European Environment, Social, and Governance Norms and Decent Work: Seeking a Consensus in the Literature

Agnieszka Dziewulska () and Colin W. P. Lewis
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Agnieszka Dziewulska: Faculty of Management, University of Warsaw, Ul. Szturmowa 1/3, 02-678 Warsaw, Poland
Colin W. P. Lewis: Independent Researcher, 02-787 Warszawa, Poland

Social Sciences, 2023, vol. 12, issue 11, 1-16

Abstract: Decent Work is considered essential to the facilitation of a transition to greener, fairer, more prosperous, and more just societies. Decent Work represents a fundamental component of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and a crucial facet of European Union (EU) environment, social, and governance (ESG) norms. Despite its prominence, the precise definition and materiality of Decent Work is obscure and remains subject to limited consensus. To understand these critical gaps, we conducted a comprehensive review with a systematic search of the literature on the subject, encompassing both scientific research and institutional publications. Our review encompassed 517 papers, with a particular focus on three key areas: (1) delineating the constituents of Decent Work, (2) exploring the materiality of Decent Work, and (3) examining how firms value, measure, and report Decent Work. The domain of regulated reporting for Decent Work and its material impact is relatively nascent, resulting in limitations in effectively measuring its tangible, material effects towards a green and just transition. Consequently, our review, with a systematic search of the literature, uncovered notable gaps within the body of literature concerning Decent Work, its substance for ESG materiality regulations, and its conspicuousness for a just transition. Furthermore, our review serves as a critical foundation for fostering discussions and emphasises the practical implications of enumerating the materiality of Decent Work, without which a just transition would be unattainable. By highlighting these deficiencies, we aim to enhance the understanding and implementation of the materiality of Decent Work within the broader context of ESG and the green transition.

Keywords: Decent Work; green transition; just transition; CSR; ESG; equality; human rights; ILO; EU sustainable development; business ethics; labour law; quality jobs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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