(Photo from Co-Op.co.uk)

This from a couple of weeks back, from Amnesty International, criticizing the EU's communication on improving CSR issues in Europe. Safe to say they weren't very pleased with the product:

The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and amnesty International today expressed their disappointment regarding the long-awaited Communication of the European Commission entitled "Implementing the partnership for growth and jobs: making Europe a pole of excellence on Corporate Social Responsibility" published on 22 March 2006.

Although the voluntary aspect of CSR is very important, it is a serious omission that the need for a regulatory framework to ensure accountability by all companies is not acknowledged by the present communication.

It is a duty of the European Union and its Member States to ensure that corporate actors respect human rights and labour rights in all circumstances. By failing to do so, the Commission is in effect taking a step backwards in the development by the European Union to promote responsible behaviour by business.

More coverage at Euro-correspondent.com from Stephen Gardner.