Fourth lecture in the series ‘Global Values in a
Changing World- Synergy of State and
Society in a Globalized World’
Lecture and Discussion:
Monday 17 January 2011
Patricia Almeida Ashley
Prince Claus Chair in Development and Equity – 2009/2011
International Institute of Social Studies - Erasmus University Rotterdam
 A perspective from a social responsibility
researcher in civic driven action in Brazil: the
case of São Joao del Rey – Ecocidades Project
(Proext Mec/Cidades – 2007/2009)
 From academia to government, business and civil
society agents
 Some next steps in social responsibility
movement: from corporate and organizational
to networks, markets and territories
São João del Rey, Minas Gerais,
Brasil (founded in 1709; pop. 85000)
Lenheiro
Important:
DuringRiver
the Winter
Lenheiro river in the Summer
Córrego do Lenheiro after each “Summer
Rain”
Fonte: Foto da Semana, Jornal Gazeta de São João Del-Rei, 2008
Córrego do Lenheiro – Upstream
the center of São João del Rey
Residencial Lenheiros – upstream the
Lenheiro river
Proext Mec/Cidades – government funding for
extension/research projects related to urban
development – 30.000 reais in 2007 (13.667 euros)
 Social responsibility studies, tools, knowledge was not
part of the local culture, public policies, business
practices, educational policies
 Events, courses, opinion papers, radio inverviews, tv
programmes, research papers of a research group were
only supported by engaged civil society groups (some),
labour unions (some), some business leaders (two),
councillors (two of ten), some schools (three)
 Not understood by political leaders in the city hall
 Not accepted as a transversal concept in curriculum in
the university (internal struggle in the department)
 The United Nations Global Compact
 The United Nations Principles for Responsible




Investment (PRI)
The United Nations Principles for Responsible
Management Education (PRME)
OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises
Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
AA1000 guidelines for stakeholder engagement
in management
 ISO 26000 standard guidance as a meta
language for integrating social responsibility
tools
 A five year process engaging national standards bodies, multi-
stakeholder national committees and mirror committees from
more than 90 countries
 A global consensus on current core themes, principles and
issues of social responsibility, which includes legal compliance
and voluntary actions
 It considers relational governance of stakeholders (not only
shareholders)
 It is not only a matter of ‘business’ but ‘organizational’ social
responsibility (private, public and non-profit organizations)
Values
Principles
1. Accountability
2. Transparency
3. Ethical behaviour
4. Respect for
stakeholders’ interests
5. Respect for the rule of
law
6. Respect for
international norms of
behaviour
7. Respect for human
rights
Human
Rights
Community
Involvement
and
Development
Labour
Practices
Governance
Consumer
Issues
The
Environment
Fair
Operating
Practices
Principles
Issues
e.g. UN Global Compact
e.g. OECD guidelines
ISO 26000
Results
e.g. GRI
Stakeholder
Governance
e.g. AA 1000
 Not only corporate and organizational social
responsibility
1. Networks of Values on social responsibility
2. Networks in Markets: the ethics of care as
expression of market value and, thus, risk
management considering social, environmental and
economic risks of projects, organizations and
products
3. Network in Territories as scopes for multi-actor and
multilevel governance of stakeholders´social
responsibilities
Legal
Compliance
Social
Expectations
Ethical Ideals
International Law and
Regulation
International Standards
and Practices
International Codes of
Principles and Ethics
Country, Provincial and
Municipal Law and
Regulation
Country, Provincial and
Municipal Standards and
Practices
Country, Provincial and
Municipal Codes of
Principles and Ethics
Sectoral and
Organizational Law and
Regulation
Sectoral and
Organizational
Standards and Practices
Sectoral and
Organizational Codes of
Principles and Ethics
Level 2
Level 3
Level 1
Protect
Respect
International
National
Remedy
Provincial
Municipal
UN framework for Human
Rights
Sectoral and
Organizational
State and
Government
Science and
Knowledges
Media
Capital
Investment
Finance
Trade Union
Business
Association
Enterprise
Not for
Profit and
CommunityBased
Time/Space
Linking multi-actor and multilevel social
responsibility to development and equity goals
Phase 4:
Values/Policies
Alignment
Innovation
Phase 1: Political
Commitment for
Values/Policies
Alignment
Phase 3:
Values/Policies
Alignment
Renovation
Phase 2:
Values/Policies
Alignment
Assessment
UN Millenium
Development
Goals
+
UN Report on
Human
Development
Outcomes in Territorial
Indicators of Development
Contacts: ashley@iss.nl or ecocidades@gmail.com
Ecocidades: www.ecocidades.org
ISS: www.iss.nl