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The Finnish Ethical Forum has been functioning since June
2001. Companies, organisations, unions and officials together
with the church have formed a forum in which to discuss questions
of business ethics and corporate social responsibility. The
forum assembles a number of times each year to discuss a chosen
topic.
The main objective of the Forum is to promote interaction
between business, consumers and organisations and offer them
a place to discuss corporate social responsibility. It aims
to bring together different points of view, exchange thoughts
and via cooperation find new ways to evolve corporate social
responsibility. Discussions in the Forum aim to raise awareness
about the different expectations and objectives of social
responsibility that Forum members have.
In autumn 2000, Finnish organisations proposed that there
should be a forum for ethical discussion in Finland. The purpose
of this forum would be to promote the evolution of ethical
business directives. In this forum actors from commerce, industry,
church, unions and officials should be represented.
Organisations which proposed the founding of the forum were:
Akava, The Finnish Department of Amnesty International, Service
Centre for Development Cooperation, Office of the Church Council,
Finnchurchaid, Association for Promoting Fair Trade, Central
Organisation of Finnish Trade Organisations, Nature League,
The Finnish Confederation of Salaried Employees, The Finnish
Consumer's Association, The Finnish Association for Nature
Conservation, Textile and Garment Workers' Union and Commercial
Workers' Union.
These organisations made the following declaration:
"The inclusion of ethical questions in business, especially
in commerce, is a positive thing.
The Fairtrade organisation and world-wide international introduction
of the SA 8000 standard are good examples of independent supervision
control methods. These help consumers to make choices.
To function in an ethically sustainable way and to ensure
their international competitivity Finnish companies should
draw up their own ethical directives and publish an ethical
balance sheet yearly. These directives should cover imports,
as well as the company's activities and investments abroad,
especially in the developing countries. These directives should
be available for outside evaluation.
Business ethics must be based on respect for human rights
and labour laws.
The United Nations' universal declaration of human rights,
the convention on the rights of the child and the agreements
of the international labour organisation ILO make a good foundation
for these directives. However, environmental issues are also
intimately related to these considerations: environmental
issues must be understood to be directly connected with human
rights and corporate responsibility. The long-term success
of the companies can be based only on the principles of sustainable
development."
The first ethical forum ("the practice forum") was held on
14th of February 2001 and was participated by 40 representatives
of business, organisations and officials. The first real forum
was held 14th of June 2001. From then on the forum has assembled
few times a year.
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