The certification of corporate conduct: Issues and prospects

What can codes of conduct do for the effective enforcement of labour standards in the production operations of multinationals? What are their limitations? In seeking answers to these questions, the author begins by examining the role and significance of labour standards in the context of today's economic and trade liberalization. With particular emphasis on codes of conduct, he then turns to the main instruments available to multinationals for promoting those standards and, thereby, regaining the confidence of society. The concluding discussion centres on the issues raised by verification and on the need to establish recognized international standards in that respect.