The emergence of voluntary corporate codes of conduct since the early 1990s is both a manifestation of, and a response to, the process of globalization. They have been part of a more general shift away from state regulation of transnational corporations towards an emphasis on corporate self-regulation in the areas of labor and environmental standards and human rights.

This book provides a critical perspective on the growth and significance of corporate codes with a particular focus on working conditions and labor rights. It brings together work by academics, practitioners and activists.

Table of Contents:

Preface by Richard Howitt MEP; Introduction; Part I: Codes of Conduct and Global Deregulation; Part II: Codes of Conduct: Perspectives from Stakeholders in the Global Production Chains; Appendix I: Useful Websites; Bibliography, Index.

Contributors: Nina Ascoly, Stephanie Barrientos, Lucy Brill, Kelly Dent, Laura Dubinsky, Stephen Frost, Angela Hale, Rhys Jenkins, Alice Kwan, Jill Murray, Ruth Pearson, Sol Picciotto, Lesley Roberts, Gill Seyfang, Jane Turner, Rachel Wilshaw, Ineke Zeldenrust.