Sustainable Development and Cooperative Law: Corporate Social Responsibility or Cooperative Social Responsibility?

Abstract

The article takes as a starting point the recognition of sustainable development as a concept of (international) law. Its premise is that this concept needs translating to the legal structure of enterprises. The example chosen is the legal structure of cooperatives. The article indicates for each of the four aspects of sustainable development - economic, ecological, social and political - which features of cooperatives lend themselves to contributing to sustainable development. This approach is to strengthen and to complement the CSR arguments.

The article reflects preliminary results of research into the question and is to be read against the background of an ever more pronounced isomorphization of enterprise types through legislation which weakens the capacity of cooperatives to contribute to sustainable development.