Round Table Codes of Conduct on Social ... - Der Runde Tisch
Round Table Codes of Conduct on Social ... - Der Runde Tisch
Round Table Codes of Conduct on Social ... - Der Runde Tisch
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Pilot projects and<br />
joint learning<br />
When the <str<strong>on</strong>g>Round</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Table</str<strong>on</strong>g> was initiated in 2001, pressure from trade uni<strong>on</strong>s, NGOs and<br />
c<strong>on</strong>sumer groups had grown and companies were starting to design <str<strong>on</strong>g>Codes</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>C<strong>on</strong>duct</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
for their supply chains as well as internati<strong>on</strong>al supplier companies.<br />
A number <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> internati<strong>on</strong>al standards organisati<strong>on</strong>s were launched for the purpose <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
promoting better social c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s in internati<strong>on</strong>al supply chains and manufacturing<br />
processes. Auditing schemes and certificati<strong>on</strong> procedures were introduced, sometimes<br />
resulting in very demanding processes for the supplier companies. However, best practices<br />
or less<strong>on</strong>s learned were very rarely exchanged am<strong>on</strong>g the parties c<strong>on</strong>cerned and too little<br />
was known about the real impact <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> social standards <strong>on</strong> companies.<br />
Since then, the approaches and strategies for implementing social standards more<br />
successfully and sustainably have been adapted c<strong>on</strong>tinuously over the years, taking<br />
account <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> experiences gathered and less<strong>on</strong>s learned.<br />
The <str<strong>on</strong>g>Round</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Table</str<strong>on</strong>g> was initiated not <strong>on</strong>ly to discuss different experiences and learn from <strong>on</strong>e<br />
another, but also with the aim <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> dem<strong>on</strong>strating how social standards can be imple-<br />
mented at the supplier level in a globalised ec<strong>on</strong>omy. This was assessed thoroughly<br />
during implementati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the <str<strong>on</strong>g>Round</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Table</str<strong>on</strong>g>’s pilot projects. With these, the <str<strong>on</strong>g>Round</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Table</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
addressed relevant questi<strong>on</strong>s and also set trends itself.<br />
The topics addressed by the <str<strong>on</strong>g>Round</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Table</str<strong>on</strong>g> in its pilot projects were always innovative<br />
and dealt with the major issues <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the day. The approach <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> initiating a dialogue between<br />
management and employees (see box below) has also been used – adapted to the<br />
situati<strong>on</strong> at hand – in subsequent and current public-private partnership (PPP) projects.<br />
This has c<strong>on</strong>tributed to a new understanding regarding the implementati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> social<br />
standards over the years, including at the internati<strong>on</strong>al level. There has been a move from<br />
improving audit processes and certificati<strong>on</strong> at the outset, towards improving implementati<strong>on</strong><br />
through dialogue and training, and promoting integrated approaches to standards<br />
in corporate management strategies. These are also issues that were addressed in the<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Round</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Table</str<strong>on</strong>g>’s pilot projects.