Press Release: Europe sees progress on Corporate Social Responsibility

Corporate responsibility on social and environmental matters is gaining ground in Europe. Two years after the European Multistakeholder Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) representatives from business, trade unions, national governments, academia and other organisations, at the initiative of the European Commission, on 7 December 2006 discussed progress achieved on implementation of the forum's recommendations and the way forward. They concluded that more and more European businesses are adopting CSR practices and invited all stakeholders to play an active role in making Europe a pole of excellence on CSR. Vice-President Günter Verheugen and Commissioner for Social Affairs Vladimir Spidla addressed the meeting together with a number of Members of European Parliament and other high-level representatives. Participants agreed that a wide CSR uptake in the EU can be further promoted by intensifying cooperation between different stakeholder groups. The European Commission attaches growing importance to socially and environmentally responsible behaviour by enterprises, identifying CSR as an essential ingredient for the European strategy for sustainable growth and more and better jobs.