ABSTRACT
The United Kingdom is seen as a leader in the corporate citizenship field, with a range of large corporations heavily involved in initiatives such as the Global Compact, a burgeoning industry of corporate responsibility consultants and specialist Non-Governmental Organisations, and a growing socially responsible investment sector. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) moved more strategically into the arena of corporate citizenship in September 2003, with the publication of its 2003 World Investment Report. UNCTAD suggested, first, that corporate citizenship explore the economic impact of companies, and, second, that international investment agreements might be one mechanism for promoting or ensuring improved corporate practices. UNCTAD also suggested that the term 'corporate citizenship' be distinguished from 'the concept of "corporate social responsibility" in that it addresses economic aspects more explicitly'. In June 2003, what had seemed to be a wall of silence from big business on issues concerning regulation, started to show some cracks.
