2009 Oxford Business & Economics Conference Program
ISBN : 978-0-9742114-1-1
Social Balance as a Model of Reporting Accounts of the Italian
Chamber of Commerce
Ubaldo Comite, lecturer of balance and business organization, Faculty of Economy,
Department of Business Sciences, University of Calabria, Arcavacata- Rende (Cs) Italy
e-mail ubaldo.comite@unical.it
Key words: social balance, accountability, chamber of commerce
Abstract
Institutional reforms that have invested in the Italian public administration have started a
cultural transformation that translates into the pursuit of a higher efficiency and in a
growing orientation to the quality of service for the user. In this light, public
administrations have been called upon to be more and more transparent and open in
instances of collectivity. The Chamber of Commerce is no exception. Their role was
substantially reshaped as previously mentioned above. Today, the Chambers of Commerce
function autonomously and represent the general interest of the companies in their
territory, functioning in the active role aimed for territorial development.
The purpose of the article is to analyze how the Chamber of Commerce, through the social
balance as an optional tool, transmits to the companies, and to all of the subjects that are in
the world of the Chamber of Commerce, their true identity, and especially the concrete
result that were reached.
June 24-26, 2009
St. Hugh’s College, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
1
2009 Oxford Business & Economics Conference Program
ISBN : 978-0-9742114-1-1
Introduction
The necessity of reporting accounts in a complete, clear, truthful, and transparent way, and
the economic, social and environmental effects produced on the territory and the
collectivity has grown significantly in the last few years. The Chamber of Commerce has
seen the necessity of experimenting with new forms of reporting accounts, above and
beyond only the estimated balance obligatory by law.
In particular, this work is dedicated to the elaboration of the theme of social balance in the
Chamber of Commerce, an important tool of communication and of comparison with the
bearers of interests through which the chamber organizations are made aware of their own
actions (Figure1).
Figure 1: The mission of the Chambers of Commerce
In the last year, our economy has been put to the test by tensions that are progressively
changing face. The difficulties of the international economic situation have continued to
strongly condition the growth capacity of a country in the midst of “shedding its skin”,
necessary to remain competitive in the battle for the market. Numerous reforms have taken
shape or have been initiated to accompany the country in its change towards the more
modern, in line with the profile of our other principal competitors. Others, equally urgent
and necessary, await being launched by the Legislator; their effects can only come about in
a medium-long period. Many of these paths of change involve the Chamber of Commerce
and their working environment, a testimony that our system represents one of the more
powerful and efficient tools of translating on the territory the politics of development,
connecting companies and institutions through the continuous game of alliances that have a
place of comparison in the Chamber of Commerce, and by synthesising the interests of all
June 24-26, 2009
St. Hugh’s College, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
2
2009 Oxford Business & Economics Conference Program
ISBN : 978-0-9742114-1-1
the players in this development: companies, associations, unionists, professionals and
consumers (Giovanetti, 2003).
1. Social Balance as a tool of reporting accounts
In the common acceptance of the word balance, it is intended to be a “structured
document” that a company presents at the end of a fiscal year, which accounts for, in a
concise manner, the results obtained (Antoldi, 2006).
This definition highlights at least two distinct aspects. The first is tied to the literal
significance of “accounting for” something to someone, a concept that the English
language expresses with the word “accountability”. Accountability can be thought of as
“the duty and the responsibility to explain, to justify, to who has the right, what is being
done to respect the responsibilities taken with the interlocutors, be in on the ecomomicincome plan (for example towards potential or actual investors), or be it from other points
of view”(Melandri, 2005). Furthermore, two different types of responsibility are
implicated, or better yet, two different duties: that of carrying out, or abstaining from
carrying out, determined actions, and that of supplying an account of the above-mentioned
actions or non-actionsa. The second aspect is of a “dynamic” character: the balance is the
last act of a process. It is, therefore, a closing balance document with the aim of delineating
in a simple and concise manner the more important aspects and principles to manage the
The basis of the model of accountability echoes back to the company’s theory that takes on a report of
contractual origins between the “broker subject”, who carries out determined shares, and the “head subject”,
receiver of said shares. This report expresses itself in a two way flow of information: from the head to the
broker, in regards to the relative instructions of the execution of the shares; and from the broker to the head in
regards to the information on the turnover from the shares carried out. It is obviously this second flow that
configures accountability. In traditional conventional bookkeeping, the role of “head” is covered by the
brokers (or at any rate the capital itself from the contributors), while the business is found in the position of
“broker”(and for it, its management); the reciprocal flow of information reflects the economic context in
which the contractual report that ties it together is placed. It is worthwhile to mention the importance that
society attributes to the investment in one’s own capital and to the informative connections privileged by the
economic, financial and patrimonial types.
