purpose of sustainability contractual clauses
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Purpose of Sustainability Contractual Clauses. Katerina Peterkova. Sustainability contractual clauses. Can be defined as contractual provisions covering social and environmental obligations that: are not directly connected to the subject matter of an individual contract; - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
TATIONpRÆSEN
10/06/2011AARHUS SCHOOL OF BUSINESSAarhus University
Trends and Future of Sustainable Development9-10 June 2011, Tampere, Finland
Purpose of Sustainability Contractual Clauses
Katerina Peterkova
Purpose of Sustainability Contractual ClausesKaterina Peterkova
10/06/2011
AARHUS SCHOOL OF BUSINESSAarhus University
Sustainability contractual clauses
› Can be defined as contractual provisions covering social and environmental obligations that:
› are not directly connected to the subject matter of an individual contract;
› implement general public concerns instead of economic concerns of contractual parties;
› are traditionally subject of government regulation.
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Purpose of Sustainability Contractual ClausesKaterina Peterkova
10/06/2011
AARHUS SCHOOL OF BUSINESSAarhus University
Sustainability contractual clauses
› Have a potential to be a powerful tool for enhancing global sustainable development.
› BUT! Several barriers must be overcome:
› unclear legal status;
› insufficient legal framework;
› vague character of ethical standards.
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Purpose of Sustainability Contractual ClausesKaterina Peterkova
10/06/2011
AARHUS SCHOOL OF BUSINESSAarhus University
Agenda
1. Introduction to sustainability clauses.
2. Research methods.
3. Overview of a regulatory environment and how business contracts operate in it.
4. Summary of research findings.
5. Proposal of a conceptual framework.
6. Implications of the study.
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Purpose of Sustainability Contractual ClausesKaterina Peterkova
10/06/2011
AARHUS SCHOOL OF BUSINESSAarhus University
Research methods › Textual analysis of existing regulations.
› UN Global Compact;
› OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises;
› ISO 26000;
› UN Norms on the Responsibilities of Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises with regard to Human Rights;
› Business Social Compliance Initiative;
› Social Accountability 8000;
› EU Green Paper – Promoting a European framework for Corporate Social Responsibility;
› US Foreign Corruption Practice Act; and
› California Transparency in Supply Chains Act.
› Literature review. 5
Purpose of Sustainability Contractual ClausesKaterina Peterkova
10/06/2011
AARHUS SCHOOL OF BUSINESSAarhus University
Regulatory environment › National and international law is insufficient – states fail in their regulatory role.
› Other subjects incur this task and develop various types of transnational private regulations.› Deficiencies of transnational private regulations:
› legitimacy;
› effectiveness;
› enforceability.6
Purpose of Sustainability Contractual ClausesKaterina Peterkova
10/06/2011
AARHUS SCHOOL OF BUSINESSAarhus University
Regulatory environmentRole of contracts
› Contracts help to cope with the deficiencies of private regulation, giving to a soft law a hard law edge.
› Notion of contract is changing:
Enforceable exchange of promises
Relational self-regulatory tool
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Purpose of Sustainability Contractual ClausesKaterina Peterkova
10/06/2011
AARHUS SCHOOL OF BUSINESSAarhus University
Findings – Analysis of regulations
› Identified legal purposes:› motivational;› enforcing;› regulatory.
› Focus on motivational and enforcing purposes.
› No unified approach towards regulatory purpose.
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Purpose of Sustainability Contractual ClausesKaterina Peterkova
10/06/2011
AARHUS SCHOOL OF BUSINESSAarhus University
Findings – Literature review› Identified legal purposes:
› motivational;› enforcing;› regulatory.
› Focus on regulatory purpose› typical features of regulation appears also in business
contracts› rule takers’ accountability;
› unilateral adoption;
› third party’s damage.
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Purpose of Sustainability Contractual ClausesKaterina Peterkova
10/06/2011
AARHUS SCHOOL OF BUSINESSAarhus University
Conceptual framework› Classification of sustainability clauses according to their legal purpose:1. Motivational
› Objective: positively influence suppliers’ approach towards sustainability
› Usual placement: interpretation clauses or recitals
2. Enforcing› Objective: enforce existing laws and ethical standards
› Usual placement: penalty clauses and provisions related to relational enforcement
3. Regulatory› Objective: introduce new rules
› Usual placement: main body of a contract stipulating rights and obligations of parties
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Purpose of Sustainability Contractual ClausesKaterina Peterkova
10/06/2011
AARHUS SCHOOL OF BUSINESSAarhus University
Implications› The proposed conceptual framework may:
› help us to understand the role and potential of sustainable contracts;
› serve as a starting point for future research in the area of law and sustainability;
› help companies to optimize drafting of its contracts and targeting of complementary management activities;
› help regulatory bodies to direct better their focus in the future regulations and enforcement activities.
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Purpose of Sustainability Contractual ClausesKaterina Peterkova
10/06/2011
AARHUS SCHOOL OF BUSINESSAarhus University
Thank you for attention!
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