Institute for the Study of Corporate Social Responsibility
News
May 13, 2013 -- Ryerson CSR Institute provides commentary on Bangladesh apparel factory collapse
The Ryerson Institute for the Study of Corporate Social Responsibility provided television, radio, and newspaper commentary on the recent Bangladesh factory collapse and the potential and actual role of the Canadian apparel industry in addressing and preventing such tragedies. See articles in the following publications:
October 5, 2012 -- Paper on ISO 26000 Social Responsibility Standard now available for download
Webb, Kernaghan, ISO 26000: Bridging the Public/Private Divide in Transnational Business Governance Interactions (September 10, 2012). Osgoode CLPE Research Paper No. 21/2012. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2144420
August 30, 2012 -- Ryerson CSR Institute Director Wins Prestigious National Award for Social Responsibility Work
Dr. Kernaghan Webb, the Founding Director of the Ryerson Institute for the Study of Corporate Social Responsibility, and Associate Professor of Law and Business at the Ted Rogers School of Management, has been awarded the Standards Council of Canada’s Award of Excellence for 2012.
On the Standards Council of Canada website, the following description of Dr. Webb’s activities is provided:
Following his first experience in standards development, as a member of the Canadian Standards Association’s (CSA’s) Technical Committee on Privacy in 1995, Dr. Kernaghan Webb has gone on to spearhead the development of numerous ground-breaking social policy standards at both the national and international levels. As senior legal policy advisor and chief of research for the Office of Consumer Affairs (Industry Canada), he quickly established himself as an international leader in the development of a number of international standards. These standards include International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 10001, 10002, 10003 and 10008 (all focused on customer satisfaction) and ISO 26000 (social responsibility). In 2007, Dr. Webb was appointed Special Advisor to the United Nations Global Compact regarding ISO 26000. He has been influential in helping ISO and other standards bodies consider how to become more inclusive, accountable and transparent in developing standards. As associate professor of law and business at Ryerson University, he has written and lectured extensively on the role and value of voluntary codes and standards as supplements to the legal system, and is a recognized international expert and sought-after speaker on this topic. A passionate advocate for consumer and public interests, Dr. Webb has worked tirelessly to promote voluntary standards that benefit society and that make the global marketplace more fair, sustainable and socially responsible.
Dr. Webb is only the second academic to win this award in its history. On learning that he was a recipient of the award, Dr. Webb was reported as saying “it’s a great honour to receive this award…the nexus between law, public policy and standards is receiving increasing attention, as governments, the private sector and civil society attempt to identify and develop fair, effective, efficient and sustainable approaches to addressing the global environmental, social and economic challenges facing the world today.”
Dr. Webb will be receiving his award at a special awards ceremony in Ottawa in October of this year.
Background Information:
ISO 10001 – international standard pertaining to codes of conduct, information concerning this standard accessible at: http://www.iso.org/iso/catalogue_detail?csnumber=38450
ISO 10002- international standard pertaining to complaints handling, information concerning this standard accessible at: http://www.iso.org/iso/catalogue_detail.htm?csnumber=35539
ISO 10003 – international standard pertaining to external dispute resolution, information concerning this standard accessible at: http://www.iso.org/iso/catalogue_detail?csnumber=38449
ISO 10008 – international standard pertaining to business to consumer electronic commerce (in development)
ISO 26000 – international standard pertaining to social responsibility, information concerning this standard accessible at: http://www.iso.org/iso/home/standards/iso26000.htm
Some relevant publications on the connections between public policy, law and standards:
Webb, Kernaghan, ISO 26000: Bridging the Public/Private Divide in Transnational Business Governance Interactions (September 10, 2012). Osgoode CLPE Research Paper No. 21/2012. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2144420
CD Howe Institute, The New Multilateralism: The Shift to Private Global Regulation (2012), accessible at: http://www.cdhowe.org/pdf/Commentary_360.pdf
Webb, K. (2012, forthcoming). “Antecedents of Settlement on a New Institutional Practice: Negotiations of the ISO 26000 Standard on Social Responsibility” (co-author), accepted for publication in the Academy of Management Journal. Forthcoming, 2012.
Webb, K. (2012, forthcoming). “Political Risk Insurance Contracts, Corporate Social Responsibility, and the Mining Sector: Examining the Connections,” accepted for publication in International Law and Management Journal, forthcoming, 2012.
Webb, K. (2012). “Multi-level CR and the Mining Sector: the Canadian Experience in Latin America," accepted for publication in Business and Politics Journal, forthcoming, 2012.