June 24-26, 2009
3
St. Hugh’s College, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
a
2009 Oxford Business & Economics Conference Program
ISBN : 978-0-9742114-1-1
process of reporting as regards to the bearers of interests internal and external to the
company (Canziani, 2007).
The term “social” signals that the balance of which we speak does not have the “economic”
value of a traditional balance, structured and defined as we all know (Hinna, 2008).
For this purpose, it is useful to distinguish four elements (Rusconi & Dorigatti, 2004):
a) the “object” or the “emphasis” that is given to the reporting of accounts;
b) the “subjects” that decide to organize a social balance;
c) the receivers of the social balance;
d) communication beyond the reporting of accounts.
a) The object or the emphasis
According to the “object” or the “emphasis” that is given to the accountability, it is
possible to distinguish: environmental balances, socio-environmental balances, ethical
balances, economic-social balances, solidarity balances, until arriving at sustainability
balances, that, in a wider acceptance, are always and at any rate, social balances.
b) The subjects
Another distinction is in respects to the “subjects” that decide to organize a social balance.
In profit-oriented structures, one speaks of “social balance” in a strict meaning. In a nonprofit structure, however, one speaks of a “mission balance”, in which, in this case, the
social activity is formed of “characteristic management” and not of an “ethical option”, as
in the case of profit-oriented companies (Bagnoli & Catalano, 2005). Both the social
balance and the mission balance, however, are tools of social reporting.
c) The receivers
An ulterior element that is opportune to consider is the one tied to the receivers of the
social balance. The receivers of traditional economic balances are first off the shareholders,
June 24-26, 2009
St. Hugh’s College, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
4
2009 Oxford Business & Economics Conference Program
ISBN : 978-0-9742114-1-1
and then the suppliers and the banks: all subjects strongly interested in the economic,
patrimonial and financial performance of the company. In social account reporting, the
receivers are, instead, more numerous: one speaks of all the stakeholdersb.
d) Communication beyond the reporting of accounts
As the receivers of the social report of accounts are the stakeholders, it is necessary to
specify what ends are asked of from as system of reporting understood as such. It can be
affirmed that the end means is to create a “relationship” between the company and the
bearers of general interests (stakeholders relationship), through a process of dually
unambiguous communication (Figure 2).
Figure 2: The management of the relationship with the stakeholders
The social balance, therefore, results as being a tool of knowledge and of communication
that aims to refer to the participants, to the company and the community the results in
“social” terms of the same activity (Gatti, 2007).That considered, the social balance can be
thought of as a means that tends to report the social effects of the activity of the company
manifest and comprehensible.
The social balance, therefore, unveils to the multitudes of bearers of interest the results
achieved by the company in respect to the objectives; not only of survival and
development, but also of the complete impact on the surrounding environment (Table 1).
Table 1: Differences between the reporting of bookkeeping accounts and the social reporting of accounts
“ Whereas it is assumed that the responsibility of the business transcends the exclusive compared with the
bearers of their own capital, to extend to all the interlocutors with whom the business comes into contact
more or less intensively in its complete actions, the fiscal balance is no longer sufficient on its own to satisfy
the multiform consecutive necessities of the same stakeholders, and must therefore be supported by a tool
that is specifically suitable to account for the results of social merit in the actions of the business”. Hinna L.
(edited by), Il bilancio sociale: scenari, strumenti e valenze, modelli di rendicontazione sociale, gestione
responsabile e sviluppo sostenibile, esperienze europee e casi italiani, Il Sole 24 Ore, Milano, 2002
June 24-26, 2009
5
St. Hugh’s College, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
b
2009 Oxford Business & Economics Conference Program
2
ISBN : 978-0-9742114-1-1
The finalization and the process of creation of social reports of accounts
A new paradigm is imposed onto companies: obtaining and managing consensus both
externally to the company, obtaining the trust of the bearers of interest, and internally,
mediating values that know how to make levels of organization compact. Even though the
combination of these two fundamental components can record positively on the
accumulation and on the creation of knowledge, and, consequently, the success of the
company, they are not revealed by a traditional balance (Marziantonio &, 2003).
One therefore asks the importance of going above the limits of the economic reporting of
accounts through the social reporting of accounts, substituting “one bottom line”
(economic) with a “triple bottom line” (economic, environmental, and social).
