Call for Papers: International Conference on Corporate Social Responsibility and Decent Work in the era of Sustainable Development Goals 21 - 23 March, 2024

Introduction

In recent decades, decent work has increasingly been on economic and social agendas, with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) explicitly linking it to economic growth in SDG 8. The International Labour Organisation built on this by framing the Decent Work Agenda around the tenets of SDG 8. Governments actively promote this too; the G20 New Delhi Leader’s Declaration in September 2023 committed to the cause of decent work for all workers. 

Though global fora like the UN, the ILO and the G20 may place decent work at the centre of global agendas, the responsibility of implementing decent work across value chains ultimately lies with corporations. This may take the form of paying Living Wages, providing better working conditions, ensuring gender equality or supporting collective bargaining.

The business case for this is increasingly evident. Growing inequality has a demonstrably negative impact on economic growth, while closing the Living Wage gap could boost the global GDP by 5.4%, adding US$4.56 trillion annually, through increased productivity and spending at a cost of just $1.89 trillion. Similarly, the ILO has estimated that poor safety at work costs businesses US$2.8 trillion annually – 4% of global GDP – through lost working time, interruptions in production, treatment of occupational injuries and diseases, rehabilitation, and compensation.

There is no longer a trade-off between an economy that grows and an economy that helps people thrive. So how can we achieve this?

As we stand at the halfway point between 2016 (SDG adoption) and 2030 (SDG implementation targets), it is necessary to assess how corporations can catalyse the achievement of SDG 8, and how these efforts will fit within the larger realm of corporate social responsibility (CSR). This is all the more apt in a country like India, where notions of CSR have hitherto been narrowly restricted to mandatory philanthropic efforts. 

To this end the WageIndicator Foundation and FLAME University are organising a conference that shall be a unique interface between academia and industry, aiming to advance both discourse and action on corporate responsibility. 

The conference will be held at FLAME University, Pune, between 21st to 23rd March, 2024.

Conference themes and call for papers

The conference invites proposals from researchers, academics, and professionals from relevant domains  for papers and poster presentations on the following themes:

• The scope of corporate social responsibility
• The centrality of Living Wages in enabling decent work and economic growth
• The role of governments, labour law, and regulation in decent work
• The power of collective bargaining in ensuring decent work
• The unique challenges of enabling decent work in the gig economy

Proposals beyond the above topics, but aligning broadly with the conference theme, are also welcome.

Submission guidelines

Paper submissions

Applicants interested in presenting a paper at the conference should submit an abstract for the same. Abstracts must be in English and no longer than 500 words. They should contain the following elements:

• Introduction
• Research question(s)
• Methodology
• Contribution to literature
• Findings

Your application will be either accepted for paper presentation, poster presentation, or rejected.

Special session submissions

Applicants are also encouraged to submit proposals for special sessions at the conference. These sessions should be for between 60-90 minutes and should take the form of a panel discussion or workshop. Proposals must be in English and should be no more than 500 words. They should include

• The name of the lead organisation
• A description of the session topic and its link with corporate social responsibility, decent work, and the SDGs
• Brief descriptions of individual papers being presented (in case papers are to be presented)
• Ideas for potential speakers

All submissions must be completed by 11:59 PM IST, 25th January and made on this Google Form.

For all proposals that are accepted by the organising committee, applicants must then submit extended abstracts of up to 1,500 words with a detailed description of their hypotheses, methodology, conclusions, and contribution to discourse through this submission link.

In case of any queries, you can email the organising team at sdgconference@flame.edu.in

Publication

Following the conference, select presenters will be requested to share their completed papers for publication in a book by a reputed academic publisher. These presenters can develop their papers for publication with feedback provided during the conference and in consultation with WageIndicator and FLAME experts after the event.

Pre-conference Workshop

As part of the conference, FLAME University and WageIndicator Foundation are organising a pre-conference workshop to assist postgraduate students, PhD students, and early career scholars better understand research and academia. The workshop will be held on the 20th of March and is open to 20 attendees on a first-come, first-serve basis. We particularly welcome applications from who are new to scholarly research and/or planning to pursue a PhD.

As part of this workshop, the following sessions will be organised:

Fine-tuning research questions

• This session will introduce attendees to one of the most fundamental aspects of research - starting with the correct research question. The session will help attendees understand how to focus their question, identify relevant gaps in literature, and design it such that it yields an appropriate answer.
• Conducted by: Prof. Frederick Herbst (Dean, Faculty of Communication, FLAME University, India)

Working with data: From collection to visualisation:

• This session will teach attendees how to use data in their research, which is becoming increasingly relevant as quantitative methods are used in more academic disciplines. Using the example of WageIndicator’s Collective Agreements database, the session will demonstrate how even subjective information can be coded, analysed, and visualised for research purposes.
• Conducted by: Ms. Daniela Ceccon (Director Data, WageIndicator Foundation, Italy and Mr. Gabriele Medas (Collective Agreements Database Manager, WageIndicator Foundation, Italy)

