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Global Sustainability Governance and the UN Global Compact: A Rejoinder to Critics

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  • Andreas Rasche
  • Sandra Waddock

Abstract

This article takes the critique by Sethi and Schepers (J Bus Ethics, 2013 , in this thematic symposium) as a starting point for discussing the United Nations (UNs) Global Compact. While acknowledging the relevance of some of their arguments, we emphasize that a number of their claims remain arguable and are partly misleading. We start by discussing the limits of their proposed framework to classify voluntary initiatives for corporate sustainability and responsibility. Next, we show how a greater appreciation of the historical and political context of the UN Global Compact puts several of their claims into perspective. Finally, we demonstrate that the alleged promise–performance gap rests on a selected and one-sided reading of the initiative. We close by pointing to some challenges that the initiative needs to address in the future. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014

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  • Andreas Rasche & Sandra Waddock, 2014. "Global Sustainability Governance and the UN Global Compact: A Rejoinder to Critics," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 122(2), pages 209-216, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:122:y:2014:i:2:p:209-216
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-014-2216-6
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Williams, Oliver F., 2004. "The UN Global Compact: The Challenge and the Promise," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 14(4), pages 755-774, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Andreas G. F. Hoepner & Arleta A. A. Majoch & Xiao Y. Zhou, 2021. "Does an Asset Owner’s Institutional Setting Influence Its Decision to Sign the Principles for Responsible Investment?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 168(2), pages 389-414, January.
    2. Anthony Alexander & Helen Walker & Izabela Delabre, 2022. "A Decision Theory Perspective on Wicked Problems, SDGs and Stakeholders: The Case of Deforestation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 180(4), pages 975-995, November.
    3. Benedict Sheehy & Federica Farneti, 2021. "Corporate Social Responsibility, Sustainability, Sustainable Development and Corporate Sustainability: What Is the Difference, and Does It Matter?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-17, May.
    4. Claus Dierksmeier, 2020. "From Jensen to Jensen: Mechanistic Management Education or Humanistic Management Learning?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 166(1), pages 73-87, September.
    5. Jill A. Brown & Cynthia Clark & Anthony F. Buono, 2018. "The United Nations Global Compact: Engaging Implicit and Explicit CSR for Global Governance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 147(4), pages 721-734, February.
    6. Stephanie Schrage & Dirk Ulrich Gilbert, 2021. "Addressing Governance Gaps in Global Value Chains: Introducing a Systematic Typology," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 170(4), pages 657-672, May.
    7. Roger Leonard Burritt & Katherine Leanne Christ & Hussain Gulzar Rammal & Stefan Schaltegger, 2020. "Multinational Enterprise Strategies for Addressing Sustainability: the Need for Consolidation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 164(2), pages 389-410, June.
    8. Damian Bäumlisberger, 2019. "The United Nations Global Compact as a Facilitator of the Lockean Social Contract," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 159(1), pages 187-200, September.
    9. Rob Van Tulder & Suzana B. Rodrigues & Hafiz Mirza & Kathleen Sexsmith, 2021. "The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals: Can multinational enterprises lead the Decade of Action?," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 4(1), pages 1-21, March.
    10. Kenneth E. Goodpaster & T. Dean Maines & Michael Naughton & Brian Shapiro, 2018. "Using UNPRME to Teach, Research, and Enact Business Ethics: Insights from the Catholic Identity Matrix for Business Schools," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 147(4), pages 761-777, February.
    11. Abdelzaher, Dina & Fernandez, Whitney Douglas & Schneper, William D., 2019. "Legal rights, national culture and social networks: Exploring the uneven adoption of United Nations Global Compact," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 12-24.
    12. Christian Voegtlin & Nicola Pless, 2014. "Global Governance: CSR and the Role of the UN Global Compact," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 122(2), pages 179-191, June.
    13. Andreas Hoepner & Arleta Majoch, 2016. "Pension Funds and the Principles for Responsible Investment: Multiplying Stakeholder Salience?," ICMA Centre Discussion Papers in Finance icma-dp2016-07, Henley Business School, University of Reading.
    14. Boeva, Bistra, 2015. "Corporate Governance and Global Supply Chains: How Self -regulation Replaces the Lack of Regulatory Initiatives or Do Regulatory Initiatives Add Value to Corporate Governance," MPRA Paper 70680, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    15. Onyeka K. Osuji & Ugochukwu L. Obibuaku, 2016. "Rights and Corporate Social Responsibility: Competing or Complementary Approaches to Poverty Reduction and Socioeconomic Rights?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 136(2), pages 329-347, June.
    16. Pisani, Niccolò & Kourula, Arno & Kolk, Ans & Meijer, Renske, 2017. "How global is international CSR research? Insights and recommendations from a systematic review," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 52(5), pages 591-614.
    17. Nicola M. Pless & Atri Sengupta & Melissa A. Wheeler & Thomas Maak, 2022. "Responsible Leadership and the Reflective CEO: Resolving Stakeholder Conflict by Imagining What Could be done," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 180(1), pages 313-337, September.

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