Brussels, 08/12/2006 (Agence Europe) - Corporate responsibility on social and environmental matters is gaining ground in Europe, says the Commission in a press release of 8 December. Two years after the European Multistakeholder Forum on corporate social responsibility (CSR), and on the initiative of the Commission, representatives from business, trade unions, national governments, academia and other organisations met to discuss progress achieved on the implementation of the Forum's recommendations and the way forward. They concluded that more and more European businesses were adopting CSR practices and invited all stakeholders to play an active role in making Europe a pole of excellence on CSR. Members of the Commission and the European Parliament, together with other high-level representatives, addressed the meeting. There was general agreement that a wide CSR uptake in the EU could be further promoted by intensifying cooperation between different stakeholder groups. The European Commission attaches growing importance to socially and environmentally responsible behaviour, identifying CSR as an essential ingredient for the European strategy for sustainable growth and more and better jobs. Commission Vice-President Günter Verheugen said, “One of the pillars of the growth and jobs strategy is about providing businesses with the best environment to thrive”. “Responsible business leaders need to care about the future of their employees, the environmental impact of their activity and their role in local communities. More freedom for business means more responsibility as well. I call on all stakeholders to sign up to CSR,” he went on. Social Affairs Commissioner Vladimir Spidla said it was “important that all the stakeholders involved in CSR engage actively to achieve the best results. Corporate social responsibility is essential for good labour relations ands a key to facing the challenges of a globalised economy”. (ol)