GC Active Level

Companies at the GC Active level have submitted a COP that meets all minimum requirements, thereby demonstrating a commitment to progress and transparency. Through their practices, they have contributed to the Global Compact’s objective of broad business implementation of the ten principles and communication with external and internal stakeholders.

Qualification

The GC Active level includes all business participants that have submitted a COP on time, made it widely available to stakeholders and completed a self-assessment confirming that the COP contains all three of the following elements: 

• A statement by the chief executive expressing continued support for the Global Compact and renewing the company's ongoing commitment to the initiative and its principles.
• A description of practical actions (i.e., disclosure of any relevant policies, procedures, activities) that the company has taken (or plans to undertake) to implement the Global Compact principles in each of the four issue areas (human rights, labour, environment, anti-corruption).
  • Note: In cases where a COP does not address one or more of the four issue areas, an explanation must be provided ("Report or explain": e.g. criterion is deemed immaterial to the business, legal prohibitions, privacy considerations, competitive advantage).
• A measurement of outcomes (i.e., degree to which targets/performance indicators were met, or other qualitative or quantitative measurements of results).

Putting The Global Compact Management Model Into Practice

The COP is a tool for transparency and disclosure of companies’ efforts in implementing the Global Compact principles. In doing so, they are encouraged to follow the UN Global Compact Management Model, which guides companies through the process of formally committing to, assessing, defining, implementing, measuring, and communicating a corporate sustainability strategy based on the Global Compact and its principles.

Using the GRI to Communicate Directly With Stakeholders At the GC Active level, the Global Compact recommends the use of the GRI Guidelines to help participants communicate their progress directly to stakeholders and promote change through disclosure, transparency and stakeholder vetting. Companies at the GC Active level are encouraged to use the GRI G3 Guidelines and declare an Application Level, preferably Levels B or A.

Programme Activities

The Global Compact encourages GC Active participants to improve their policy implementation and increase transparency in order to progress toward GC Advanced level over the next reporting period. As an incentive, the Global Compact will monitor and publish companies’ self-assessed progress within the differentiation framework.

The Global Compact Office, in collaboration with Local Networks and other key partners, has training modules on Global Compact implementation and on communicating progress, as well as other resources to help participants achieve the GC Advanced level. Learn more about training opportunities.

The Global Compact will continue to work with the GRI to help participants at this level raise the quality of their stakeholder communications, and develop joint trainings and guidance materials to help companies communicate progress using the GRI Guidelines.

Contact

COP Team
UN Global Compact
cop@unglobalcompact.org

(Last updated: 28 February 2013)