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VIII Annual Local Networks Forum |
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New York Marriott Marquis
Soren Petersen
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The annual meeting brought together Global Compact Local Network focal points and company representatives to share experiences and network. Typically a two-day meeting, this year’s abridged forum focused on obtaining Local Network endorsement of: (i) the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRSI) and (ii) the publication “An Introduction to Linkages between UN Global Compact Principles and ISO 26000 Core Subjects.” |
2nd Global Forum for Responsible Management Education |
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McNally Auditorium, Lincoln Center Campus, Fordham University, New York City
Jonas Haertle
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Building on the insights and experiences of participating business schools from around the world, the 2nd Global Forum for Responsible Management Education was a central event of the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) initiative. Management educators committed to update education for the challenges and opportunities of sustainability and corporate citizenship met to discuss their progress. |
Sixth Meeting of the Global Compact Working Group on Anti-Corruption |
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New York Marriott Marquis
Olajobi Makinwa
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Members reviewed progress made on key areas by sub-groups, explored additional engagement opportunities, and discussed the anti-corruption agenda at the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit. Feedback on the work of the Working Group, its task forces and tools developed has been largely positive. There has also been a common agreement on the need for a push towards effective implementation at the ground level through more synergetic efforts among participants (private/public/civil society – collective action). Lastly, the role of media, Local Networks and new forms of accountability have been explored and highlighted as key drivers for a full embracement of the 10th principle. |
2nd Meeting of the Global Compact Advisory Group on Supply Chain Sustainability |
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New York Marriott Marquis
Cecilie Hultmann
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The members of the advisory group discussed basic as well as advanced approaches to sustainable supply chain management from a global perspective, and the importance of the Global Compact continuing work in this area. The advisory group also discussed the launch of deliverables for the Leaders Summit; which included an implementation guide, an online assessment and learning tool and a supply chain website. |
Launch of New Global Compact Tools for Local Networks and Participants |
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New York Marriott Marquis
Ole Hansen
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Two new Global Compact resources were introduced: The Global Compact Self Assessment Tool (a joint initiative by the Confederation of Danish Industries, the Danish Institute for Human Rights, the Danish Ministry of Economic and Business Affairs, and the Danish Industrialisation Fund for Developing Countries) and the Global Compact Dilemma Game (sponsored by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, developed by Responsible Business Solutions and produced by TopToy). Each will help companies both to better understand the issues covered by the Global Compact and to prioritize the challenges that they may face. |
New York Korea Night 2010 |
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Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea
Donna Chung
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Co-hosted by the Global Compact Network Korea and the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations, this event provided an opportunity for Korean business leaders attending the Global Compact Leaders Summit to interact and network with other global figures. The event highlighted Global Compact activities in the Republic of Korea and celebrated Korean culture, and the UN Foundation presented how companies can advance the UN–business partnerships in support of the Millennium Development Goals. At the event H.E. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon praised the development of the Global Compact Local Network in Korea. |
Leaders Breakfast on Business and Human Rights: Looking Ahead to the Next Ten Years |
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New York Marriott Marquis
Soren Petersen
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Hosted by the Institute for Human Rights and Business, the Global Business Initiative on Human Rights, and the Global Compact Network Netherlands (GCNL). The panel, moderated by Mary Robinson (Board Member of the UN Global Compact) featuring esteemed panelists including Professor John Ruggie (UN Special Representative on business and human rights), discussed the United Nations framework for Business and Human Rights (“Protect, Respect and Remedy”) and how governments and companies can benefit from and support it. New publications on human rights due diligence were also formally launched by the Institute.
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Advancing implementation of Corporate Social Responsibility in Asia-Pacific: Creating Partnerships |
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New York Marriott Marquis
Marit Nilses
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Organized by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Global Compact Local Networks in the Asia-Pacific region. CEOs and Government representatives from the region discussed how companies, Governments, NGOs and international organizations in the region can work together to advance implementation of corporate sustainability. The focus was on identifying specific areas/issues/sectors where Governments can have a positive impact, and what role Global Compact local and regional networks can play to facilitate region-wide collaboration and public–private partnerships.
