts)	344
19	A Code of Practice for the Employment of Disabled People (extracts)	348
20	International Labor Organization (ILO) Conventions	349
21	The MacBride Principles for Northern Ireland	352
22	President Clinton's White House Apparel Industry Partnership Workplace Code of Conduct & Principles of Monitoring	353
23	Advertising Code	357
24	Purchasing Power Index (PPI)	363
25	Principles for Global Corporate Responsibility: Bench Marks for Measuring Business Performance	364
26	The Caux Principles	384
27	The Sullivan Principles	388
	The Center for Ethics and Religious Values in Business	391
	Contributors	395
	Index	401

Editorial Reviews

The contemporary globalization of business cries out for a global ethic, the successful articulation of which is furthered by this collection of timely new essays that together evaluate existing global codes and suggest fruitful lines of future development. The twenty-seven codes conveniently gathered in the Appendix enhance the volume’s usefulness. The books is an important and welcome addition to the literature on international business ethics.” —Richard T. De George, University Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, University of Kansas

“These two books [Economic Imperatives and Ethical Values in Global Business and Global Codes of Conduct] present the best current thinking about efforts to appraise and influence the social and ethical impact of global corporations, and set the stage for the new UN Global Compact initiated by Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 1999.” —Ethics and International Affairs

“A useful all-in-one-volume survey of the values and the limitations of global codes of conduct for multinational corporations—a topic of obvious importance in an increasingly ‘globalized’ economy.... Recommended for academic collections, lower-division undergraduate through research, as well as professional libraries.” —Choice

From the Publisher