Frequently Asked Questions: Civil Society and the UN Global Compact

1) Why should civil society participate in the Global Compact?
2) What is the level of civil society participation in the Global Compact?
3) How can my organization participate?
4) How are civil society organizations defined for the purposes of the Global Compact?
5) Can a civil society organization seek funding from the Global Compact participants – for example, from business or the United Nations?
6) Are civil society organizations required to report progress?
7) Who verifies the performance of business participants?
8) How can organizations convey comments/complaints/recommendations to the Global Compact?
9. Does the Global Compact aim to ensure that companies that win United Nations’ tenders are operating, at least to some extent, in line with the Global Compact principles?
10) Are Global Compact participants accused of “violations” of any of the ten principles expelled from the initiative?
11) Does the Global Compact engage small and medium-sized enterprises in the initiative?
FAQs

‘In the beginning, some voiced skepticism about the United Nations working together with business. Today, I think we can say that the Global Compact has lived up to its promise – bringing business together with other stakeholders, and infusing markets and economies with universal values’

United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon
Global Compact Leaders Summit, Geneva, July 2007

1. Why should civil society participate in the Global Compact?

The Global Compact encourages active and constructive engagement by civil society organizations in all its activities. There is wide international consensus that today’s global problems are too complex for any one sector to solve alone – collective action is required. In this regard, civil society organizations contribute much needed perspectives and expertise that can differ from those of other participants and stakeholders – the United Nations, business, labour, and academia.

Participating civil society organizations, especially NGOs, offer their expertise in the development of tools; initiate and provide research; lobby for change; and assist business participants in implementing the principles. More broadly, civil society organizations hold business accountable with respect to their commitments to the ten principles.

2. What is the level of civil society participation in the Global Compact?

Four members of the Global Compact Board are representatives of civil society, while approximatley 60 per cent of Global Compact Local Networks include civil society organization participants – although variations exist in terms of the levels of engagement and participation from one Local Network (LINK TO LN) to another. Local Networks are strongly encouraged to engage with civil society organizations as participants and stakeholders. All told, almost 400 civil society organizations are involved in the initiative at some level.

3. How can my organization participate?

The Global Compact facilitates and encourages participation by civil society organizations that have a commitment to social and environmental concerns, or in other words, the ten principles. Civil society and other non-business organizations can participate through a number of Global Compact engagement mechanisms including events, working groups, local networks, and partnership projects. To initiate their engagements, non-business participants are required to commit their organizations to the ten principles and are encouraged to report to their stakeholders on progress made within their organization.

Prospective civil society organizations and NGOs must send a sign-on letter (LINK) indicating their support of the ten principles and their willingness to engage. More specifically, the prospective participant agrees to assist business participants in implementing the principles; to explore opportunities to partner with business participants; to disseminate information on the Global Compact principles.

The prospective civil society organizations or NGO must also provide information about their organization by completing a standard form (LINK).

4. How are civil society organizations defined for the purposes of the Global Compact?

Civil society organizations are non-governmental and non-profit entities that seek to bring about positive social and environmental change. These include advocacy groups as well as organizations operating at the field level. Civil society organizations can be “multi-national” and international in nature, or small grass-roots groups.

The definition of civil society organizations used by the Global Compact does not include the private sector, academia, labour, or municipalities. The engagement platforms for these other actors in the Global Compact can be found on the Global Compact website www.unglobalcompact.org/

5. Can a civil society organization seek funding from Global Compact participants – for example, from business or the United Nations?

The Global Compact is not a funding platform or mechanism. It does not ask business participants or other stakeholders to fund another organization. Rather, the focus is on the implementation of the ten principles through engagement and collective action.

6. Are civil society organizations required to report progress?

The Global Compact expects all its participants and stakeholders to work towards the implementation of the ten principles. All organizations are encouraged to communicate their progress in advancing the principles to their stakeholders, especially through a Communication on Progress (LINK). Although this is not a strict requirement for civil society organizations, such a communication is encouraged.

7. Who verifies the performance of business participants?

The Global Compact is a learning platform. It is not a compliance-driven initiative. However, the initiative focuses on enhancing public accountability by encouraging companies to be transparent about their progress in implementing the principles, via the Communications on Progress. Civil society organizations are encouraged to monitor, verify and evaluate performance of participants with a view to discussing their findings with the companies and working with them to address concerns. The Global Compact encourages social vetting.

The Global Compact’s Integrity Measures as well as the Communication on Progress policy were developed with inputs from civil society organizations. For more on the Global Compact’s Integrity Measures and Communication on Progress see www.unglobalcompanct.org.

8. How can organizations convey comments/complaints/recommendations to the Global Compact?

The Integrity Measures provide guidance in this area, and are available at www.unglobalcompact.org.

Participants can also send comments and recommendations to the Global Compact Senior Civil Society Coordinator at makinwa@un.org.

9. Does the Global Compact aim to ensure that companies that win United Nations’ tenders are operating, at least to some extent, in line with the Global Compact principles?

Companies bidding for contracts with the United Nations are explicitly encouraged to abide by the Global Compact principles. However, not being a participant in the Global Compact does not put a company doing business with the United Nations at a disadvantage, or vice-versa.

10. Are Global Compact participants accused of “violations” of any of the ten principles expelled from the initiative?

Excluding a participant from the initiative is a last resort option. The focus of the Global Compact and its Integrity Measures are to promote continuous improvement. If a company repeatedly fails to communicate on progress, misuses the name or logo of the Global Compact, or refuses to engage in dialogue under the Integrity Measures, it can be listed as non-communicating and removed from the Global Compact website. In serious cases, a company can be de-listed.

For more information, see the Integrity Measures and Communication on Progress at www.unglobalcompact.org/

11. Does the Global Compact engage small and medium-sized enterprises in the initiative?

Small and medium-sized enterprises are an important part of the initiative and constitute approximately 30 per cent of participants. Due to administrative constraints, organizations with less than ten direct employees (micro enterprise) are not entered into the participants’ database. However, the Global Compact encourages micro enterprises to stay informed about all Global Compact activities via this website and to engage with Global Compact Local Networks in their countries. Network information can be found in the “Networks Around the World” section of this website www.unglobalcompact.org/

‘All of us have a stake in getting these relationships right. So let us work together to make the right choices – choices that will bring meaningful change to billions of people around the world.’
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, New York, January 2007

(Last Update 12 December 2007)