UN GLOBAL
COMPACT BULLETIN
Franais | Espaol l Chinese
February 2009
NEWS
& UPDATES
- Secretary-General Urges Business to Embrace
Values and Act on Climate
- Global Compact Paper Outlines Priority Actions
for Business
- Spanish Network Meets with Secretary-General
- Local Networks: Launch in Bangladesh, Under
Development in Kosovo
- Investors Serious about COP Quality
- Record Number of COPs Received in 2008, Over
400 Companies Delisted
- NGO Global Compact Correspondence on
Sudan
- Global Compact Logo Request System Launched
- Participant Status: New Signatories, COPs and
Delistings
ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
- Vote Human Rights
- Support United Nations Relief Efforts in Gaza
- Combat Human Trafficking Risks in the Supply
Chain
- More Opportunities: Calls for examples, Caring
for Climate, and more
FEATURED RESOURCES
- Future Proof Embedding Environmental, Social
and Governance Issues in Investment Markets
- Fighting Corruption through Collective Action A
Guide for Business
EVENTS
- Invitation: Advancing Womens Position in the
Global Marketplace (5 March, New York)
- Registration Reminder: World Business Summit on
Climate Change (24 26 May, Copenhagen)
February
Meeting of the Global Compact Anti-Corruption Working Group (26 27 Feb, New
York)
March
Advancing Womens Position in the Global Marketplace (5 March, New York)
3rd Working Conference of the CEO Water Mandate (16 18 March, Istanbul)
Workshop: Fighting Corruption through Collective Action (16 17 March, Lagos)
Conference on Collective Action to Combat Corruption (18 March, Lagos)
Regional Meeting for Global Compact Local Network Focal Points: Africa (19
March, Lagos)
April
2nd Alliance of Civilizations Forum (6 7 April, Istanbul)
International Cooperation Forum on Resource and Environment 2009 (17 18
April, Changsa, China)
The Climate Imperative: Leadership, Innovation and Technology (22 23 April,
Paris)
May
World Business Summit on Climate Change (24 26 May, Copenhagen)
June
VII Annual Local Networks Forum (9 10 June, Istanbul)
Meetings of issue specific working groups
(climate, human rights and labour) will be held in conjunction with the
Annual Local Networks Forum.
September
2nd UN Private Sector Forum: Climate Change (Date TBD, New
York)
Please
visit the Event Calendar
on our website to learn more
about listed events, including intended audience and availability.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
NEWS
& UPDATES
1. Secretary-General Urges Business to Embrace Values and
Act on Climate
During a special session on the UN Global Compact at the World
Economic Forum (Davos, 29 January), UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged
business leaders to embrace global cooperation and partnership on a scale
never before seen and seek long-term solutions to climate change and other
pressing global challenges. The Secretary-General called for a renewed
commitment to the core principles of human rights, labour standards,
environment and anti-corruption, and also pushed companies to disclose
progress. By doing so, you will not only be doing what is right, the
Secretary-General said. You will also be helping to restore trust, confidence
and credibility into the markets. Read the Secretary-Generals speech.
2. Global Compact Paper Outlines Priority Actions for
Business
The UN Global Compact Office has released a paper Global Sustainability
in the 21st Century: An Action Plan for Business (29 January) which argues
that todays confluence of global threats, most prominently the global
economic downturn and climate change, provides the most compelling case for
business to embrace corporate responsibility. The paper outlines pertinent
lessons from the financial crisis that should be applied to help tackle other
pressing global issues. Within this context, an action plan for business is
provided in the areas of (1) implementation and disclosure of environmental,
social and governance (ESG) issues, (2) climate change, (3) collective action
and (4) global frameworks and national regulation. Read the paper.
3. Spanish Network Meets with Secretary-General
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon attended a lunch with Spanish
Global Compact participants in celebration of the fifth anniversary of the
founding of the Global Compact Network Spain (Madrid, 28 January). The
Secretary-General noted that Spanish businesses were among the first to
embrace the UN Global Compacts principles and have established the largest
Local Network, with more than 600 active participants. More.