Webb, K. (2011). “Corporate Citizenship and Private Regulatory Regimes: Understanding New Governance Roles and Functions,” in P. Koslowski and I. Pies, eds., Corporate Citizenship and New Governance: The Political Role of Corporate Actors in Rule-Setting (Berlin: Springer Publications).
Webb, K., “Understanding the Voluntary Codes Phenomenon,” in K. Webb (ed.), Voluntary Codes: Private Governance, the Public Interest and Innovation (Ottawa: Carleton University Research Unit for Innovation, Science and Technology, 2004), accessible at: http://www5.carleton.ca/sppa/ccms/wp-content/ccms-files/ch1.pdf
Webb, K. and A. Morrison, “The Law and Voluntary codes: Examining the ‘Tangled Web,” in K. Webb (ed.), Voluntary Codes: Private Governance, the Public Interest and Innovation (Ottawa: Carleton University Research Unit for Innovation, Science and Technology, 2004), accessible at: http://www5.carleton.ca/sppa/ccms/wp-content/ccms-files/ch5.pdf
Rhone, G., J. Stroud and K. Webb, “Gap Inc.’s Code of Conduct for Treatment of Overseas Workers,” in K. Webb (ed.), Voluntary Codes: Private Governance, the Public Interest and Innovation (Ottawa: Carleton University Research Unit for Innovation, Science and Technology, 2004), accessible at: http://www5.carleton.ca/sppa/ccms/wp-content/ccms-files/ch7.pdf
Rhone, G., D. Clarke and K. Webb, “Two Voluntary Approaches to Sustainable Forestry Practices,” in K. Webb (ed.), Voluntary Codes: Private Governance, the Public Interest and Innovation (Ottawa: Carleton University Research Unit for Innovation, Science and Technology, 2004), accessible at: http://www5.carleton.ca/sppa/ccms/wp-content/ccms-files/ch9.pdf
Morrison, A., and K. Webb, “Bicycle Helmet Standards and Hockey Helmet Regulations: Two Approaches to Safety Protection,” in K. Webb (ed.), Voluntary Codes: Private Governance, the Public Interest and Innovation (Ottawa: Carleton University Research Unit for Innovation, Science and Technology, 2004), accessible at: http://www5.carleton.ca/sppa/ccms/wp-content/ccms-files/ch11.pdf
Webb, K., and D. Clarke, “Voluntary Codes in the United States, the European Union and Developing Countries: A Preliminary Survey,” in K. Webb (ed.), Voluntary Codes: Private Governance, the Public Interest and Innovation (Ottawa: Carleton University Research Unit for Innovation, Science and Technology, 2004), accessible at: http://www5.carleton.ca/sppa/ccms/wp-content/ccms-files/ch13.pdf
Webb, K., “Voluntary Codes: Where To From Here?” in K. Webb (ed.), Voluntary Codes: Private Governance, the Public Interest and Innovation (Ottawa: Carleton University Research Unit for Innovation, Science and Technology, 2004), accessible at: http://www5.carleton.ca/sppa/ccms/wp-content/ccms-files/ch14.pdf
“Lessons Learned” from the federal Extractive Sector CSR Counsellor
The Ryerson Institute for the Study of CSR has a Learning Partnership with the federal CSR Extractive Sector CSR Counsellor, which among other things has resulted in a highly successful public seminar series here at the Ryerson Institute for the Study of CSR. In the January 18, 2012 issue of Embassy Magazine the Extractive Sector CSR Counsellor spoke about “lessons learned.” A pdf copy of the op-ed is available here.
CSR & Mining in Latin America: Book Launch/Panel Discussion: Ryerson CSR Institute
“Ryerson CSR Institute and Extractive Sector CSR Counsellor Invitation to the fifth in a series of Public Seminars on CSR and the extractive sector”
The Institute for the Study of Corporate Social Responsibility, Ryerson University and the Office of the Extractive Sector CSR Counsellor established a learning partnership on CSR and the extractive sector overseas, building a neutral platform to contribute to informed public discussion of important issues related to corporate social responsibility of mining, oil and gas companies, and enhancing cross-sector networking opportunities for those interested in these questions.
Our series of public seminars continues with the launch of Governance Ecosystems: CSR in the Latin American Mining Sector, a collection of essays co-edited by Dr. Julia Sagebien and Nicole Lindsay. The Ryerson Learning Partnership Event will feature a panel discussion with contributors to the book.
