Global Advocacy - Netherlands

CSR implies transparency and dialogue on the ethical, social and environmental aspects of a company’s acti ities, products and services. In 2003, the Foundation for Annual Reporting drew up Guideline 400 on CSR at the request of the Dutch Government. These guidelines have now passed into law. In addition, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), which was supported by the Government, has become the worldwide standard for drafting annual social reports and is currently used in more than 60 countries. In recent years, the Government has implemented the Transparency Benchmark for Dutch businesses. In 2007, the criteria were modified, in consultation with the participating companies and civil society organizations, with more emphasis on businesses’ core activities. The large multinationals in the Netherlands are becoming increasingly transparent in terms of CSR, and conduct constructive dialogues with NGOs, employers’ and employees’ organizations, shareholders’ organizations and consumers.

Other projects under this category also include:

• Linkage between Trade, Development and Poverty Reduction (TDP)