Multinational Corporate Social Responsibility and the Chinese Society (The Social Science Documents Press, January 2003) In October 2001, Tsinghua University Center for the Study of Contemporary China and ICO launched a positive research collaboratively on the effect that corporate social responsibility has on Chinese society. This project was charged by Professor Tanshen and Dr. Liu Kaiming. As one section of the Ford Foundation's Labor Research project, it summarized the real situation and effect of the implementation of MNCs' Code of Conduct in China, found out its influence on the production model and corporation governance of Chinese factories. Furthermore, it assessed the influence on Chinese labor.

Executive Summary
When international clients, MNCs mostly, make decisions for their Chinese business partner and sourcing practice, they will audit and monitor the Chinese factories to comply with Code of Conduct or SA8000 which is moral and human rights standards. They require suppliers and producers to abide by health, security and labor standards set by trade organizations or corporations themselves. Some leading MNCs set up special department and personnel in Mainland of China or Hong Kong of China to monitor the supply chain in China.
During October 2001 to March 2002, the project group investigated five relevant groups — CSR managers of MNCs, Chinese supply chain management of MNCs, workers, officers of Chinese government and consumers — by interview and questionnaire. The report was finished in June 2002. The report showed the implementation of MNCs' Code of Conduct had positive effect on protection on working conditions and labor rights, however, the effect was very limited. The CSR movement, pushed by international organizations, such as UN and ILO, made stronger and stronger influence on Chinese trade and factories.