Governance Ecosystems investigates how public, private, and civil society actors impact the design, execution and evaluation of corporate responsibility in the mining sector. It provides a broader view of the myriad relationships and dynamics that can potentially support or disrupt the value that CSR might bring. Using this approach, the book adds a new dimension to the debate about whether mining is good or bad for communities and whether CSR is good or bad for mining firms and their stakeholders – in Latin America, as well as elsewhere in the world.
Event details: “Book Launch: Governance Ecosystems: CSR in the Latin American Mining Sector” featuring a panel discussion with Editor Dr. Julia Sagebien (Dalhousie) and authors Dr. Kernaghan Webb (Ryerson), Irene Sosa (Jantzi-Sustainalytics), Dr. Hevina Dashwood (Brock) and Dr. Allen Goss (Ryerson)
December 8, 2011
9:30AM – 11:00AM
Ted Rogers School of Management, Ryerson University
55 Dundas West, Room TRS 3-129
There is no charge to attend but seating is limited.
To register for this event, please contact: matthew.armstrong@ryerson.ca
Mining and Human Rights Workshop sponsored by Ryerson Institute for the Study of CSR
On October 12, 2011, the Ryerson Institute for the Study of Corporate Social Responsibility will sponsor the Devonshire Initiative’s all-day workshop on human rights issues in the extractive industry. The workshop will be held at the Ted Rogers School of Management, located at 55 Dundas West in Toronto.
The Devonshire Initiative is a forum for leading international development NGOs and mining companies to come together in response to the emerging social agenda surrounding mining and community development issues. Ryerson Bachelor of Commerce students are being provided the opportunity to attend part of the workshop so that they can learn more about mining and human rights issues. The Ryerson Institute for the Study of CSR is sponsoring the event as part of its effort to encourage constructive exploration of key CSR issues facing Canadian businesses. The workshop is fully subscribed.
For further information concerning the Ryerson Institute for the Study of CSR, contact the Director of the Institute, Dr. Kernaghan Webb: kernaghan.webb@ryerson.ca
For further information concerning the Devonshire Initiative, contact Alanna Rondi: alanna@devonshireinitiative.org
Webcasts now available for lectures delivered on October 29th by Professor Kernaghan Webb and development expert Ian Smillie.
Webcasts for October 29, 2010:
Professor Kernaghan Webb, "CSR & the Law: Learning from the Experience of Canadian Firms in Latin America."
On Friday, October 29, Professor Kernaghan Webb delivered a lecture on the above subject, as part of the Ryerson Institute for the Study of CSR/Federal Extractive Sector CSR Counsellor Public Seminar Series, at Ryerson University in Toronto.
This particular talk was also co-sponsored by the Ryerson Law Centre. Based on research he is conducting, Dr. Webb’s presentation reviews current CSR-oriented legal disputes involving Canadian mining companies in Latin America, as a way of highlighting challenges associated with the legal regime, and opportunities for proactive environmental, social and economic practices by Canadian mining firms that can go some way towards reducing the likelihood that future legal issues will arise with respect to their operations.
The webcast (approx 1.5) is available for download at:
https://ryecast.ryerson.ca/12/watch/836.aspx
Ian Smillie, "Blood on the stone: Greed, Corruption & War in the Global Diamond Trade"
On Friday, October 29, Author and renowned development expert Ian Smillie delivered a lecture on the above subject, based on his new book of the same title, as part of the Ryerson Institute for the Study of CSR/Federal Extractive Sector CSR Counsellor Public Seminar Series, at Ryerson University in Toronto.
Africa’s diamond wars took four million lives. They destroyed the lives of millions more and they crippled the economies of Angola, the Congo, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. The biggest UN peacekeeping forces in the world—in Sierra Leone, Liberia, the Congo, and Côte d’Ivoire ? are the legacy of “conflict” or “blood diamonds.” Blood on the Stone tells the story of how diamonds came to be so dangerous. It describes the history of the great diamond cartel and how it gradually lost control of the precious mineral, as country after country descended into anarchy and wars fuelled by diamonds.
Ian Smilllie’s talk describes the diamond pipeline, from war-torn Africa to the glittering showrooms of Paris, London, and New York. It describes the campaign that began in 1999 and which eventually forced the industry and more than 50 governments to create a global certification system known as the Kimberley Process, aimed at wringing blood diamonds out of the retail trade. It concludes with a sobering assessment of the certification system, which soon became hostage to political chicanery, mismanagement and vested interests. Too important to fail, the Kimberley Process has been hailed as a regulatory model for Africa’s extractive minerals. Behind the scenes, however, it runs the risk of becoming an ineffectual talk shop, standing aside as criminals re-infest the diamond world. Blood on the Stone is about the cartel, the warlords, the gun runners and the shadowy traders who populated Africa’s bloody diamond wars, and a faltering, decade-long effort to clean up an entire industry.
