Corporate Social Responsibility and the Role of Voluntary Sustainability Standards

Abstract

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is becoming a standard feature particularly for large and consumer-oriented firms. What started in the late 1960s as something closer to charity or philanthropy has evolved dramatically in recent years. Yet, as actualisation of the CSR concept is increasingly explored and becoming better-defined, there is limited understanding of how to operationalise CSR and how to manage it for desirable results at the ground level. This gap is particularly salient in the purchasing relationships with producers in developing countries. Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) such as Organic, Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance, Forest Stewardship Council, Ethical Tea Partnership, GlobalG.A.P., and UTZ Certified present an important step in this process but, like many tools, require some learning.