RESPONSABILIDADE SÓCIO-AMBIENTAL EMPRESARIAL: a inserção do Direito Ambiental e Sanitário e o grau de adesão ao Pacto Global/ONU nas atividades produtivas em São Luís - Maranhão

Abstract

The theme of social business accountability (SBA) has been evidenced in face of challenges to the sustainment of productive activities. The impacts, notoriously positive and negative, in an economic, social and environmental field, don t recognize geo-political boundaries and reach an indeterminate number of people and nations. Political, judicial and social tendencies consolidated a minimum position of State and regulation of relations according to market demands. The unrestricted access to goods and services created an environment of unfavorable consumption to sustainable development and this fact motivated the social movements to promote a debate, among other themes, about the concept of social business accountability. In this way, in 1999 the United Nations Organization (UNO), in a pioneer performance, singularized the importance of the companies having an ethical commitment with society and proposed an international commitment for sustainable development. It was the emergence of the Global Pact and Millennial Development Goals (MDG). In this perspective, technical and judicial instruments were developed or identified, mainly in the areas of health, occupational security and environment, giving special attention to Sanitary and Environmental Rights in the Federal Constitution, federal legislation, international devices and pertinent technical norms. With the objective of identifying the insertion of the Sanitary and Environmental Rights and the degree of adhesion to the principles of the Global Pact, as well as contributions from the businesses to the MDGs in São Luís/MA, a sample of 27 companies associated to the ICE-MA., were researched. By means of self-evaluation questionnaires, a registered profile, the evidences of attention to legal requirements of health, environmental and occupational security, the actual stage of actions and social accountability programs, and finally the degree of adhesion to the Global Pact principles and the actions directed towards the MDGs, were identified. By the analysis sample that was considered, it was confirmed that the companies that were researched are located in a distributive manner in the areas of 07 hydrographic basins in the municipal area of São Luís, being that the majority is in conformity with the demands of environmental licensing, plan of medical and occupational health control and a plan of environmental risk prevention, with 0,32% of the total of sample workers involved in work accidents. It is also confirmed that the companies, in their majority, recognize the SBA as an ethical relation with all the public with whom it relates` and even without a specialized administrative structure in SBA, the companies are dedicated to punctual actions by their own initiative or in partnerships, with the application of a significant amount estimated in resources. In relation to the degree of adhesion to the principles of the Global Pact, the companies were identified mainly in the advanced or intermediate stages, outstanding in the elimination of forced or compulsory labor. It was also confirmed that the initiatives of the companies for the MDGs in São Luís are still lacking, although there is ample distinction for the combat against HIV/AIDS and other diseases and for the access to basic universal education.