From this one can understand how the “geometry of value” has changed. From the
“triangle of value” (value for the shareholder, for the employees, and for the said company)
it has passed to a “quadrilateral of values”, where there four sides are constituted of values
for a civil society. This explains the attention given to terms like the environment,
sustainable development, and social results of a business. The management of a process of
the social reporting of accounts creates, in this way, values external to the company in that
it creates stronger relationships between the stakeholders and strengthens the reputation,
thanks to the social responsibility for which it is recognized. This offers management a
competitive advantage to take advantage of and manage.
The recognition of multiform typologies of social balance that have been put forth by the
national and international academic world permit the individualization of certain known
objectives, around to which to aggregate diverse experiences. The examination of salient
negotiations in this category consents, finally, to open a larger prospective of knowledge
about the role of this tool internally in a comprehensive corporate informative system. The
June 24-26, 2009
St. Hugh’s College, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
6
2009 Oxford Business & Economics Conference Program
ISBN : 978-0-9742114-1-1
aim of a social balance is, in fact, that of furnishing information of a social nature, which
integrates that of an economic-financial nature reported in the financial statement for the
fiscal yearc. The original informative function of the social balance was created through
evolution and has been amplified: today, in fact, other function of instruments of consent,
administration, and planning have also been identified. The prefigured functions are not
alternative, but are, if anything, complimentary to the informative ones, and in a certain
sense, are reflected in the content of the same balance, which independently from the form
and content that it takes on, tends to follow them all, even if it is in different measures.
Even though it is the most important, the informative function is not an end unto itself, but
is always instrumental in obtaining other aims. It is achieved by making information that is
more or less detailed available to the partners. This information is used to integrate the
knowledge on which decisions and behaviour of the same interlocutors are based. It deals
with buying out from social groups that are legitimately holders of interests that the
company considers worthwhile of preferential attention in that given special-temporal
context (or, at the limit, to all the potential existing and configurable stakeholders) the
results accomplished towards them.
The choice of the information to communicate and their form depends on to whom it is
c
According to Rusconi, the aims for which a social balance can be drawn up are:
1) to favour public relations. In this way, two important and positive consequences can be obtained: the
collection of data and the elaboration of documents that are useful for the growth of the culture of
responsibility; the search of a good image that is advantageous for a competitive plan;
2) to formulate social strategies towards the stakeholders- in this case the social balance becomes an
internal tool to be used by direction of the company;
3) to allow for a documented defence, which is concentrated on the results of the company shares in the
contested (or contestable) areas in an explicit manner by specific interlocutors;
4) to prearrange an anti-regulation defence, with the preliminary aim of preventing external and
specifically public regulation, and developing a proactive role with an initiative dynamic;
5) to evaluate the wealth produced and distributed, through the value added;
6) to better industrial relations, using this document as a social planning tool;
7) to evaluate on the whole the qualitative contribution of the business, adding at all costs- proceeds and
activity-to the passivity of the fiscal balance the externalities, including the financial:
8)to carry out a global evaluation of the business, inserting considerations that concern qualitative
aspects and the fundamental rights of human beings and ethics in general. Rusconi G., Il bilancio
sociale: economia, etica e responsabilità dell’impresa, Ediesse, Roma, 2006
June 24-26, 2009
St. Hugh’s College, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
7
2009 Oxford Business & Economics Conference Program
ISBN : 978-0-9742114-1-1
destined, and the objectives to be reached. In this manner, if the social balance is addressed
only to the personnel, it contains the information in regards to the environment and the
work conditions, but if it is destined to a wider public, it will contain other types of
information, that will have to be exposed in such a way that all the recipients can interpret
it.
The function of the instrument of consent and public-relations is considered implicated to
the informative one. To favour public relations, it will be opportune to diffuse a corporate
image capable of attracting consensus and favouring the interests with the social
interlocutors. In this case, though, the information supplied does not always answer to the
requisites of completion, significance and reliability, since the company tends to
communicate only that which in its opinion is most useful, and tends to do so in the manner
it deems most efficient.
The social balance, intended as a tool of management, manifests itself in the possibility to
follow the utilization of resources more rationality.
