This paper asks whether Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) becomes another negotiating agenda, which asks all the APEC economies adopt a common set of discipline, or just a device for increasing peer pressure for the purpose of harmonizing business practices. The paper traces the process of CSR becoming an agenda at the APEC, and discusses several international CSR codes developed by other fora and their relation to the APEC. In the light of APEC's sensitivity to hidden trade agenda and voluntary nature of most international CSR codes, it is suggested that the best way to address CSR in the APEC be to undertake a dual-track approach: First, the APEC may set a medium-term goal of developing the APEC CSR code on voluntary basis; and Second, the APEC should continue to work on capacity building of CSR by stepping up efforts in the area of identifying best practice and dissemination, advocacy and public engagement, and networking. (The rest is omitted.)

Executive Summary

I. Introduction

II. Current Literature on CSR

III. Current State of Play of CSR in the APEC

IV. International Framework on CSR
A. The ILO Tripartite Declaration of Principles Concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy
B. The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises
C. The UN Global Compact
D. ILO Core Labor Standards
E. ISO 26000

V. A Way Forward to CSR at the APEC

VI. Conclusion

References