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In this intelligent and comprehensive analysis of today’s bewildering variety of codes and standards intended to enhance the practice of corporate responsibility, Deborah Leipziger has provided an invaluable practical guide which will be useful not only to the corporate world, but to all concerned with this issue.
Sir Geoffrey Chandler, Founder Chair, Amnesty International UK Business Group 1991–2001, and former Director of Shell International
 

It’s a confusing world out there for anyone interested in corporate responsibility—with codes, standards, guidelines, principles and declarations all tumbling over each other, clamouring for attention. Deborah Leipziger’s book will steer you through this tumult of new initiatives, providing both the baseline information about what’s going on as well as some invaluable ‘quality control’. This is confusion-busting guidance at its best.
Jonathon Porritt, Forum for the Future
 

This is a mammoth piece of work that fills the need for a comprehensive analysis of the array of corporate responsibility-related standards out there. I am sure companies and others who operate within this complex field will find it very useful.
Deborah Smith, EQ Management Ltd
 

I speak as a ‘godparent’ for several voluntary codes. They are a crucial element in emerging governance patterns. But I am also uneasy about the current code-mania. There will be a shake-out. Deborah’s timely guide spotlights likely survivors.
John Elkington, Chair, SustainAbility; author, Cannibals with Forks
 

This excellent review provides more clarity and greater understanding for all interested parties about the current state of play in codes of conduct. This book will serve not only businesses but also readers interested in better grasping the current debate about codes of conduct, their effectiveness and credibility.
Dominique Bé, European Commission
 

A much-needed guide covering everything from individual corporate codes of conduct, through the various standards applicable to different industries, to the measurement indicators of the Global Reporting Initiative.
Mark Moody-Stuart, Chairman, Anglo American plc; former Chairman, Royal Dutch/Shell Group
 

The Corporate Responsibility Code Book will become the key reference guide for executives and boards of directors seeking to become socially responsible. An antidote to prevent corporate scandals, this book provides clear guidance to companies on corporate governance, human rights, labour, environment and sustainability. Ms Leipziger has written a book which fosters convergence between the many codes and standards in the field of social responsibility. Every executive should have it close to hand.
Alice Tepper Marlin, President and CEO, Social Accountability International
 

The Corporate Responsibility Code Book promises to make a contribution to rectifying one of the most vexing problems facing business and its stakeholders: bringing order, understanding and value to the complex landscape of principles, norms, standards and guidelines.
Allen L. White, Co-Founder and Special Advisor, Global Reporting Initiative; Vice President, Tellus Institute
 

This book is timely, as the debate has progressed from the ‘Why should we report on these issues?’ to the ‘How should we?’ ... The task Deborah has undertaken is extremely valuable ... she has a deep understanding of the practical challenges of corporate responsibility reporting as well as far-reaching experience in the development of codes and standards that are appropriate to the companies concerned. This is crucial to her analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of current standards.
Keith Jones, Chief Executive, Morley Fund Management
 

A well-written and powerful book for anybody who is serious about corporate social responsibility. Deborah Leipziger has succeeded in presenting a comprehensive guide that will enable a company to bring its efforts up to standard in a way that suits its business and ambitions.
Arco ten Klooster, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Sustainability Solutions, the Netherlands
 

Looking at corporate responsibility and sustainable behaviour, a common understanding has emerged: the business of business is more than just business. Together with a highly developed market-driven approach, this has given businesses an institutional role in society parallel to public institutions and civil-society organisations. In order not only to meet the obligations of this role but also to benefit from them, companies need well-established corporate governance systems and maximum transparency.The Corporate Responsibility Code Book offers not only excellent tools in the field but also challenging perspectives on ways ahead consolidating the thousands of codes and guidelines.
Jens Erik Lund, Operational Director, OECD LEED Trento Centre; formerly inaugural director of The Copenhagen Centre
 

Codes of conduct are just a tool; how you use them is what really matters. This book will help you determine the right approach for your company and how to roll out a program that brings results.
Amy Hall, Manager, Social Accountability, Eileen Fisher, Inc.
 

Companies wanting to embrace the tenets of corporate responsibility more deeply into their business model and behaviours are faced with a bewildering array of codes, standards and guidelines. transparency.The Corporate Responsibility Code Book provides a timely review of what’s out there and how to decide what is most relevant and helpful. The starting point, though, for each company is to be clear about their own values and core purpose and then to use the codes as a stimulous for thinking and as benchmarks to judge their own performance and track progress. Without this starting point companies will be rudderless in a sea of conflicting demands and expectations.
Mark Wade, Shell Learning—Leadership Development
 

In the corporate codes of conduct jungle a route map is a must. transparency.The Corporate Responsibility Code Book is exactly that, clarifying the issues and charting a path to good corporate citizenship.
Neil Kearney, General Secretary, International Garment, Textile and Leather Workers’ Federation (ITGLWF)
 

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Reviews

This is a guide for companies trying to understand the landscape of corporate responsibility and managing their way through the jungle of sustainability, human rights and CSR standards. The most useful part of the book is the summary, description and text of the most relevant codes of conducts, standards and norms that exist to guide sustainable corporate behaviour. A key reference book for all corporate responsibility professionals
Sustainability Radar, December 2003
 

 

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Contents

About the author

Deborah Leipziger is a consultant in the field of corporate social responsibility, and advises companies on the development and implementation of codes of conduct and standards. Her clients have included the UN’s Global Compact, Warwick University and Social Accountability International. She is an adviser to Morley Fund Management, assisting them on their approach to socially responsible investment. Deborah played a key role in the development of the Social Accountability 8000 standard and its Guidance Document. She is the author of SA8000: The Definitive Guide to the New Social Standard (FT Prentice Hall, 2001), and the co-author of Living Corporate Citizenship (FT, 2002) and Corporate Citizenship: Successful Strategies of Responsible Companies (FT, 1998). Deborah resides in The Hague, with her husband and three daughters.