It deals with a general condition, not specifically identifiable in some productive case, but
in the general climate in which the company operates and utilizes the resources which it
provides. The social balance, in fact, allows for a diagnosis of the social climate in which
the company does business (tool of diagnosis), since it refers to a together of relationseffects in particular social environments, which evaluates, in time, the modifications
intervened. It also represents a tool of management because it consents the formulation of
social strategies directed towards the stakeholders. The social balance, foreseeing in its
realization the involvement of an elevated number of people, also becomes a means of
diffusing social culture on all levels of the organization and the stimulus for the definition
of new managerial procedures. Under this profile, the individualization of the demands and
expectations of the subjects that operate internally in the company and the pressures that
June 24-26, 2009
St. Hugh’s College, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
8
2009 Oxford Business & Economics Conference Program
ISBN : 978-0-9742114-1-1
society can completely put in act (in terms of products, environmental impact, work
conditions, etc.), allows for the programming with knowledge of the activity and
guarantees a minor uncertainty in the changeability of the environment of reference. This
favours a greater rationality in the choices, functional to the attainment of the satisfaction
of all the factors that participate in the production.
The social balance can represent, as well, a useful planning tool, thanks to which the
company places the total social activity in respect to the generality of the social parts, or in
respect to those preselected as strategic interlocutors. According to this meaning, such a
tool takes part in a wider informative system integral and integrated in the planning, the
programming and the control of the total activity of the company.
After all, through the social balance, a system of social content year-end balance sheet
checks is created. This permits the verification of how much was concretely realized with
the comparison of how much was taken on as a goal to reach. In this way, therefore, the
company formulates and implements a strategy for the management of its social
responsibility in an anticipative and even proactive point of view. It must also be added
that the social balance, though the comparison with the preset objectives, consents the
guidance during the journey to the development of the concomitant management, and if
necessary re-orienting it before the relevant removals occur between the realization and the
programmed.
From the exam of the possible roles exercised by the social balance in the informative
corporate system there emerges in an explicit way that the more the company finds itself in
an advanced phase of the process of conscious and spontaneous autorecognition of their
own social responsibility, the more the social balance tends to present itself with functions
that are bit by bit more relevant to the economy of the report between itself and the
stakeholders in reference.
June 24-26, 2009
St. Hugh’s College, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
9
2009 Oxford Business & Economics Conference Program
ISBN : 978-0-9742114-1-1
In other words, supposing that for the business, the legitimization of its survival and of its
development descends from the capacity that it possesses to react as regards to the
economic and social expectations of the environment, and therefore to the congruency
between the system of its values and the total of the values of society, the strategies that
could be potentially undertaken to reach the objective of safeguards and betterment in the
global balance are innumerable. Each of these strategies requires the social balance to
cover a communicative function with which it is compatible and functional.
3. The experiences of social balance in Italian Chambers of Commerce.
The overview of the social balances realized by Italian Chambers of Commerce results
from 2008, and is varied. Even though it is a tool that has been recently introduced in the
Public Administration, of the 103 Chambers of Commerce present on the national territory,
12 chamber organizations have already published at least one edition of the document. The
release of 10 other social balances is imminent, of which 8 are the first editions. In a few
months, therefore, there will be 20 Chambers of Commerce that will have carried out the
experience of a social balance, which represent 19.4% of the total. Moreover, 29 Chambers
of Commerce have planned a social balance, 20 of which will be doing so for the first time.
This signifies that the Chambers of Commerce that have approached a social balance are
40 in total, equal to 38.8% of the total (table 2). This is an important datum which does not
have an equal in other Public Administrationsd.
Table 2: The Chambers of Commerce and the Social Balance
Two-thirds of the Chambers of Commerce that are the object of analysis are concentrated
d
UnionCamere, Unione Italiana delle Camere di Commercio, Industria, Artigianato e Agricoltura, Indagine
sul bilancio sociale delle Camere di Commercio in Italia, Roma, 2008
June 24-26, 2009
10
St. Hugh’s College, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
2009 Oxford Business & Economics Conference Program
ISBN : 978-0-9742114-1-1
in the north of Italy, and the remaining are divided between the centre and the south
(Figure 3).
Figure 3: Geographical division of the Chambers of Commerce that have drawn up a
Social Balance
Of the social balances realized, we proceed to investigate the salient features with reference
to the following aspects.
-the denomination attributed to the document;
-the dimensions of the document;
-the standards and models of reference used;
-the number of edition and the temporal interval covered
-the possible presence of the testimony of the social interlocutors
-the presence of a feedback questionnaire;
-the method of communication of the social balance outwards;
-the precise specification of the stakeholders.
Denomination of the document
Almost all of the Chambers of Commerce in examination utilize the most diffuse name,
that of social balance. In particular, social balance has a colloquial settting, with the
prevalence of qualitative data, and describes the organization of the corporation, its values
and the actions carried out in favour of each class of stakeholders.
