Promoting decent work for sustainable development through CSR activities in Latvia

The current global economic situation created by the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent economic slowdown has considerably changed the working conditions of a relatively large group of employees, thereby reducing their protection against financial and health obstacles. In this context, the need to ensure sustainable development and secure dignified work is increasing dramatically. The concept of decent work, which was initiated by the International Labour Organization (ILO), and which is one of the components of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, comprises not only the availability of jobs and total employment, but primarily highlights the quality of employment focusing on meaningful work with a decent income, and providing employees and their families with reliable social protection. There is sufficient evidence that corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a key tool for obtaining sustainability and achieving the balance between sustained development at present and the protection of resources for the future. However, not much is known regarding the extent to which CSR activities foster the promotion of decent work. The chapter analyses and discusses how corporate social responsibility labour-related initiatives contribute to creating a dignified and decent working environment. Corporate social responsibility reports, sustainability reports, and annual reports published by companies in Latvia constitute the information and research basis. First, a literature review is carried out to determine the factors of decent work. Then the content analysis is applied to systematically review the corporate social responsibility reports, sustainability reports, and annual reports covering the period from 2020 to 2022 to extract the CSR activities related to labour practices. As a result, the research identifies which aspects of decent work reflected in the analysed reports are a permanent concern of the companies and which factors are not sufficiently addressed. The research results serve as the foundation for recommendations for strengthening the progress of companies’ in achieving sustainable development goals.