Corporate Social Responsibility and Law

Subject LAWS70295 (2011)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2011.

Credit Points: 12.50
Level: 7 (Graduate/Postgraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2011:

November, Parkville - Taught on campus.
Pre-teaching Period Start not applicable
Teaching Period not applicable
Assessment Period End not applicable
Last date to Self-Enrol not applicable
Census Date not applicable
Last date to Withdraw without fail not applicable


Timetable can be viewed here. For information about these dates, click here.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: The total class time is between 24 and 26 hours.
Total Time Commitment: Not available
Prerequisites: Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.
Corequisites: Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.
Recommended Background Knowledge: Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.
Non Allowed Subjects: Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.
Core Participation Requirements: Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.

Coordinator

Assoc Prof John Howe

Contact

For more information, contact the Melbourne Law Masters office.

Email law-masters@unimelb.edu.au or phone +61 3 8344 6190.

Alternatively, visit our website:

www.masters.law.unimelb.edu.au

Subject Overview:

Principal topics are likely to include:

  • The meaning of CSR and the relevance of law and regulation, with a focus on environment and labour standards issues
  • CSR ‘against the law’? Directors’ duties under Australian corporate law and CSR
  • Regulating for CSR:
    • Use of corporate law to achieve CSR aims (disclosure requirements, ethical investment and shareholder activism under corporate law)
    • Law and indirect government regulation to promote CSR both domestically and transnationally – public finance, public procurement and CSR
    • The various forms of ‘soft law’ that are a source of CSR norms, such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and the National Contact Point, the United Nations (UN) Global Compact and Corporate Codes of Conduct
    • Monitoring and enforcement of international and domestic CSR and multi-stakeholder arrangements
  • The role of the corporate lawyer – legal ethics and CSR.
Objectives:

A student who has successfully completed this subject should:

  • Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of debates over the meaning, nature and function of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) whereby corporations are increasingly seeking to demonstrate their commitment to a range of social issues such as the environment and respect for human rights and labour standards
  • Understand the relationship between CSR and national and international law
  • Understand how CSR mechanisms operate as forms of regulation both in a domestic context and on a transnational basis, including the role of key institutions and actors
  • Be able to evaluate CSR mechanisms from different theoretical perspectives
  • Appreciate the potential role of legal advisers in promoting CSR as an aspect of lawyers’ ethics.
Assessment: Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.
Prescribed Texts: Core subject materials will be provided free of charge to all students. Some subjects require further texts to be purchased. Please visit the subject homepage on the Melbourne Law Masters website by following the link at the bottom of this subject entry.
Breadth Options:

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.
Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date

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