Qualitative research methods

• This session will familiarise attendees with the importance and application of qualitative research methods. It will provide an overview of routinely used tools for qualitative research like semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and focus group discussions.
• Conducted by: Prof. Marta Kahancová (Associate Professor of Public Policy at Comenius University; Co-founder and Managing Director, Central European Labour Studies Institute, Slovakia)

Workshop: Developing a research paper

• This session, particularly aimed at junior researchers partaking in the SDG Conference, will help them reflect on the extended abstracts they submit. Senior WageIndicator scholars will engage with participants in small group discussions, helping them structure their papers, identify areas needing rectification, and advise on potential publication avenues.
• Conducted by: Prod. Rob van Tulder (Emeritus Professor of International Business- Society Management, Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University; Chair of WageIndicator Foundation Board,The Netherlands)

Tentative Agenda

The three conference days will feature a variety of keynote addresses by stalwarts from the field, panel discussions among global experts, and paper presentations and special sessions featuring between academicians, industry professionals, and members of civil society. 

The agenda for these days will be updated below as and when more sessions are finalised:

Day 1

• Keynote address by Prof. Rob van Tulder, Erasmus University: Setting the Scene for Reaching the SDGs
• Keynote address by Prof. Martin Kahanec, Central European University: The Macroeconomic Need to Inform People about Living Wages
• Panel Discussion: Smart Reporting on the “S” in ESG Regulations - A Joint Initiative by PwC and WageIndicator

Day 2

• Special Session: SDG Masterclass led by Prof. Rob van Tulder
• Keynote Address by Dr. Uma Rani, International Labour Organisation: Achieving SDG 8 in the Gig Economy
• Keynote Address by Prof. Ernesto Noronha, IIM Ahmedabad: (topic to be confirmed)
• Panel Discussion: A Global Gig Economy - The Redistribution of Work for Freelancers Worldwide
• Special Session: Launch of WageIndicators Living Tariff Tool in India

Day 3

• Keynote address by Prof. Biju Varkkey, IIM Ahmedabad: (topic to be confirmed) 

Please note, the agenda is subject to change.

Conference Registration and fees

The following conference registration fees are applicable to participants whose submissions are accepted. Successful submissions will be notified by 1st February. Registration fees  must then be paid by 1st March, 2024.

*Junior researchers will need to provide proof of enrolment in their respective programmes.

Accommodation

The University can provide limited twin-sharing accommodation to participants on a first-come, first-serve basis. The accommodation charges include breakfast and dinner (lunch will be provided to all conference participants). 

Travel Support

Travel costs must be met from participants’ own resources. For participants staying off-campus, a shuttle to FLAME campus will be provided from an accessible location.

Awards

The following awards will be given to meritorious participants:

Important Dates

Academic Advisory Committee

• Prof. Rob van Tulder - Emeritus Professor of International Business-Society Management, Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University; Chair of WageIndicator Foundation Board  (The Netherlands)
• Prof. Kea Tijdens - Professor of Labour Studies at University of Amsterdam; Co-Founder and Scientific Director, WageIndicator Foundation (The Netherlands)
• Prof. Marta Kahancová -  Associate Professor of Public Policy at Comenius University; Founder and Managing Director, Central European Labour Studies Institute (Slovakia)
• Prof. Martin Kahanec - Professor of Public Policy at Central European University; Co-founder and Scientific Director of CELSI (Slovakia)
• Prof. Santosh Kudtarkar - Dean of the FLAME School of Liberal Education; Professor of Physics at FLAME University (India)
• Prof. Aparna Shankar - Dean of the Ph.D. Programme at FLAME University; Professor of Psychology at FLAME University (India)
• Prof. Janna Besamusca - Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences at Utrecht University ; Member of WageIndicator Board (The Netherlands)
• Prof. Ernest Ngeh Tingum - Senior Lecturer in Economics at the University of Namibia

Organising Committee

• Prof. Rupa Korde - Assistant Professor of Economics and Public Policy  at FLAME University; Director of Operations, WageIndicator Foundation
• Fiona Dragstra - General Director, WageIndicator Foundation
• Paulien Osse - Co-Founder and Lead of Global Living Wage Team, WageIndicator Foundation
• Prof. Hoshiar Mal - Assistant Professor of Operations and Analytics at FLAME University
• Prof. Ravikiran Naik - Assistant Professor of Economics at FLAME University
• Vivian Hartlief - Fundraising Lead, WageIndicator Foundation
• Pooja Gill - Research Associate and Manager, Dean’s Office, FLAME University
• Shantanu Kishwar - Research Assistant at WageIndicator-FLAME Research Lab 
• Abhishek Patil - Intern Manager, WageIndicator - FLAME Research Lab