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The chapter aims to explore the corporate social responsibility (CSR) policy domain at EU decision-making level, aiming to understand the nature of the participation shaping the CSR policy agenda co-design.

Building on a conceptual framework of participation, the chapter highlights the literature and policy views around the importance of EU CSR policy and how EU envisage the framework of the CSR policy co-design. By highlighting conceptual dimensions of the participatory governance, different levels of participation that shape the policy are evidenced. In particular, a case analysis emphasising the predominant role of the consultation approach in the decision-making process of the CSR policy is undertaken.

The findings shed light on the shift from the traditional passive participation in EU CSR policy decision making, based on purely communications towards consultation and multi-stakeholders participation. From the multi-stakeholder perspective, the EU Multi-Stakeholder Forum’s strategic relevance is observed, however, with no clear mechanisms to enforce its aims. Although the CSR policy is a core priority on the policy agenda, its voluntary approach justifies its early stages of implementation and fragmented use.

The research is qualitative, based on literature review and policy view. Further research directions could enrich the chapter.

The research contributes to the theoretical discussion around participation in a supranational context. Our insights shed light on the levels of participation and CSR policy goals and call for a critical debate on the EU policy co-design processes. Furthermore, through the lens of a case analysis, it sheds light on how EU CSR forum fits in with the current EU structure and its ‘principle of subsidiarity’, which states that decisions must be taken close to its citizens.

This chapter outlines the major findings of a survey on the rationale of the European Union actions for supporting tourism development and whether these undertakings can lead to a distinctive tourism policymaking. According to Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and European Union documentation, the most important instrument for the implementation of policy is based on tourism-related separate actions analysis, in a way that would enable one to compare the policies at the national and international level. This study suggests that tourism becomes a field whose issues and actions are taken at the regional level. This calls for creating the necessary conditions for the development of the tourism product at the European Union level. Until now, European Union practices do not portend the formation of a distinctive policy in the tourism industry.

Although Slovenia is not part of the Western Balkans region, due to the common Yugoslav (SFRY) history, it faces similar problems as the countries of the region do, but attempts to solve them in a unique way, which could be an example for other countries of that region. Consequently, this chapter explains the necessity of global sustainable development and practices of Slovenia from both the theoretical and practical aspects. Specifically, many Slovenian enterprises have developed a socially responsible culture towards a sustainable future; moreover, many greening practices of more and more sustainable, responsible and ethical enterprises can also be readily found in Slovenia. Furthermore, some researchers see Slovenia as a possible model of a social responsibility program or an integral green country that could be an example towards developing in a sustainable manner and showing a path towards a sustainable future of the world.

We examine gender diversity in Spanish multinational companies to test whether their policies in the different countries (i.e. institutional contexts) in which they operate (mainly Latin American countries) are consistent with institutional norms.

After reviewing the relevant literature, we compare longitudinal gender employment data for some of the largest Spanish multinationals. We then extend the analysis to different organizational levels as well as cross-sectionally, to their Latin American subsidiaries.

While not universal, the largest Spanish multinationals show progress in their compliance of gender recommendations within their national borders, in spite of the voluntary character of the relevant legislation. In addition, their subsidiaries sometimes exhibit better gender proportions than the national averages in Latin American countries.

The study’s emphasis on some of the largest Spanish multinational corporations cannot be considered representative of all Spanish companies or of subsidiaries in those host countries.

This study may be of use for politicians, boards of directors, and other decision makers that need to be factually aware of the way these firms manage workplace diversity.

This study shows that some of the largest Spanish firms are slowly exhibiting responsible behavior with respect to female employment, both longitudinally and in their subsidiaries. The fact that this is not a consistent tendency lends support to the argument that existing legislation should have stronger normative pressures, such as fines and penalties for noncompliance.

In Europe, the Netherlands, Portugal and the Czech Republic are the countries increasingly portrayed as having the most ‘progressive’, ‘liberal’, or even ‘radical’ drugs policies in Europe. In a post-United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) 2016 period and with the 2019 UN target date approaching, the EU and these countries within are bound to play a key role in the definition of an international drug policy for the next decade. This chapter analyses how the perceptions of these countries match against the drugs legislations and how they fit into the overall EU drug policy approach.

Purpose – This chapter provides a theoretical and conceptual overview of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). It is written as a descriptive document to enhance the understanding of CSR within the context of international business.Design/methodology/approach – This chapter is built based on an extensive literature review.Findings – This chapter contains six subsections. The first subsection looks at the concept of CSR, and it highlights the possible role of CSR in mitigating the negative consequences of globalisation. The second subsection looks at the evolution of CSR since the 1990s. The third section looks at ethics theories. The fourth section looks at political theories to explain CSR. The fifth section looks at the business case for CSR. And finally the sixth section looks at specific CSR initiatives.Practical implications – This chapter provides a response to the necessity for this analysis that arises from the effects of CSR actions in international business.Originality/value of chapter – This chapter provides a summary of the conceptual and theoretical framework of CSR. It could be used as a teaching tool for undergraduate and masters’ courses on either international business or corporate social responsibility.

Accurate measurement of Company Social Performance is a challenge which calls for attention from many stakeholders. Worldwide, businesses are very economical, powerful entities and have operations in developed and emerging countries, and therefore are requested to behave ethically and in accordance with social concerns. The financial crises of 2008 affected the reputation of many firms and give Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) more importance. In addition to the demands of Sustainable Global Economy, firms are required to disclose activities. Evidence demonstrated that for CSR disclosing initiatives, firms are evaluated and measured. Ethic rating (ER) is one method to measure CRS. This investigation presents a CSR measuring approach based on CSR disclosing/reporting, information in which the ER is based. In my endeavours, more specifically, I try to answer the question how could I measure CSR using ethic rating? This work presents a specific case of study of Colombian quoted enterprises in the Colombian Stock Exchange using ethic rating analysis. For this research, sustainable reports and annual reports are analysed and the ethics rating is based on both qualitative and quantitative assessments. The ethic rating analysis shows that CSR in Colombia is gaining importance each year, and IGBC companies are showing improved performance. Currently, there are no studies conducted to assess ER for Colombian companies.