In light of this experience, it is possible to hypothesize that the use of a more diffuse name
responds to the need of making the document more recognizable to the public, and
therefore making its popularization easier (Figure 4).
June 24-26, 2009
St. Hugh’s College, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
11
2009 Oxford Business & Economics Conference Program
ISBN : 978-0-9742114-1-1
Figure 4: Percentage of the Chambers of Commerce that use the various denominations
Dimensions of the document
If the social balance is too concise, it risks not giving an exhaustive description of the
actions carried out by the corporation. On the contrary, an excessive number of pages can
be disorganized and can discourage potential readers. Usually, the number of pages that
accompany social balances vary from a minimum of 39 to a maximum of 129 (Figure 5).
Figure 5: Percentage of the Chambers of Commerce relative to the number of pages of the
document drawn up
Standards and models of reference
The analysis highlights that, between the different models to use as inspiration (GBS, GRI,
BITC, LBG, AA1000, and SocialMetrica), the majority of the Chambers of Commerce
draw upon the GBS. In reality, a single model is never followed in its totality, but is
assisted by a combination of different models.
Number of editions and temporal interval considered
The majority of the Chambers of Commerce have published a first edition of the social
balance. Half of the social balances cover a period of three years (Figures 6-7).
Figure 6: Editions of the Social Balance published by the Chambers of Commerce in
percentages
June 24-26, 2009
St. Hugh’s College, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
12
2009 Oxford Business & Economics Conference Program
ISBN : 978-0-9742114-1-1
Figure 7: Temporal interval considered in Social Balanced of the Chambers of Commerce
in percentage
Testimony of the social interlocutors
About half of the Chambers of Commerce that draw up a social balance have enriched the
document with the testimony of some bearers of significant interest. These subjects have
entertained direct links with the corporation in the sphere of specific activities, and, in
virtue of this, can value its politics and its actions firsthand, as well as the social relapses
that they have produced (Figure 8).
Figure 8: Presence of the testimony of the social interlocutors in percentage
Three different levels of in-depth study and integration of the contributions from particular
interlocutors of the social balance itself can be distinguished.
The first level, which is represented by true and proper testimony, is understood as
comments of general range in the social role in the Chamber of Commerce. Even though it
does not represent a leading element in the structure and in the content of the social
balance, the testimony constitutes an extra contribution, coming from external subjects that
give value to the description of the method through which the Chamber of Commerce has
favoured the development of the territory and the economy.
The second level is represented by a description of one or more activities realized by the
Chamber of Commerce in addition to the testimony of some subjects. This happens in
reference to the specific activity deemed strategic for the corporation and is usually in the
form of interviews.
June 24-26, 2009
St. Hugh’s College, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
13
2009 Oxford Business & Economics Conference Program
ISBN : 978-0-9742114-1-1
The third level brings the observations that emerged in the course of discussions and the
results of the interviews of some bearers of interest relevant by merit to a specific project
into the social balance.
Presence of the feedback questionnaire
Attaching a questionnaire to the social balance is an effective tool of dialogue between the
organization and the bearers of interest in merit of the document and, more generally, to
the whole of its activity. The observations and suggestions expressed through the
questionnaire can offer the organization a point of departure to better improve itself and its
own tool of accountability in such a way as to always be more responsive to the needs of
the public.
In order to specifically make best use of its potential, the organization usually explicitly
invites the stakeholders to fill out the questionnaire, although specifying that they are not
obliged to do so in any way. As there is no reference standard, the questionnaire generally
proposes a series of questions on the form and content of the social balance and leaves a
space for possible comments. The questionnaire is much more efficient when it is short and
simple, but at the same time not omitting information that could reveal itself fundamental
for the organization (Figure 9).
Figure 9: Percentage of the Chambers of Commerce that have arranged for a feedback
questionnaire
Method of communication of the social balance outwards
The tools to which over half of the corporations turn to are the presentation on its web site
and the circulation of a press release. The circulation can occur even among the internal
June 24-26, 2009
St. Hugh’s College, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
14
2009 Oxford Business & Economics Conference Program
ISBN : 978-0-9742114-1-1
personnel. The involvement of the personnel in all the phases of the process of
achievement of the social balance is important; both because it represents the principal
interlocutors of the corporation, and that it can constitute a tool for enhancing the value of
human resources (Table 3).
Table 3: Subjects interested in the diffusion of the Social Balance of the Chambers of
Commerce
4. The Stakeholders of the Chambers of Commerce
According to the common definition, stakeholders are the subjects that interact with the
organization, influencing the activity and placing themselves as the receivers of the results
of that activity.
