University of Vaasa - Vaasan yliopisto

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been an important experience of cluster communication outward, oriented to
provide third parties with information about the cluster dynamics. Finally, the
collected information (with particular reference to the results of
questionnaires to the sample of SMEs) provided opportunities for local
working groups to determine the needs of businesses in respect to the tools of
CSR: in other words, the results of the questionnaires have been the main
input to define the actions to be implemented in the later phases of project
• in terms of individual SMEs: cluster Reports provided a framework for the
aggregated overview of the social and environmental performances. This
represented a benchmark for each firm in the cluster within its path of
adoption of CSR tools (a sort of local “average value performance”).
The companies directly involved in the interviews were a total of 92. The
questionnaires for the firms concerned the level of awareness on the CSR issues, the
presence of ethical/environmental certifications (and possible interest in these tools),
identification of key stakeholders, information on organizational structure and the
presence of "atypical" workers (trainees, workers at home), and finally information
on training of personnel.
From the results of the interviews it was possible to draw some interesting clues:
• in all clusters, employees were identified as a system of carriers
of privileged interests for the firms, underlining not only their
importance from a commercial point of view, but also the
recognition of their relevance as a factor to stimulate the
increasing of productivity
• in the fashion system (tanneries and clothing) less importance
was expressed by SMEs in respect to the role of communities
and local government institutions; on the contrary they were
identified by paper enterprises as relevant stakeholders
• the findings mentioned above were confirmed as part of the
answers concerning the corporate value system, in which the
majority of respondents focused on health and safety of the
workers, production and, for tanneries and paper mills, on
environmental protection
• very different in the three clusters is the knowledge and the
level of diffusion of CSR tools, as well as how their utility is
perceived. In the industrial cluster of clothing ,a rather low
number of firms hold a certification, and there is a lack of
knowledge of these tools, except for the standard INAIL on
safety, the Ecolabel and ISO14001. On the opposite, in the
paper cluster, with a pre-existing dissemination of CSR tools,
the level of knowledge of management standard and reporting
tools was particularly high. Finally, in the tanning cluster, the
level of knowledge of CSR tools is much higher in the
tanneries with respect to third party contractors