United Kingdom

Reflecting the EU approach, the United Kingdom defines CSR as voluntary but has increasingly worked to integrate social and environmental concerns into its business-focused law and policy. As a member of the OECD, the UK has actively promoted the OECD Guidelines, the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and adheres to ISO standards. In parallel, the UK National Contact Point has seen a rise in accepted complaints against businesses and UK courts are more attuned to the complex relationship between corporate action and social responsibility. While the devolved nature of UK business law results in slightly different emphasis on corporate responsibilities across the devolved nations, both statutory and common law duties work together to ensure increased recognition of CSR. Notably, the recent landmark decision in England in Vedanta Resources Plc v Lungowe marked a tide-change on issues of jurisdiction for UK companies’ liabilities overseas. This chapter examines the underpinnings and possibilities of future reinforcement of CSR in cross-border cases in the UK.