Stakeholders are defined as
-
businesses: they are, without a doubt, the privileged interlocutors, in which all the
activities of the Chambers of Commerce are referred to these subjects first;
-
the users/clients: they are all the different subjects of the business, like professionals,
who directly have the use of the services offered by the Chamber of Commerce;
-
the citizens and the consumers: even they are receivers of the services of the
Chamber of Commerce (arbitrations, settlements);
-
professional associations and the local players: they co-ordinate the politics of
development of the businesses and the territory;
-
the central public administrations and the European Union: from this come some
functions of the operative type, always in the view of the objectives of promotion
and development of the local economy;
June 24-26, 2009
St. Hugh’s College, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
15
2009 Oxford Business & Economics Conference Program
-
ISBN : 978-0-9742114-1-1
the chamber system: The Chambers of Commerce are part of a network that carries
out, in a synergetic manner, services and projects favouring economic professional
associations and the same Chamber of Commerce;
-
the world of work and the formative system: with which the Chamber of Commerce
dialogues with the aim of promoting local entrepreneurs in an indirect manner,
offering their support with programs of creation of professional, specialized figures
that satisfy the demand of local businesses;
-
human resources: they are the principal category of internal stakeholders, that ask
for the activation of proper politics;
-
the suppliers: they are public and private subjects;
-
non-profit bodies with which the Chamber of Commerce sometimes finds itself
developing collaborations on specific plans and projects (Figure 10).
Figure 10: A representation of the principal professional associations of stakeholders of
the Chambers of Commerce
5. The Stakeholders specified in social balances
The majority of the Chambers of Commerce have followed a classification of the
stakeholders that is homogenous enough. The prevailing majority of the Chambers of
Commerce censured specifies the following professional associations of stakeholders. The
businesses, the users/clients, the consumers, the chamber system, professional associations,
non-profit bodies, the cultural organization, human resources, the scholastic and formative
system, the environment, the world of work, the suppliers.
June 24-26, 2009
St. Hugh’s College, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
16
2009 Oxford Business & Economics Conference Program
ISBN : 978-0-9742114-1-1
Making the data easier to read has led to the classification of all the bearers of interest that
the Chambers of Commerce have individualized, first in 32 professional associations, and
successively grouping them into 12 macrocategories (Tables 4-5, Figure 11).
Table 4: Comparison between the stakeholders individualized by the Chambers of
Commerce
Figure 11: Frequency of the professional associations of stakeholders individualized by the
Chambers of Commerce (first grouping)
Table 5: Representation of the macrocategories of stakeholders individualized by the
Chambers of Commerce (second grouping)
It is important that the Chambers of Commerce, and in general all the organization that
provide themselves with a social reporting of accounts, classify their own stakeholders in
an efficient manner. This also involves that the subdivision in a number of professional
associations is neither too high nor too low. In the first case, there is the risk of becoming
dispersive in that quite a few actions accomplished by the chamber company are broken
apart, while in the second case, it is difficult to exactly identify the real receivers of the
diverse actions placed there by the corporation.
June 24-26, 2009
St. Hugh’s College, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
17
2009 Oxford Business & Economics Conference Program
ISBN : 978-0-9742114-1-1
6. The signaling capacity of the indicators identified
In the economy of a social balance, a fundamental step is to identify and implement a set of
indicators that are capable of proving, with empirical evidence, how much one goes
described within the document. The indicators represent a real operating system capable of:
-
providing an assessment of the efficiency of the chamber, particularly in terms of
responsiveness of the results obtained in relation to the budgeted targets;
-
identifying any weaknesses and providing the consequent actions to improve:
-
allowing a comparison with similar realities and an inter-temporal comparison, in
order to monitor the results over time.
From the analysis of the 12 social balances published, in total 379 indicators were collected
(Table 6).
Table 6: Total number of indicators identified in the social balances of the Chambers of
Commerce grouped by area of activity.
To keep count of the different tasks performed by the Chambers of Commerce, the
indicators have been identified and grouped in 7 areas of activity. The first three rows
relate to all the services the Chambers offer, namely: administrative services, the services
of market regulation, and the services of promotion. The other rows are concerned with
important aspects of the Chambers of Commerce, with reference to relations with internal
stakeholders (particularly personnel), relations with institutional stakeholders, with the
social type, and finally with other stakeholders that do not fall into these categories (e.g.
suppliers).
