Global Compact Board Prepares for Leaders Summit

What is the Global Compact?

As stated on its website 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.” It is a practical framework for the development, implementation, and disclosure of sustainability policies and practices, offering participants a wide spectrum of work streams, management tools and resources — all designed to help advance sustainable business models and markets with two complementary objectives: 

• Mainstream the ten principles in business activities around the world
• Catalyze actions in support of broader UN goals, including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

Its Board includes high-level representatives from business, civil society, labour and the UN and is chaired by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. 

Currently the work of the Global Compact is focused on the UN Post-2015 Development Agenda.

The business contribution to UN goals and objectives is at an all-time high and the Post-2015 Development Agenda provides an opportunity for business and the Global Compact to play a role in shaping the future priorities of the UN. Following the Rio+20 Corporate Sustainability Forum in June 2012, the UN Secretary-General has assigned the UN Global Compact “a position on a par with his High-Level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda and entities such as the inter-agency UN Development Group in contributing directly to the recommendations that he will submit to Member States.” Assessing the issues that comprise the UN development agenda and providing a role for business in the post-2015 process will help the Global Compact achieve its mission – to make corporate sustainability a transformative force in achieving a shared, secure and sustainable future.

The Global Compact Action Plan

To assure that the private sector perspective is incorporated into the UN Post-2015 Development Agenda, the Global Compact is undertaking the following activities:

• Supporting High-Level Panel: The Global Compact provides support to Mr. Paul Polman, CEO, Unilever, and Ms. Betty Maina, CEO, Kenya Association of Manufacturers and Network Representative, Global Compact Network Kenya, in their role as key business representatives on the Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel.
• Leveraging Global Compact LEAD: LEAD – a programme for advanced corporate sustainability practices – has developed a task force to review what themes a new set of global sustainable development objectives should contain; how they could be shaped as goals and targets; and how business can best be involved. To date, a symposium was held in November 2012 and a luncheon with the Secretary-General was convened during the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2013.
• Consulting Local Networks: Global Compact Local Networks are conducting consultations at the national and regional levels. Where possible, these efforts are undertaken in concert with Unilever and the UN Development Group.
• Gathering Thematic input: The Global Compact collaborates with other associations of socially and environmentally committed businesses to aggregate input to the post-2015 thought process.

The Global Compact, through its annual Implementation Survey, has collected feedback from over 1,700 companies regarding their perspectives on how business can contribute towards global development priorities.

The Global Compact is also represented on various UN Task Teams charged with developing input from the UN Secretariat and UN agencies. 

The Global Compact has appointed Klaus Leisinger, Chairman of the Novartis Foundation for Sustainable Development, as Special Advisor on the Post-2015 Development Agenda and Business Ethics. Brice Lalonde, former Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Coordinator of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, also serves as Special Advisor on Sustainable Development to the UN Global Compact.

 Input from the private sector has been submitted to the High-Level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda in March 2013 and to the Secretary-General in May 2013, whose report will be presented to Member States in time for the UN General Assembly in September 2013. 

The UN Global Compact Board met in New York from 6-7 May 2013, during which members: provided guidance on the future direction of the Compact; discussed the private sector contribution to the post-2015 development process, ahead of the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit to be held 19-20 September 2013 in New York; and focused on key priorities, including the ongoing Global Compact strategic review.

For further information see: http://www.unglobalcompact.org/Issues/partnerships/post_2015_development_agenda.html