From Stockholm to Johannesburg: from corporate responsibility to corporate accountability for the global protection of the environment?

Corporate social responsibility is one of the topical issues of our times, particularly with regard to the contribution of multinational corporations (MNCs) to development, respect of human and labour rights and to the protection of the environment. Different legal instruments, at the national, regional and international level, could be and are currently employed to ensure the contribution of MNCs to the promotion of social, development and environmental values. Such instruments, for instance, encompass national laws enacted by the home State of a MNC or by the host State receiving foreign investment, or foreign direct liability. Another possible option is that of an international instrument on the matter. This article will focus on the question of the practicality of using an international approach to corporate responsibility exclusively from an environmental protection perspective. It aims to contribute to the debate by providing an historical and conceptual background based on the search for international legal standards undertaken during major global environmental conferences.