Research and practice to become neighbours

The Danish Initiative for Ethical Trade moves closer to CBS

While one side takes a research-oriented approach, the other takes the practical approach. The common focus, however, is businesses' commitment to values, ethics, and social responsibility.

Now that the Danish Initiative for Ethical Trade has taken up residence in Porcelænshaven in Copenhagen, the group has become neighbours to the CBS Center for Corporate Responsibility and the Center for Business and Development Studies.

New Initiative

- The potential for cooperation between the research environments of CBS and the Danish Initiative for Ethical Trade are great. The group is not as research oriented as we are, but it has many positive practical strengths, says Jonas Eder-Hansen, Research Director, the CBS Center for Corporate Social Responsibility.

The Danish Initiative for Ethical Trade is a new initiative that formed as a result of a cooperation between Danish businesses, the trade union Fagbevægelsen, and a series of popular organisations, including Max Havelaar, DanChurchAid, the Danish Chamber of Commerce, the Danish Consumer Council, Save the Children Denmark, and the Confederation of Danish Industries (DI).

Good business practice in developing countries

The objective of the initiative is to gain experience and knowledge on good business practices in developing countries and in the new growth economies such as, for example, China. The experience gained can help Danish businesses to ensure that suppliers live up to international conventions.

The primary focus will be to give businesses, organisations, Fagbevægelsen, and popular organisations a forum for sharing knowledge and experience within human rights and working conditions in developing countries.

Information meeting at CBS

The Danish Initiative for Ethical Trade will be established both as a resource centre and a member organisation. The organisation will be officially established on 7 February 2008, which is when the first general meeting will be held. On 17 December 2007 and 8 January 2008, information meetings for interested businesses and organisations will be held at CBS, Porcelænshaven 26, 2000 Frederiksberg.