The International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP) lists socially responsible outsourcing as the No. 1 trend in the field for 2008. The association predicts that companies providing, using or offering advice on outsourcing will increasingly develop standards that go beyond pure business objectives to address ethical questions. It expects that these standards will touch on topics that indicate how a company interacts with people, the community and the environment, such as labor policies and green initiatives.
This isn't just a feel-good move, however. Proponents say that outsourcing providers with socially responsible policies--as well as the IT shops that hire them--will find that corporate citizenship has business value, too. It can lower expenses, such as the cost of replacing burned-out employees, and provide better outcomes.
Source: Computerworld, http://computerworld.com