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Bench Marks
On May 20 2003 KAIROS, along with its global partners, released “Principles for Global Corporate Responsibility: Bench Marks for Measuring Business Performance” Round Three. Developed in conjunction with a diverse global coalition of religious organizations and advocacy groups, the ‘Bench Marks’ document outlines a comprehensive set of standards and criteria for corporations to follow on nearly every major issue of concern today. This document serves as an across-the-board measuring stick for the conduct of global corporations. The “Global Bench Marks” call for the development of a human rights policy based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; respect for the dignity of every person; for workers’ right to organize a union and bargain collectively and for all core labor rights as defined by the International Labor Organization; a new relationship between corporations, communities and ecosystems; preservation and protection of the environment for present and future generations; and commitment to the principle that every worker has the right of access to health care, accessible and affordable medicines, including anti-retrovirals for the treatment of AIDS. This is the third edition of this resource. The first edition was produced and circulated for comment in 1995 by the Ecumenical Council for Corporate Responsibility (ECCR) http://www.eccr.org.uk of the United Kingdom, the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) http://www.iccr.org in the United States and the Taskforce on the Churches and Corporate Responsibility of Canada (now KAIROS). A second document, published in 1998, incorporated comments received as well as the three groups’ experience in utilizing the document with corporations. In 1999, at a conference held in Great Britain, 53 delegates from 22 countries came together to expand work on the “Bench Marks” document and to create a ‘Globalizing the Principles Network’. Feedback on the 1998 Bench Marks document was received from individuals and groups from around the world and, in October 2002, the Steering Group met in South Africa to finalize the 2003 edition. The Globalizing the Principles Network is made up of faith-based groups and nongovernmental agencies from around the world. The Secretariat for the Network is housed at the Bench Marks Foundation of Southern Africa for Corporate Social Responsibility in Pretoria, South Africa. Visit the Network’s Web site at http://www.bench-marks.org to download a copy of the Bench Marks document.
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