June 24-26, 2009
St. Hugh’s College, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
18
2009 Oxford Business & Economics Conference Program
ISBN : 978-0-9742114-1-1
Conclusion:
The process of the social reporting of accounts, and therefore the preparation of the social
balance requires a great deal of quantitative and qualitative resources from the authorities
concerned. Commitment given by the need to test a new and advanced form of
communication, and in some cases even to improve the processes in place in the entity;
which are the basis of the social reporting of accounts, such as planning and evaluation. It
is important, therefore, to develop this theme through a continuous exchange of
experiences, information, methodologies, and routes between the various entities that are
interested in the social balance.
Bibliography
Antoldi F. (2006). Conoscere l’impresa. Milan: McGraw-Hill.
Bagnoli L., Catalano M. (edited by) (2005). Il bilancio sociale negli enti non profit:
esperienze toscane. Florence: University Press.
Canziani A. (2007). Lezioni di economia aziendale. Padua: Cedam.
Gatti D. (2007). Come fare il bilancio sociale: un modello di rendicontazione. In
Prospettive sociali e sanitarie, n°19-20, IRS Istituto per la Ricerca Sociale (Institute for
Social Research). Rome.
Giovannetti R.(2003). La gestione del personale nelle amministrazioni pubbliche:
l’esperienza delle Camere di Commercio italiane. Milan: Guerini and associates.
Hinna L. (edited by) (2002). Il bilancio sociale: scenari, strumenti e valenze, modelli di
rendicontazione sociale, gestione responsabile e sviluppo sostenibile, esperienze europee e
casi italiani. Milan: Il Sole 24 Ore.
Hinna L. (2008). Appunti di economia aziendale. Padua: Cedam.
June 24-26, 2009
St. Hugh’s College, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
19
2009 Oxford Business & Economics Conference Program
ISBN : 978-0-9742114-1-1
Marziantonio R. & Tagliente F. (2003). Il bilancio sociale nella gestione d’impresa
responsabile: scelte economiche dell’uomo e dell’ambiente. Rimini: Maggioli.
Melandri V.(2005). L’accountability nelle aziende non profit. Milan: Guerini and
associates.
Rusconi G.F. & Dorigatti M. (2004). Teoria generale del bilancio sociale e applicazioni
pratiche. Milan: F. Angeli.
Rusconi G.(2006). Il bilancio sociale: economia, etica e responsabilità dell’impresa. Rome:
Ediesse.
UnionCamere (2008). Unione Italiana delle Camere di Commercio, Industria, Artigianato e
Agricoltura, (Italian Union of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Artisans and Agriculture)
Indagine sul bilancio sociale delle Camere di Commercio in Italia, Rome.
June 24-26, 2009
St. Hugh’s College, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
20
2009 Oxford Business & Economics Conference Program
ISBN : 978-0-9742114-1-1
Figure 1: The mission of the Chambers of Commerce
Figure 2: The management of the relationship with the stakeholders
Reporting of bookkeeping
accounts
Social Reporting of Accounts
It is obliged by lay
It is an ethical option
From the overseeing bodies to
the vigilant bodies
To the stakeholders: subjects that
influence and are influenced by the
activity of the corporation
The destination of economic
resources, the placement in the
different headings of the
balance, the method of use
The results reached with the investment
of the economic resources available, or
rather, the social relapse determined by
its own actions
Value
To whom it is aimed
What information it
supplies
Table 1: Differences between the reporting of bookkeeping accounts and the social
reporting of accounts
Chambers of Commerce that
have already published at
least one edition of a Social
Balance
Bergamo
Brescia
Como
Lodi
Matera
Milano
Padova
Pescara
Pordenone
Potenza
Chambers of Commerce that
are about to publish the first
edition of a Social Balance
Campobasso
Lecce
Salerno
Trieste
June 24-26, 2009
St. Hugh’s College, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
Gorizia
Macerata
Treviso
Udine
Other Chambers of
Commerce Interested
Alessandria
Asti
Catania
Chieti
Frosinone
Ancona
Brindisi
Catanzaro
Crotone
Lecco
21
2009 Oxford Business & Economics Conference Program
Rieti
Venezia
ISBN : 978-0-9742114-1-1
Lucca
Perugia
Varese
Verona
Vicenza
Oristano
Sassari
Verbania
Vibo Valentia
Viterbo
Table 2: The Chambers of Commerce and the Social Balance
Figure 3: Geographical division of the Chambers of Commerce that have drawn up a
Social Balance
Figure 4: Percentage of the Chambers of Commerce that use the various denominations
June 24-26, 2009
St. Hugh’s College, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
22
