Corporate Social Audits

Look for the business press to focus on corporate accountability through social audits when Baruch's International Center for Corporate Accountability Inc. (ICCA) releases its audit of the multinational, Freeport Mcmoran Copper & Gold, this week. The 133 page report will be posted at www.icca-corporate accountability.org.

Although Freeport had social and human-rights policies in place and set up a Partnership Fund for Community Development, it asked for the human rights audit in 2003. The report is the first of its kind. Business Week in an article, "Freeport’s Hard Look at Itself” (October 24, 2005), says the audit may set a standard for multinationals. Prof. Prakash Sethi is pictured in the article with the Freeport staff.