Since the early 1990’s many corporations are engaged in redefining their traditional roles, identities and responsibilities. This process is due to several reasons: campaigns of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) targeting corporate misbehavior, initiatives by the United Nations to commit corporate behavior to the public interest and a policy to modernize the public sector through privatization of government services to the private sector.
These processes listed above have created a complex reality in which the corporation has more power than ever in the face of the country, but on the other hand is exposed to criticism and punishment from the public i.e. Consumer organizations, green groups, human rights organizations etc.
The social and political environment may affect the behavior of a company just as the market does. No corporation is fully independent from the society in which it operates. However, the risk of losing reputation is considerably higher for companies that produce consumer goods and are associated with brands.
The IEPN conference held in Herzliya on April 10th, 2014 has given a good opportunity to highlight the growing importance of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) in general and in Europe and Israel in particular, to present economic implications of CSR and to exchange ideas concerning the advancement of CSR and its impact on conflict solutions, with emphasis on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
IEPN is a co-operation of the Israeli extension of Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES), Macro Center and Universität der Bundeswehr (Munich, Germany). The discussion led by the IEPN focuses on economic, social, political and security issues that are of common interest for both sides, while examining the potential of intensifying the co-operation and Israel's relations with Europe.