Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
As the managing department for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) leads the national CSR Strategy of the Federal Government under the guiding principle of "corporate values".
The starting gun for the development of a national CSR Strategy was fired at the conference entitled "Corporate Responsibility - A Net Gain for All", which was held in Berlin in April and attended by all relevant stakeholders. To provide a platform for dialogue with the relevant stakeholders, the BMAS has set up national CSR forum in January 2009 whose task is to provide specialist support and develop recommendations for the national CSR Strategy.
As the ministry responsible for CSR, the BMAS represents the interests of the Federal Government in the European Commission's High Level Group of Representatives on Corporate Social Responsibility. Moreover, the ministry has the task of further strengthening the social responsibility of enterprises in the context of the G8 process and of the Heiligendamm dialogue process. It contributes to the process by drawing up an ISO standard for societal and social responsibility, as well as sustainable actions by enterprises. This guideline, entitled ISO 26.000, is currently being developed by the International Standards Organisation (ISO).
As a specialist ministry, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs creates a framework for a fair labour market policy and for fighting unemployment. The Ministry has combined its activities in the fields of labour law, of safety and health and of employment promotion under the definition of "Good Work". The Ministry's declared goal is to improve the quality of work.
In cooperation with the business community and with associations, the Ministry supports the creation of jobs which take account of workers' health and quality of life, and hence retain their ability to work into old age, with the Initiative New Quality of Work (INQA).
In the context of the competition entitled "Designing employment - enterprises show responsibility", and together with the Initiative for Employment (IfB!), the Ministry regularly awards prizes to enterprises whose entrepreneurial activity is particularly exemplary.
Together with INQA, the Ministry is participating in the nationwide competition entitled "Germany's Best Employers".
The competition entitled "Enterprises with a broad view 2007" in the context of the federal "Perspective 50plus" Employment pacts for older workers in the regions" programme awards prizes to enterprises whose personnel policy was particularly committed to elderly staff or who appointed elderly job-seekers.
Contact:
Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
Social Europe Group (National CSR Strategy, EU and Global Compact)
E-Mail: csr@bmas.bund.de
Division VI b1 (International, in particular ISO 26.000, Heiligendamm Process)
E-Mail: VIb1@bmas.bund.de
Wilhelmstraße 49
10117 Berlin
