ConPolicy » Responsible Business Conduct

Responsible Business Conduct

The financial crisis has shown: Responsible business conduct should not only encompass responsible treatment of employees or environmental protection in production processes. Consumers must be in the centre of responsible corporate practices. A bank that sells mortgages to consumers without due diligence that the consumer is likely to repay the loan, does not operate responsibly, damages its reputation and gambles away trust. 

ConPolicy analyses and demonstrates how companies can better match their products and service provision to the needs of consumers without sacrificing market share and financial success. In our research, we draw upon consumer complaints and the currently developed ISO standards 26000 on social responsibility. In our consulting practices we draw upon this research.

Key questions are:

• How can governments support consumers by not only issuing sanctions for misbehaviour of companies, but also by rewarding positive corporate practices?
• How should companies take responsibility for their customers beyond legal compliance?
• How can responsible corporate practices and policies benefit companies bottom-line?

Selected publications

von Braunmühl, Patrick und Thorun, Christian: Die Bedeutung der SR-Normung durch ISO - eine Bewertung aus Verbrauchersicht, DIN-Mitteilungen 9, 2006.

Selected presentations

BvD-Kongress, "Privacy portal - Project presentation"
Presentation, 25 April 2013, Berlin

NRW Ministries of Economy and Science, "CSR-Dialogue Business - Academia"
Moderation, 14 December 2012, Rheinbach

German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, "Luncheon Debate: CSR - Made in Germany"
Moderation, 05 December 2012, Brussels

German Foundation Consumer Protection, "Alliance consumer education: Strengthening consumption competences of children and the youth"
Moderation, 22 November 2012, Berlin

REWE Group, "Regional products - Solutions for more sustainability"
Workshop moderation, 30 August 2012, Bonn

BvD-Kongress, "Privacy portal - Project presentation"
Presentation, 10 May 2012, Berlin

Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, "CSR in SME"
Moderation, 20 April 2012, Berlin

PEARL-Conference, Beyond Consumption - Pathways to Responsible Living 
Moderation, 19 March 2012, Berlin

Sustainability Commission, Quality control of sustainability labels
Moderation, 15 March 2012, Berlin 

BP-Workshop "Human Rights and Business"
Moderation, 28 September 2011, Berlin

Otto Group, Consumer sovereignty and consumer trust - Consequences for ethical consumption
Presentation, 9 June 2011, Berlin

German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Moderation of a range of sessions in the context of the Ministry's CSR activities at the Hannover Messe
Moderation, 4-5 April 2011, Hannover

Otto Group Stakeholder Dialogue 
Input from the consumer perspective, 21 October 2010, Berlin

Daimler Sustainability Dialogue, Expectations on sustainable supply chain management: The consumer perspective 
Presentation, 5 November 2009, Stuttgart

Human Rights Lectures 2009 at the Free University Berlin, The power of consumers 
Presentation, 24 June 2009, Berlin

OECD: Conference on Corporate Responsibility, The Role of International Standards 
Presentation, 15 June 2009, Paris

Deutsches Netzwerk Wirtschaftsethik: Annual Meeting 2009, CSR in Dialogue with Brands – How to communicate responsibility to consumers?
Panel discussion, 25 April 2009, Bonn

Consumer Citizen Network: 6th International Conference, Globalising Consumer Citizenship 
Panel discussion, 23 März 2009, Berlin

EU Commission: CSR Multistakeholder Forum, Transparency and CSR 
Presentation and panel discussion, 10 February 2009, Brussels

Conference „Fair trade – easy done” in Dorothee-Sölle-Haus, What a social label would need to deliver
Presentation, 28 November 2008, Hamburg

Warenkunde- und Technologietage Berlin 2008, Service in the Retail Sector: Quo vadis?
Presentation, 7 November 2008, Berlin

Communication Congress 2008: Corporate Social Responsibility: Success through engagement 
Panel discussion, 9 October 2008, Berlin

Society for International Development: What consumers expect from business regarding their social responsibility 
Presentation, 29 May 2008, Berlin