2009 Oxford Business & Economics Conference Program
ISBN : 978-0-9742114-1-1
Figure 5: Percentage of the Chambers of Commerce relative to the number of pages of the
document drawn up
Figure 6: Editions of the Social Balance published by the Chambers of Commerce in
percentages
Figure 7: Temporal interval considered in Social Balanced of the Chambers of Commerce
in percentage
June 24-26, 2009
St. Hugh’s College, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
23
2009 Oxford Business & Economics Conference Program
ISBN : 978-0-9742114-1-1
Figure 8: Presence of the testimony of the social interlocutors in percentage
Figure 9: Percentage of the Chambers of Commerce that have arranged for a feedback
questionnaire
Professional associations
Advisors
Personnel
Local public companies
Chamber world
Local authorities
Banks and foundations
Cultural institutions
Italian Chambers of Commerce abroad
Table 3: Subjects interested in the diffusion of the Social Balance of the Chambers of
Commerce
June 24-26, 2009
St. Hugh’s College, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
24
2009 Oxford Business & Economics Conference Program
ISBN : 978-0-9742114-1-1
Figure 10: A representation of the principal professional associations of stakeholders of
the Chambers of Commerce
June 24-26, 2009
St. Hugh’s College, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
25
Businesses
Bergamo
X
Brescia
X
Como
X
Lodi
X
Matera
X
Milano
X
X
Padova
X
Pescara
X
Pordenone
X
Potenza
X
X
X
X
Rieti
X
X
X
X
X
Venezia
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
June 24-26, 2009
St. Hugh’s College, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Cultural organization
Environment
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
World of work
Financial System
Suppliers
Citizens of the province residing abroad
Immigrants
Youth
University and Research
Non-profit bodies
X
Scholastic-formative system
Participant societies
Special companies
Human resources
Union Organizations
Associations of consumers
Professional associations
X
Chamber system
Other public bodies
Companies Abroad
European Union
Public companies, professional associations,
society, various bodies
Institutional subjects
Central P.A.
Institutions and local P.A.
Consumers/Citizens
Consumers
Professionals
Professional orders
Users/Clients
Economic and Social Community Stakeholders
Chambers of Commerce
2009 Oxford Business & Economics Conference Program
ISBN : 978-0-9742114-1-1
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Table 4: Comparison between the stakeholders individualized by the Chambers of
Commerce
26
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
2009 Oxford Business & Economics Conference Program
ISBN : 978-0-9742114-1-1
Figure 11: Frequency of the professional associations of stakeholders individualized by the
Chambers of Commerce (first grouping)
June 24-26, 2009
St. Hugh’s College, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
27
2009 Oxford Business & Economics Conference Program
ECONOMIC INTERLOCUTORS
Businesses
Economic and social communities
USE
Users/Clients
Professional orders
Professionals
CONSUMERS AND CITIZENS
Consumers
Consumers/citizens
INSTITUTIONAL
INTERLOCUTORS
Institutions and local P.A.
Central P.A.
Institutional subjects
Public companies,professional
associations, society,various bodies
Companies aboad
European Union
Other public bodies
Chamber system
REPRESENTATIVE
ASSOCIATIONS
Professional associations
Associations of consumers
Union organizations
ISBN : 978-0-9742114-1-1
INTERNAL INTERLOCUTORS
Human Resources
INTERLOCUTORS OF THE
CHAMBER SYSTEM
Special Companies
Partecipant societies
WORLD OF FORMATION
Scholastic-formative system
University and Research
SOCIAL INTERLOCUTORS
Non profit bodies
Cultural organization
Environment
Youth
Immigrants
Citizens of the province residing abroad
WORLD OF WORK
World of work
FINANCIAL SYSTEM
Financial system
SUPPLIERS
Suppliers
Table 5: Representation of the macrocategories of stakeholders individualized by the
Chambers of Commerce (second grouping)
Area of activity
Administrative Services
Market regulating
Promotion
Modernization of the Chambers of Commerce
Management and enhancing the value of Human Resources
Institutional Relations
Relations with the social system
Relations with other stakeholders
Total
Number of
indicators
110
48
123
Percentage of
indicators
29.0
12.7
32.4
84
22.2
4
5
5
379
1.1
1.3
1.3
100.0
Table 6: Total number of indicators identified in the social balances of the Chambers of
Commerce grouped by area of activity.
June 24-26, 2009
St. Hugh’s College, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
28