According to the Institutes of Internal Auditors, the goals of a CSR audit are:
Gain an understanding of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)influences and initiatives.
Understand CSR stakeholders and their needs.
Understand the economic value proposition and reputation drivers.
Examine how organizations approach: climate change challenges, health and safety issues, and supply chain imperatives.
Review emerging practices in social responsibility and sustainable development.
Examine CSR links to governance and risk management.
Consider reporting and assurance challenges. Determine the proper role for internal audit.
Network with your peers on this emerging area of internal audit focus.
This assignment provides you an opportunity to explore and select an appropriate audit instrument for your organization and consider what you would have to do to implement the tool.
Complete the following:
Research information about CSR audits, instruments, and process. Use the following resources as a starting point:
Accountability, especially the AA1000 Assurance Standards.
Federation des Experts Compatibles Europeans for several CSR assurance standards papers.
Social Accountability International, especially the SA 8000 standards.
Evaluate the auditing instruments and select an appropriate method for your organization.
Develop a plan to complete a CSR audit including an explanation of your selected tool, the components of the audit, and the process you would use.
Integrate the unit readings and your research articles to support your assessment.
Readings: Boulouta, I. (2013). Hidden connections: The link between board gender diversity and corporate social performance. Journal of Business Ethics, 113(2), 185–197. doi:10.1007/s10551-012-1293-7
Bouvain, P., Baumann, C., & Lundmark, E. (2013). Corporate social responsibility in financial services. The International Journal of Bank Marketing, 31(6), 420–439. doi:10.1108/IJBM-05-2012-0054
Chiu, S.-C., & Sharfman, M. (2011). Legitimacy, visibility, and the antecedents of corporate social performance: An investigation of the instrumental perspective. Journal of Management, 37(6), 1558–1585. doi:10.1177/0149206309347958
Wood, D. J. (2010). Measuring Corporate Social Performance: A Review. International Journal of Management Reviews.DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-2370.2009.00274.x