4. Local Networks: Launch in Bangladesh, Under Development in
Kosovo
A Global Compact Local Network was launched in Bangladesh (Dhaka,
26 January) at a ceremony jointly organized by the Bangladesh Enterprise
Institute, the CSR Centre and the UNDP Dhaka office. Following plenary
remarks, the events 150 participants joined together in roundtable
discussions to further set the stage for efforts in Bangladesh. More.
In
Kosovo, efforts are underway to establish a Local Network following an
outreach event organized by UNDP Kosovo (Pristina, 17 December).
Representatives from business, civil society, the UN and government,
including Minister of Finance and Economy Ahmet Shala, took part in the
event. Guests from Global Compact Local Networks in Turkey and the FYR of
Macedonia shared experiences. More.
5. Investors Serious about COP Quality
A coalition of investors worth over USD 3 trillion launched an
initiative (12 January) to encourage corporate responsibility reporting by
companies in the UN Global Compact. The international coalition has written
to the CEOs of 130 major listed companies, of which 25 were praised for
producing high-quality Communications on Progress (COPs) and over 100 were
identified as laggards by the investors for failing to submit a COP in the
past year. More.
6. Record Number of COPs Received in 2008, Over 400 Companies
Delisted
In 2008, a total of 1,732 Communications on Progress (COPs) were
posted on the UN Global Compact website. This record number of COP
submissions represents a 25% increase from 2007, and is an indication that
more companies are meeting the UN Global Compacts reporting requirements.
During the year, 403 companies were delisted for missing consecutive communication
deadlines. All COPs are publicly available on our website for review. More.
7. NGO Global Compact Correspondence on Sudan
Since May 2008, the UN Global Compact Office has corresponded with
a coalition of civil society organizations alleging violations of the UN
Global Compact principles by business engaged in Sudan. Following the
December 2008 launch of a Local Network in Sudan, further communication has
taken place, and can be found on our website. More.
8. Global Compact Logo Request System Launched
Participants can now request the use of a Global Compact logo
using a new online system to efficiently handle inquiries. Use of the
"We Support the Global Compact" logo is encouraged as a way to
further show commitment and raise awareness of the initiative, for example on
corporate websites and pertinent printed materials. Every use of a UN Global
Compact logo requires permission in advance from the UN Global Compact
Office. Please become familiar with the Logo Policy before requesting permission.
To
seek approval for use of a UN Global Compact logo:
- Login to the Participant Administration section
of the UN Global Compact website using your organizations username and
password (www.unglobalcompact.org/admin).
- Go to the Submissions tab and click on Logo
Request.
- Complete the request form and upload a sample
of desired use.
- Await response from the UN Global Compact Office,
which will typically take no more than three days.
9. Participant Status: New Signatories, COPs and Delistings
In January, 120 companies and 29 non-business stakeholders joined
the UN Global Compact. JCPenney (US), Merck & Co., Inc. (US), Post
Danmark A/S (Denmark), Syngenta International AG (Switzerland), Yokogawa
Electric Corporation (Japan) and Lenovo (China) were among the largest
companies to join during the month. 173 Communications on Progress (COPs)
were received, and 26 companies were delisted for failing to communicate on
progress.
Total
figures as of 31 January:
- Business participants: 5,043
- Non-business participants: 1,620
- COPs received: 5,003
- Delisted business participants: 824
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
ENGAGEMENT
OPPORTUNITIES
* Engagement
opportunities are intended for Global Compact signatories unless
otherwise indicated *
1. Vote Human Rights
Which human rights risks are most challenging for business in
your sector? The UN Global Compact and the Danish Institute for Human Rights
have developed a quick exercise to advance understanding of human rights
risks that UN Global Compact participants have found most difficult to
address. Results will be compiled into a top 10 list for each sector with
explanations of each issues relevance. The exercise is easy to complete and
is anonymous. More.
