Corporate Accountability in Networked Asia
207
In China, corporate social responsibility has been driven primarily by government
fi at, based on the urgent recognition that environmentally sustainable business practices are imperative for the nation ’ s long-term competitiveness as well as its people ’ s
physical survival. In January 2008, China ’ s State-Owned Assets Supervision and
Administration Commission decreed that “ Corporate Social Responsibility has become
a key criterion worldwide when people assess the value of a company. ”
84 Chinese
companies were ordered to adopt global best practices so that their value for investors
would rise. The number of Chinese companies producing sustainability reports shot
up — from a handful in 2006 to more than 600 by 2009. By 2010 more than 600 companies were also participating in the United Nations Global Compact.
85 An ICT company — China Mobile — became the fi rst mainland Chinese company to meaningfully
disclose its carbon dioxide emissions, and it was also the fi rst to be listed on the Dow
Jones Sustainability Index.
86 While it would be diffi cult to imagine China Mobile
signing on to the Global Network Initiative principles of free expression and privacy
in China ’ s current political climate, it is signifi cant that Chinese companies — and
Chinese policymakers — now view adherence to global CSR standards and expectations
as an important part of Chinese companies ’ investment value. Such changes point to
some reason for hope in the event that free expression and privacy become a more
mainstream and established component of CSR for corporations, socially responsible
investors, and civil society groups in the world ’ s industrialized democracies.
Conclusion
Asia ’ s governments — like all governments around the world — are grappling with many
diffi cult challenges that the Internet has created for law enforcement and national
security. Meanwhile, not only do civil society groups face new issues in terms of learning and deploying all the latest digital technologies for advocacy and discourse, but
activists also have to keep developing new strategies, new knowledge, and new capacities in the fi ght to preserve civil liberties in the digital realm.
There are many questions to which nobody yet has answers. How can free expression and privacy be integrated into public defi nitions and expectations of responsible
business behavior? What will it take for a critical mass of ICT companies operating in
Asia to become more assertive in defending users ’ rights to free expression and privacy?
What will it take to compel more multinational companies beyond the three GNI
members, Google, Yahoo!, and Microsoft, to stand up for their users ’ rights to
free expression and privacy not only because it is the right thing to do but also
because they understand that in the long run this is the most successful business
strategy?
In Big Business, Big Responsibilities: From Villains to Visionaries: How Companies Are
Tackling the World ’ s Greatest Challenges, authors Andy Wales, Matthew Gorman, and
207
In China, corporate social responsibility has been driven primarily by government
fi at, based on the urgent recognition that environmentally sustainable business practices are imperative for the nation ’ s long-term competitiveness as well as its people ’ s
physical survival. In January 2008, China ’ s State-Owned Assets Supervision and
Administration Commission decreed that “ Corporate Social Responsibility has become
a key criterion worldwide when people assess the value of a company. ”
84 Chinese
companies were ordered to adopt global best practices so that their value for investors
would rise. The number of Chinese companies producing sustainability reports shot
up — from a handful in 2006 to more than 600 by 2009. By 2010 more than 600 companies were also participating in the United Nations Global Compact.
85 An ICT company — China Mobile — became the fi rst mainland Chinese company to meaningfully
disclose its carbon dioxide emissions, and it was also the fi rst to be listed on the Dow
Jones Sustainability Index.
86 While it would be diffi cult to imagine China Mobile
signing on to the Global Network Initiative principles of free expression and privacy
in China ’ s current political climate, it is signifi cant that Chinese companies — and
Chinese policymakers — now view adherence to global CSR standards and expectations
as an important part of Chinese companies ’ investment value. Such changes point to
some reason for hope in the event that free expression and privacy become a more
mainstream and established component of CSR for corporations, socially responsible
investors, and civil society groups in the world ’ s industrialized democracies.
Conclusion
Asia ’ s governments — like all governments around the world — are grappling with many
diffi cult challenges that the Internet has created for law enforcement and national
security. Meanwhile, not only do civil society groups face new issues in terms of learning and deploying all the latest digital technologies for advocacy and discourse, but
activists also have to keep developing new strategies, new knowledge, and new capacities in the fi ght to preserve civil liberties in the digital realm.
There are many questions to which nobody yet has answers. How can free expression and privacy be integrated into public defi nitions and expectations of responsible
business behavior? What will it take for a critical mass of ICT companies operating in
Asia to become more assertive in defending users ’ rights to free expression and privacy?
What will it take to compel more multinational companies beyond the three GNI
members, Google, Yahoo!, and Microsoft, to stand up for their users ’ rights to
free expression and privacy not only because it is the right thing to do but also
because they understand that in the long run this is the most successful business
strategy?
In Big Business, Big Responsibilities: From Villains to Visionaries: How Companies Are
Tackling the World ’ s Greatest Challenges, authors Andy Wales, Matthew Gorman, and