Brussels, 27/05/2002 (Agence Europe) - Following several company restructuring and mergers, the European Commission is concerned at the lack of interest manifested for the social consequences of these situations, and, at the initiative of Commissioners Anna Diamantopolou and Errki Liikanen, it has launched a broad consultation process with European social partners and other organisations concerned for "socially intelligent" ways of managing company restructuring. Following its Green Paper "Promoting a European Framework for the social responsibility of companies in Europe" (see EUROPE of 16/17 July, p.17), so as to guarantee that good practice would be followed by companies in the matter, Anna Diamantopoulou launched consultations with European social partners that is the subject of tight discussions (see EUROPE of 11 January, 11-12 March and 14 March). Following the Green Paper, and to take on board the opinions expressed on the subject, Anna Diamantopoulou will present a communication to the College early May on an action plan on the social responsibility of companies. According to her, this debate needs ordering, especially so that investors and consumers see clearly in these extremely sensitive and complex matters.
The goal of a consensus between these three components (groups of employers, workers and different activities), the opinion presented Committee's plenary session in March by Renate Hornung-Draus, responsible for international social policy and European questions with the German Employers Federation (BDA), grant much greater importance to the voluntary approach to company social responsibility (which has to allow to develop actions and models of social responsibility proper to each company and each particular sector), and to the fact that detailed and binding legislation at Community level in this field would be appropriate. "The Commission has a much too naïve an approach between the economy and the social level. For the Commission, more a company is socially responsible, more it will be competitive. Yet, this is not easy, as if the economy is not good, nor will there be jobs", declared Ms. Hornung-Drauss. In its opinion, the Committee also considers that in the debate on globalisation it "needs clarifying what is understood by company's social responsibility", Renate Hornung-Drauss explains, adding: "when we speak of a international dimension, the EU provides added value to the subject of a company's social responsibility, but the local dimension must not be forgotten, by the company and its immediate entourage". The Committee recalls in this context the declaration made by the ILO on social policies, "that today it needs raising as it contains a basis for an agreement between developing countries, industrialised countries and the social partners", stressed Renate Hornung-Drauss, for whom, "It is the universal basis on which companies must build codes of conduct and practices". Considering that the importance of SMEs ("citizens' companies") have in this context been undervalued by the Commission, "whereas here too, there are practices of company social responsibility", Ms. Hornung-Drauss says that the Committee was in favour of the creation of a network of company social responsibility at local and regional level (as already exists in France with the ORSE, Company Social responsibility Observatory).