Balancing Legislation and Moral Capitalism: Enhancing Employee Access to Decision-Making
摘要
This chapter explores two key approaches to fostering employee involvement within organizations. The first approach centres on the European Union’s legislative initiatives, and the obstacles they have encountered, aimed at reinforcing social dialogue and establishing a robust framework that ensures employees are informed, consulted, and, in some cases, participate in corporate decision-making. Amid the ongoing social and corporate changes that increasingly recognize the profound social value inherent in employment relationships, we propose a second, ethical approach to the relationship between employers and their employees. As economic conglomerates increasingly acknowledge their societal impact, often on a global scale, they assume responsibility for mitigating the adverse effects of their operations and addressing social inequalities shaped by geopolitical and historical contexts. This chapter specifically examines transnational company agreements as soft law instruments within corporate ethical frameworks. Such agreements not only safeguard employee rights but also harmonize standards across countries with diverse legal systems and traditions of social dialogue. We posit that transnational agreements hold significant potential as bridging mechanisms, offering a unified approach to employee rights and involvement within multinational organizations, despite regional regulatory disparities. This dual approach—balancing legislative and ethical considerations—provides a nuanced perspective on enhancing democratic engagement in the workplace across varied legal landscapes and encourages employees to take on an active and responsible role in the corporate decision-making process.