Vote
today: http://www.unglobalcompact.org/Issues/human_rights/Vote_Human_Rights.html.
2. Support United Nations Relief Efforts in Gaza
In the UN Global Compact spirit of shared responsibility for a better world,
participants are asked to consider supporting United Nations relief efforts,
particularly related to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The United Nations
seeks additional resources to help the civilian population in critical ways,
including providing access to safe drinking water, fuel for power generation
of hospitals, emergency shelter and food. The UN Central Emergency Response
Fund (CERF) is the United Nations central donation facility, collecting
contributions year-round to help ensure that funds are on hand to allow for
immediate relief in emergencies. The UN Global Compact Office wishes to thank
companies that have already provided generous support.
Donations
can be made on the CERF website: http://cerf.un.org
3. Combat Human Trafficking Risks in the Supply Chain
Companies can avoid the risk of human trafficking by taking steps
to make it harder for traffickers to use their products, premises or
services, and by helping raise awareness. A number of businesses in the
travel, tourism and technology sectors have introduced diverse measures to
combat the problem. More information on Human Trafficking.
The aim
of this survey is to learn more about company policies, capacity-building and
other needs on the topic of human trafficking in global supply chains. The
survey should take less than 5 minutes to complete and is anonymous.
Take
the survey: http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB228RLSTCZKP
4. More Opportunities: Calls for examples, Caring for Climate,
and more
Many of the engagement opportunities announced in past issues of
the Bulletin are still open for interested parties, including the invitation
to join Caring for Climate, signing the CEO Statement on Human Rights, and
calls for examples and information on a variety of topics.
View the full list of Engagement Opportunities.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
FEATURED RESOURCES
1. Future Proof Embedding Environmental, Social and Governance
(ESG) Issues in Investment Markets:
Summarizes the strategic outcomes of the Who Cares Wins Initiative, a series
of working conferences and financial industry consultations that took place
between 2004 and 2008. The report, released by the International Finance
Corporation, the UN Global Compact and the Swiss government, proposes a
number of actions to further integrate ESG issues into mainstream investment
decision-making and ownership practices. Download.
2. Fighting Corruption through Collective Action A Guide
for Business: Outlines options for combating market
corruption based on how to examples from many regions and sectors. Launched
by the World Bank Institute and a consortium of businesses and
non-governmental organizations, this guide includes a range of tools that help
users to tailor collective action frameworks to their specific circumstances
and needs. Download. Access
Business Fighting Corruption website.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
EVENTS
1. Invitation: Advancing Womens Position in the Global
Marketplace (5 March, New York): UN Global
Compact participants are invited to join in the celebration of International
Women's Day by participating in an interactive event at UN Headquarters in
New York on 5 March 2009. The event, limited to 100 participants, will
focus on identifying good examples of efforts to advance gender equality
related to the workplace, supply chain or through other means, as well as how
the UN Global Compact can scale up such efforts. Draft agenda.
For
more information, to register or to submit case examples, please contact
Felicity Simons ( simonsf@un.org ).
2. Registration Reminder: World Business Summit on Climate
Change (24 26 May, Copenhagen) : The chief
executives of all Caring for Climate companies have been invited to attend
the World Business Summit on Climate Change, taking place on 24-26 May 2009
in Copenhagen. Held six months prior to the UN climate conference (COP 15),
this summit will bring business together with the world's top scientists,
economists, civil society representatives, media leaders and government
officials to put forward recommendations for the next international framework
on climate change.
Caring
for Climate participants are asked to register at the event website:
http://www.copenhagenclimatecouncil.com/world-business-summit.html
For a complete list of
2009 events, please visit the Event Calendar on our website.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Read the Bulletin, be
informed and stay engaged!
Provide feedback and suggestions: bulletin@unglobalcompact.org
Published by
the United Nations Global Compact on 5 February 2009
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