Business can do without these extra rules, says MEP
April 23, 2002 12:00 AM
Liz Lynne, Liberal Democrat MEP for the West Midlands region, has warned against placing more regulations on businesses.
Brussels has voted today on a Report drafted by a Labour MEP on the European Commission Green Paper promoting a European framework for Corporate Social Responsibility. In its original form it would have placed a legal requirement on companies to produce comparable reports on the way they integrate social and environmental concerns into their business operations.
Liz Lynne has joined with other Liberal Democrat MEPs in urging a voluntary approach. Said Liz "Legislation will not achieve its goal, because companies can easily fill their annual reports with warm words but no substance.
"There should be no one-size-fits-all approach. Different companies in different countries have different problems. Legislation would cause unnecessary administrative burden on businesses. The way forward is by better implementation of existing laws on discrimination and environmental standards, for example, and voluntary promotion of good working conditions, going beyond legal requirements.
"Companies in the West Midlands who take corporate social responsibility seriously often find they have a competitive advantage over those who don't."
Liz supported amendments which make reference to the issues of disabled people, calling for companies to manufacture and use products "designed for all", and she backed the establishment of a blacklist to prevent the tendering for public contracts by companies who resort to bribery.
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