Management Systems

Management frameworks and systems are another avenue for improving corporate performance with regard to economic, social, and environmental objectives. Businesses recognize the benefits of a management systems approach to managing their operations. Management systems can be employed to demonstrate compliance with legislative obligations, reduce risks and potential liabilities, show due diligence to interested stakeholders, and achieve other objectives such as eliminating accidents and reducing insurance premiums.

The use of management systems offers a business the opportunity to internalize demands and challenges on a range of CSR fronts including environmental protection, health and safety, and community development and stakeholder engagement. The systems usually comprehensively cover the planning, implementation, checking, accounting, auditing, reporting, and improvement facets of typical business operations.

The most useful tools available to businesses with respect to management systems appear to be management system specifications or standards as well as related implementation guides that have been developed on a voluntary basis by industry and other stakeholders at international or domestic national levels. The following represent some of the more popular management system tools:

• Quality Management System: ISO 9000
• Environmental Management System: ISO 14000
• Social Accountability System: SA8000
• Health and Safety Management System: OHSA 18000
  
• Sustainability and CSR Reporting: Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)

Other helpful tools that are oriented to development of management systems:

•  World Bank’s Good Practice Manual on Effective Public Consultation