|
|
The UN Global Compact is a strategic policy initiative for businesses that are committed to aligning their operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. By doing so, business, as a primary agent driving globalization, can help ensure that markets, commerce, technology and finance advance in ways that benefit economies and societies everywhere.
Never before have the objectives of the international community and the business world been so aligned. Common goals, such as building markets, combating corruption, safeguarding the environment and ensuring social inclusion, have resulted in unprecedented partnerships and openness among business, government, civil society, labour and the United Nations. Many businesses recognize the need to collaborate with international actors in the current global context where social, political and economic challenges (and opportunities) — whether occurring at home or in other regions — affect companies as never before.
This ever-increasing understanding is reflected in the growth of the Global Compact, which today stands as the largest corporate citizenship and sustainability initiative in the world — with over 7700 corporate participants and stakeholders from over 130 countries. |
|
The Ten Principles of the
United Nations Global Compact
The UN Global Compact's ten principles in the areas of human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption enjoy universal consensus and are derived from:
• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• The International Labour Organization's Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work
• The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development
• The United Nations Convention Against Corruption
The UN Global Compact asks companies to embrace, support and enact, within their sphere of influence, a set of core values in the areas of human rights, labour standards, the environment and anti-corruption: |
| |
Human Rights |
|
|
| Principle 1 |
Businesses should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights; and |
| Principle 2 |
make sure that they are not complicit in human rights abuses. |
| |
Labour |
|
|
| Principle 3 |
Businesses should uphold the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining; |
| Principle 4 |
the elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labour; |
| Principle 5 |
the effective abolition of child labour; and |
| Principle 6 |
the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation. |
| |
Environment |
|
|
| Principle 7 |
Businesses should support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges; |
| Principle 8 |
undertake initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility; and |
| Principle 9 |
encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies. |
| |
Anti-Corruption |
|
|
| Principle 10 |
Businesses should work against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery. |
|
|
|
