Social Responsibility Core Subjects
Domain 3 tests whether you can identify the seven core subjects, the issue areas within them, and assess relevance and significance for a given organization. You are not expected to memorize every sub-issue, but you must place issues in the correct core subject and avoid treating governance as optional.
The seven core subjects
- Organizational governance: decision-making, accountability, culture and integration of SR; it is the system through which the other subjects are addressed.
- Human rights: due diligence, risk situations, avoidance of complicity, grievance mechanisms, discrimination, civil and political rights, economic, social and cultural rights, and fundamental labour rights.
- Labour practices: employment, working conditions, social dialogue, health and safety, and human development and training.
- Environment: pollution prevention, sustainable resource use, climate change mitigation and adaptation, protection of the environment and biodiversity, and restoration of natural habitat.
- Fair operating practices: anti-corruption, responsible political involvement, fair competition, promoting SR in the sphere of influence, and respect for property rights.
- Consumer issues: fair marketing and contractual practices, health and safety, sustainable consumption, after-sales service and complaint handling, data protection and privacy, access to essential services, and education.
- Community involvement and development: community involvement, education and culture, employment creation and skills, technology, wealth and income, health, and social investment.
Worked example
A logistics firm identifies diesel emissions affecting a nearby school, excessive packaging, and pressure to pay a customs facilitation fee. Emissions and packaging map to environment and consumer issues; the facilitation payment maps to fair operating practices (anti-corruption). All are assessed for relevance and significance using severity, likelihood and stakeholder concern. Organizational governance determines who decides and how progress is reviewed.
Traps
- Putting discrimination under labour practices only; it is also a human rights issue.
- Treating community investment as the whole of community involvement.
- Missing that organizational governance is a core subject in its own right.
- Confusing consumer issues with customer satisfaction alone.