Publications on Corporate Responsibility

Systemic Change

Bendell, J. (2004) Barricades and Boardrooms: A Contemporary History of the Corporate Accountability Movement, Programme Paper 13, UNRISD, Geneva. Download .
[This decribes a perfect stakeholder storm of social entrepreneurs, NGOs, radicals, business executives and financiers, coming to understand the need for systemic change in the basic rules governing corporations and capital. Describes the need to introduce a duty of accountability in return for property rights, including financial property, termed 'capital accountability']

Bendell, J. & Kearins, K. (2005) ‘The 'political bottom line': The emerging dimension to corporate responsibility for sustainable development’, Business Strategy and the Environment, 14 (6), 372-383. Download.

[Explains the growing importance of companies using their political influence to encourage government to change the framework conditions to encourage more responsible business.]

Bendell, J. (2002) Psychos in Suits: American CEOs in need of an Asylum, Open Democracy, August.

[Argues that the accounting scandals are not cases of a few bad apples and we need systemic change.]

Cross-sectoral collaboration

Murphy D.F. and J. Bendell (1997) In the Company of Partners: Business, Environmental Groups and Sustainable Development Post-Rio, Policy Press: Bristol, UK. Out of print, and will appear as an e-book here in April.

[The world's first book on the emergence of strategic partnerships between businesses and NGOs that seek to improve the internal performance of the partnering companies]

Bendell, J (ed.) (2000) Terms for Endearment: Business, NGOs and Sustainable Development, Greenleaf: Sheffield, UK. Free download of conclusion . Order book from www.greenleaf-publishing.com
[Compiles insight from a 22 authors on the emergence of cross-sectoral engagement as a major dimension to societal organising.]

Murphy D. F. and Bendell, J (1999) Partners in Time? UNRISD Discussion Paper 109, UNRISD: Geneva. Free Download .
[The first publication to introduce the concept of ‘civil regulation’ of business, suggesting that the effectiveness of partnerships be viewed in terms of how companies are influenced by those they affect.]

Accountability

Bendell, J. (2005) Beyond Accountability, in Accountability Forum, 7: 34 - 41. Download .

[Explains the importance of the principle of democracy for shaping effective responses to organisational accountability concept. Defines 'democractic accountability' as a whole systems concept.]

Bendell, J., (2005) ‘In Whose Name? The Accountability of Corporate Social Responsibility’ in Development in Practice, Volume 15, Numbers 3 & 4, June, p362-374. Download.

[Explains the problems that arise when cross-sectoral collaborations including certification initiatives do not manage their own accountability to the intended beneficiaries of their work, and the need to move from stakeholder engagement to ‘stakeholder democracy’]

Prieto, M. and J. Bendell (2002) If You Want to Help Us Then Start Listening to Us! From Factories and Plantations in Central America, Women Speak out about Corporate Responsibility, Occasional Paper, New Academy of Business: Bath, UK. Download.

[This report of a project funded by the UK DfID highlights problems with the accountability and responsiveness to women of voluntary social auditing initiatives, and the need for participatory methods of assessment.]

Importance of Intention

Bendell, J. (2003b) ‘Talking for Change? Reflections on Effective Stakeholder Dialogue’, in Unfolding Stakeholder Thinking 2: Relationships, Communication, Reporting and Performance, by J. Andriof, S. Waddock, B. Husted, and S. Rahman, Greenleaf. Download .
[Exposes the assumption that stakeholder dialogue is a 'good thing' by highlighting the various intentions that people and organisations may have when entering into dialogue. Argues for a commitment to more exploratory and democratic dialogue].

Bendell, J. (2003) ‘Chiquita’s path from pariah to paradigm’ Ethical Corporation Magazine, March. Download.

[Explains that the complexity of stakeholder relations means that strategy instrumental approaches do not work, and the intention of managers to improve their organisation's social and environmental performance is key.]

Health

Bendell, J. (2003) Waking Up to Risk: Corporate Responses to HIV/AIDS in Developing Countries, Programme Paper 12, UNRISD, Geneva. Download .
[Explores the corporate response to HIV/AIDS and concludes that institutional investors have an financial interest in encouraging all companies that influence poverty, education and health in lower-income countries, to do better.]

Private Finance

Mercier, F. and J. Bendell (2004) The Business Case For Financial Stability: A Global Dialogue With The Financial Sector, Bread for All: Berne. Download.

[Explores the impact of financial instability on sustainable development and the role of the private financial services sector and whether there is a business case for measures to reduce financial instability, such as taxes on currency transactions.]

The Inter-Governmental Arena

Bendell, J. (2000) 'Civilizing Markets', The UN Chronicle, Vol. XXXVII No. 2 2000, Department of Public Information, UN: New York, USA. Download.
[An invited contribution at the start of the UN Global Compact, suggesting the need to focus on encouraging accountable cross-sectoral collaborations, as the UN’s most appropriate role in collaborative governance.]

Bendell, J. (2004) ‘Flags of Inconvenience? The Global Compact and the Future of the United Nations, in M. McIntosh’, G. Kell and S. Waddock eds. (2004) Learning To Talk, Greenleaf Publishing, Sheffield. Download.

[This chapter explores the growing concern of some about the nature of UN-business relations, and explains the need for greater attention to accountability and re-focusing collaboration on shifting the framework conditions of business, so that UN-business collaboration contributes effectively to sustainable development.]

Business in Lower-Income Countries

Bendell, J. (2005) Making Business Work for Development, Insights, No. 54, ID21, Institute of Development Studies, UK. Download.

- explores the diverse opinions on business involvement in the development of lower-income countries, and calls for greater awareness of sociological and environmental impacts of companies in the development of ‘base of the pyramid’ initiatives

Trade Rules and Voluntary Standards

Bendell, J. and Font X (2004) ‘Which Tourism Rules? Green Standards and GATS’, in Annals of Tourism Research, Volume 31, Issue 1, January 2004, Pages 139-156. Download.
[A spin off to Lifeworth's work for the World Tourism Organisation, this paper explores the relationship of voluntary standards for responsible business and international trade law, identifying some areas where the latter may inappropriately and undemocratically compromise the effectiveness of the former.]