CSR-researcher receives DKK 2 million for new research

New regulations, new markets - new research! Jette Steen Knudsen, Associate Professor from the Department of Business and Politics, has just received DKK 2 million for her research on how the public regulation of CSR affects companies' CSR policies and what the government wants with this regulation.

CSR used to be something the companies assumed voluntarily to promote themselves or something the companies would draw attention to in the name of strategy. However, in the past years, CSR has become compulsory in several EU countries, who have joined forces in reprimanding companies who do not live up to certain CSR requirements. Right now, 15 EU countries have adopted new regulations requiring that large companies report on their CSR initiatives.

”This research area is new, because the regulations are new. CSR is no longer an option. Denmark had new legislation within the area in 2008, but they are somehow vaguely formulated in several areas. I am studying how the governments use these new regulation tools and how legislation impacts the contents of the CSR policies," says Jette Steen Knudsen.

The world has become more global, and so have the focus of the legislation. Danish companies with subsidies in England can now be judged by the British CSR legislation, if the corruption takes place at another subsidy, for instance in China or India. And the fact that national legislation in this way reaches beyond boundaries with the companies as leading players makes Jette Steen Knudsen's research area even more relevant.

In June this year, the Danish Folketing passed the "Act on the conciliation and appeal institution for corporate social responsibility". The act was passed in order to promote social responsibility among Danish companies. The aim of this institution is to assess whether the companies comply with OECD's guidelines for multinationals, including human rights.

”This very debated institution has been enacted in Denmark. NGOs are thus able to file complaints about multi- and transnational companies who do not comply with anti-corruption legislation in their home countries. I am looking forward to looking into how the new legislation initiatives, which affect the international market, are going to affect the way in which CSR is applied," says Jette Steen Knudsen.

The research funds have been granted by the Danish Council for Independent Research (FSE) and runs for two years.

Read more about the research project and FSE.

Read more about Jette Steen Knudsen, Associate Professor at the Department of Business and Politics.