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New Report and Resource Book Churches, Civil Society, Multinational Companies and Corporate Responsibility in Central and Eastern Europe This groundbreaking report and resource book aims to strengthen church and civil society efforts for corporate responsibility in Central and Eastern Europe. It is the result of a workshop organised to address the growth of investment by large multinational companies, which have become major players in the CEE region. Their activities have very significant impacts on employment and working conditions, food retailing and the supply of essential services such as water and energy. They also affect social welfare and the environment. Therefore it is important that churches, faith communities and civil society develop ways to engage with and influence them. 
Participants included delegates from Western Europe and Central and Eastern Europe. They included: - leading church investment managers
- corporate responsibility experts, researchers and advocates
- trade unionists
- socially responsible investors
- activists from social movements and NGOs
The workshop heard case studies of the impact of companies and efforts to engage with them from within the CEE region and beyond. The different strategies discussed included: - Socially responsible investment
- Researching and engaging, lobbying and campaigning
- Investment in local economies by alternative financial institutions such as Oikocredit
Participants agreed on a number of follow up actions, which will be developed by the partners. The workshop was hosted by the Ecumenical Academy, Prague and co-organised the Work and Economy Research Network (an ECG Project) in conjunction with the Conference of European Churches. Core funding for the event was secured from the European Union. Downloads Links to the ECG partners and co-organisers |