The webcast (approx 1.5) is available for download at:
https://ryecast.ryerson.ca/12/watch/833.aspx
October 8, 2010
“Ryerson CSR Institute and Extractive Sector CSR Counsellor Announce Kickoff of Public Seminar Series”
The Institute for the Study of Corporate Social Responsibility, Ryerson University and the Office of the Extractive Sector CSR Counsellor recently announced the launch of their learning partnership on CSR and the extractive sector overseas. The partnership builds a neutral platform to contribute to informed public discussion of important issues related to corporate social responsibility of mining, oil and gas companies, and enhances cross-sector networking opportunities for those interested in these questions.
We are very pleased to announce that our series of public seminars will kick off on October 29, 2010 with a presentation and book signing by renowned development expert Ian Smillie.
Mr. Smillie will discuss his recent book, Blood on the Stone: Greed, Corruption and War in the Global Diamond Trade, which tells the story of the great diamond cartel and the dangerous pipeline leading from war-torn Africa to the glittering showrooms of Paris, London and New York. It describes the campaign that eventually forced the industry and more than 50 governments to create a global certification system known as the Kimberley Process, aimed at wringing blood diamonds out of the retail trade. It concludes with a sobering assessment of the certification system, which soon became hostage to political chicanery, mismanagement and vested interests. Too important to fail, the Kimberley Process has been hailed as a regulatory model for Africa’s extractive minerals. Behind the scenes, however, it runs the risk of becoming an ineffectual talk shop, standing aside as criminals re-infest the diamond world.
Ian Smillie has lived and worked in Africa and Asia as a teacher, consultant, investigator and writer. For the past ten years his focus has been blood diamonds, the wars they fuelled and the campaign designed to stop them. This has taken him from the jungles of West Africa to the backstreets of Antwerp and a war crimes tribunal in The Hague, where he was the first witness in the trial of Liberian warlord Charles Taylor. He was a leading NGO participant in the Kimberley Process from its inception until he resigned in 2009. Ian Smillie was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2003.
Event details: “Blood on the Stone” with Ian Smillie
Friday, October 29, 2010
8:30 Coffee and networking
Presentation and book signing 9:00-10:30 am
Ted Rogers School of Management, Ryerson University
55 Dundas West, 9th Floor, Room 3-154
There is no charge to attend but seating is very limited. Please RSVP before October 25 to matthew.armstrong@ryerson.ca
“Ryerson CSR Institute and Extractive Sector CSR Counsellor Announce Learning Partnership on CSR and the extractive sector overseas”
The Institute for the Study of Corporate Social Responsibility, Ryerson University and the Office of the Extractive Sector CSR Counsellor are pleased to announce the launch of their learning partnership on CSR and the extractive sector overseas. The partnership builds a neutral platform to contribute to informed public discussion of important issues related to corporate social responsibility of mining, oil and gas companies, and enhances cross-sector networking opportunities for those interested in these questions. To begin, we will host a series of open public seminars in coming months.
About Us
Ryerson Institute for the Study of Corporate Social Responsibility
The Institute for the Study of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is located in the Ted Rogers School of Management at Ryerson University. The Institute seeks to advance CSR research, recognizing that increasingly, CSR issues are drivers for change in the business community. The goal of the Institute is to promote the Institute and Ryerson University as a centre of excellence in research and peer-reviewed publications on CSR issues, to increase research and understanding on these issues and thereby also increase research productivity in the Ted Rogers School of Management at Ryerson University, and to develop practical solutions. For further information, go to: www.ryerson.ca/csrinstitute
The Office of the Extractive Sector Corporate Social Responsibility Counsellor
The Office of the Extractive Sector Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Counsellor was established in 2009 as part of the Government of Canada’s CSR Strategy for the International Extractive Sector. Broadly speaking, the Strategy is designed to help Canadian mining, oil and gas companies meet their social and environmental responsibilities when operating abroad. The Office of the CSR Counsellor has a mandate to review CSR practices of Canadian companies operating outside of Canada and advise stakeholders on recognized best practices and endorsed performance standards. For further information, please visit the Office’s website at http://www.international.gc.ca/csr_counsellor-conseiller_rse/
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