Abstract

The essay aims at defining the means public authorities can use in promoting Csr practices among the companies located in their territories. Since the E.u. Green Paper identifies the voluntarism as a main feature of Csr, the study analyses some perspectives on the relationship between social and legal responsibility, to understand which kind of instrument can be supportive without challenging the voluntary nature of Csr practices. Gathering and comparing practical experiences, the essay continues describing Member States' initiatives realized so far, to focus, further on, on the Italian context.