Exporters told to strengthen social accountability standard

Exporters are urged to strengthen their social accountability standard in their respective organizations, as this is one of the important requirements to enter the European market.

In his recent visit to Cebu, CBI consultant from the Dutch ministry of Foreign Affairs in Amsterdam Martin Bitter stressed the importance of a company's social accountability in its entire business operation as the European market is very demanding when it comes to safety, especially for the food related exports.

Social accountability had been set as a global standard for improving working conditions around the world. It developed in the late 1990s in relation to the International Labor Organization's 1998 Declaration of Fundamental Labor Standards.

According to Bitter, although the strong corporate social responsibility has been the standard in the world market, the European Union (E.U.) consumers must be assured that companies supplying goods to the 25 E.U. member countries are implementing serious social responsibility program in their respective offices, manufacturing plants back home.

The social accountability standard addresses workplace conditions such as child labor, force labor, health and safety, freedom of association and collective bargaining, discrimination, disciplinary practices, working hours, compensation and management systems.

In a separate forum, hosted by the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) and Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) recently, Cecil Benavidez, InWent Special Project Officer, said most companies in Europe now require their trade partners to adhere to the principle of social accountability, one of the core components of corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Social Accountability provides definitions and parameters to ensure conformance to universal rights concerning labor standards, and an assurance of good practice to consumers, buyers and other companies.

The social accountability standard is one of the "Global Eight" initiatives that emerged due to globalization. The other global international standards include ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 14000 Series and Accountability 1000.

InWent is a German non-government organization (NGO) that means Capacity Building International Germany, synonymous with human resources and organizational development in international cooperation. It is a joint undertaking of the German Federal Government, the federal state governments and the industries.

Recently, representatives from InWent came to Cebu to present to CCCI members the importance of Social Accountability to a company's growth. InWent works with partners in developing countries, transition states and industrialized nations.

For his part, ECOP research and advocacy manager Romeo Garcia said that companies are bound to gain more benefits from observing social accountability.