Commerce social partners agree joint statement on corporate social responsibility

In November 2003, at the end of a conference on the link between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and commerce workers’ employment conditions, the European-level social partners in the commerce sector signed a joint statement on CSR. The joint statement includes a pledge to promote CSR throughout business activities and to monitor and assess progress through a variety of means.

The European-level social partners in the commerce sector (EU9807115F) - UNI-Europa Commerce for trade unions and EuroCommerce for employers - organised a conference in Brussels on 10-11 November 2003, which was attended by 150 company managers and trade union leaders. The conference participants discussed how social dialogue at different levels can promote high-quality employment in commerce. They focused on the link between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the working conditions of commerce workers. One of the areas covered by the conference was good practice, and three leading European retailers - the UK-based Tesco, German-based Metro and French-based Carrefour- highlighted examples from their corporate strategy in this area.

A Tesco representative, Alex Rüdig, told the conference about the partnership agreement in the UK between Tesco and the UNI-Europa Commerce affiliate, the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW), and how the company is cooperating with UNI-Europa Commerce in exporting the partnership concept to other European countries, including Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic. She stated that this agreement has brought about a considerable improvement in labour relations at Britain’s largest retail company, where USDAW has more than 100,000 members.

Carrefour’s human resources director, Jacques Beauchet, presented his company’s global workers’ rights agreement with UNI Commerce (EU0105213F). A Carrefour employee and active member of the French UNI Commerce affiliate, FGTA-FO (Fédération Générale des Travailleurs de l'Agriculture, alimentation, tabacs et services annexes - Force Ouvrière), told how the company had supported his retraining and employed him in one of its hypermarkets after a car accident made it impossible for him to continue in his previous occupation.

Metro’s human resources director, Jürgen Pfister, reported on a programme that trains disabled young people for jobs in the company.

Another issue examined by the conference participants was that of violence against commerce workers. The UK trade union USDAW is organising a Freedom from Fear campaign, aimed at eliminating violence in stores. Both Sir Bill Connor, the general secretary of USDAW, and Wayne Lee, senior director of the UK retailer, the Cooperative Group, underlined how important it is that the dignity of shop workers is defended against attacks and abuse. The conference heard that violence is a serious and growing problem all over Europe and the European social partners agreed to apply USDAW’s campaign at the European level.

Overall, according to UNI-Europa Commerce, the conference demonstrated that the European social partners in this sector share the same basic view about how they want their industry to develop. Participants drew attention to what they saw as a stark contrast between many European operators and their US counterparts such as Safeway and other supermarket chains, which are alleged to be mounting attacks on collective agreements and seeking to introduce low levels of wages and benefits in line with those said to be offered by the major Wal-Mart chain.

The joint statement

At the end of the conference, a joint statement on corporate social responsibility (CSR) was signed by EuroCommerce and Uni-Europa Commerce. In it, they underline their commitment to CSR and welcome the European Commission's July 2001 Green Paper on promoting a European framework for CSR (EU0107228F) and July 2002 Communication concerning CSR (EU0207205F), as well as a December 2002 Council resolution (EU0212205F) that defined CSR as a 'concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis'.

The statement highlights the global nature of trade and how corporate decisions and actions have repercussions on global markets, the environment and the population. It states that the European social partners in the commerce sector endeavour to promote quality services and that in order to fulfil customer expectations it is essential to have well-qualified and engaged personnel. In this regard, CSR has repeatedly proved that it can make a positive contribution.

As part of their activities in European sectoral social dialogue, the social partners for commerce have agreed relevant joint texts on the following issues:

• combating violence in 1995;

• combating child labour in 1996;

• fundamental rights and principles at work in 1999 (EU9911213F);

• combating racism and xenophobia in 2000 (EU9911213F); and

• guidelines on age diversity in 2002 (EU0205202N) .

Additionally, the commerce partners have produced vocational training material to encourage workers and management to use new technologies, thereby promoting lifelong learning, as well as organising high-level seminars and conferences on CSR.

The statement acknowledges that although CSR relates to both internal and external aspects, it cannot replace good policies on key issues such as health and safety at work and the management of human resources. Additionally, it underlines that all companies have a duty to comply with national and European legislation, international labour norms and collective agreements.

The social partners undertake to: promote CSR throughout business activities; raise awareness about CSR throughout the sector; further develop the social dialogue at all levels; and disseminate information about good practice.

Monitoring and assessing progress in this area is regarded as vital and the social partners pledge to endeavour to achieve this through a variety of means, including convening round-table discussions. The statement underlines the potential role European Works Councils have to play in this area.

Commentary

A joint statement by the European social partners in commerce on the subject of CSR is to be welcomed, in particular since the way commerce is pursued affects so many EU citizens, whether as consumers or as employees (in Europe the sector employs more than 22.5 million people in 4.7 million enterprises). As many corporate leaders said in their presentations at the November conference, CSR also makes good business sense for the employer. Additionally, when this agreement is set against the backdrop of the so-called 'Wal-Martisation' of working life in the US retail sector, resulting in low pay and relatively poor terms and conditions of employment, the European social partners’ joint approach in supporting CSR represents the contrasting face of retailing. (Beatrice Harper, IRS)