Today UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon remarked at the United Nations Global Compact Board meeting in New York the importance that the principles of the Global Compact are accepted by more businesses around the world. The United Nations 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.
First consideration of Ban Ki-Moon regarded the growing of Compact’s membership. “It is important that the principles of the Global Compact are accepted by more businesses around the world” Ki-Moon claimed. Until now UN has reached 6000 companies in 135 countries even though a goal of 20000 companies has been set by 2020. “Reaching a critical mass will be essential if we are to help retool markets and economies towards sustainability” he continued ve “Today’s issues are highly complex and interconnected – specifically in areas such as energy, food and water.
This can be a difficult landscape for business to navigate”. In the agenda there is also a program for “Rio+20” United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in June next year where the UN Secretary General will undertake major initiatives ensuring that icorporate sustainability has a high profile. Mr Ban Ki-moon has just been appointed by United Nations General Assembly to a second consecutive term as the Secretary-General of the 192-member Organization.
The second term will run from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2016. Ban Ki-moon said at United Nations General Assembly that the UN had “laid a firm foundation for the future” on a number of issues since he assumed office, including climate change, nuclear disarmament, education, sustainable development and global health. We are on track to eliminate deaths from malaria. With a final push, we can eradicate polio, just as we did smallpox long ago. We have shielded the poor and vulnerable against the greatest economic upheaval in generations.” He encouraged then claiming “We knew then – and more so now – that we live in an era of integration and inter-connection, a new era when no country can solve all challenges on its own and where every country should be part of the solution. That is the reality of the modern world. We can struggle with it, or we can lead.”
*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 TEN PRINCIPLES 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.