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Breakfast – Water: A Business Imperative |
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New York Marriott Marquis
Stephen Kenzie
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Hosted by Diageo Plc, an endorser of the UN Global Compact's CEO Water Mandate, and the International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF), this session presented the outcomes of a regional initiative that brought stakeholders together in a series of business-led roundtables held across Africa to identify local water challenges and seek opportunities for collective action. |
Low-Carbon Leaders: Transformative Solutions for a Low-Carbon Future |
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New York Marriott Marquis
Jayoung Park
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Hosted by the Caring for Climate (C4C) Initiative and WWF, this event focused on transformative solutions that C4C signatories are implementing to save energy, reduce emissions and ensure a low-carbon future. Panellists and interactive discussions among business leaders highlighted opportunities and barriers to scaling up low-carbon technologies and solutions. The "Low-Carbon Leaders Project" - an open source, multimedia platform aimed at capturing and sharing solutions – was also presented during the event. |
Putting Labour Principles into Practice at Times of Crisis |
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New York Marriott Marquis
Githa Roelans
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This side event was hosted by the Global Compact Labour Working Group and the International Labour Organization (ILO) and focused on the impact of the recent financial and economic crisis on companies’ commitment to implement the four UN Global Compact labour principles: freedom of association and the effective right to collective bargaining; elimination of forced or compulsory labour; effective abolition of child labour; elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation. ILO experts provided information on current trends and new ILO tools available for companies on the labour principles. |
Private Sector-Led Strategy for Investment & Sustainable Development of Haiti |
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New York Marriott Marquis
Jonathan Cloud
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Hosted by the United Nations Association of Haiti, UNA-USA/Business Council for the UN and Fairleigh Dickinson University, in collaboration with the Clinton Foundation. In this forum, new methods were discussed for collaborative partnership investing, including leveraging public sector financing for infrastructure development, Diaspora participation, and creating a network economy to facilitate capital flow in order to foster the development of secure and sustainable opportunities in Haiti. |
Operationalizing the Global Compact Human Rights Principles |
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New York Marriott Marquis
Kelly Scott
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Organized by the Institute for Human Rights and Business and the Global Compact Network Netherlands (GCNL) in collaboration with the Global Compact Office. The workshop presented two new human rights publications for business: “The ‘State of Play’ of Human Rights Due Diligence: Anticipating the Next Five Years,” by the Institute, and “How to do business with respect for human rights: a guidance tool for companies,” by GCNL. Examples were shared by companies and the Global Compact Office on how to support human rights and consider human rights due diligence. |
Challenges and Opportunities in Implementing Collective Action Against Corruption |
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New York Marriott Marquis
Issel Masses
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Members of the WG discussed main themes on Collective Action (CA). First, the panel presented the business case to go beyond improving internal controls and engage in Collective Action, thus unite efforts and strengthen the fight against corruption. Implementation challenges of CA have been addressed by providing specific examples from Russia, Italy, Afghanistan, and Senegal. Among other themes and issues raised, the panel also discussed the business case and role of SMEs in Collective Action and emphasized the important role international organizations. |
UN Global Compact and Global Reporting Initiative – Creating a Value Platform for Sustainability |
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New York Marriott Marquis
Pietro Bertazzi
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The session highlighted the important collaboration between the UNGC and GRI, regarding the agreed terms of the Memorandum of Understanding signed on 28 May 2010 at the Amsterdam Global Conference on Sustainability and Transparency. Speakers included Prof. Mervyn King S.C. (Chairman GRI), Sir Mark Moody-Stuart (Chairman, Foundation for the Global Compact) and Mr. Alberto Andreu Pinillos (Managing Director on Corporate Reputation & Corporate Responsibility, Telefonica)
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Breakfast on Global Economic Ethic Manifesto |
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New York Marriott Marquis
Sabina Matter
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The Global Economic Ethic Manifesto, launched in 2009, outlines values and ethical standards around the concepts of humanity, non-violence and respect for life, justice and solidarity, honesty and tolerance, and mutual esteem and partnership. The manifesto focuses on individual morality complementing the UN Global Compact, which sets principles for companies. Breakfast participants discussed the operational implications of the manifesto with Hans Küng, Josef Wieland and Klaus M. Leisinger. |
Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) - Global Compact Breakfast on Enhancing Investor-Company Engagement |
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New York Marriott Marquis
Christina Zimmermann
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The PRI Initiative, launched by the UN Global Compact and UNEP Finance Initiative in 2006 and now with over 730 signatories, has successfully facilitated investor engagements with companies of the UN Global Compact work streams such as the Communication on Progress (COP), CEO Water Mandate, the 10th Principle on Anti-corruption, and Responsible Business in Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas. As the Global Compact celebrated its tenth anniversary, PRI signatories and Global Compact companies joined together to discuss the current state of shareholder engagement on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues.
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Corporate Citizenship in Latin America: A Road to Sustainability |
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New York Marriott Marquis
Diana Chavez Varela
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CEOs from companies with operations in Latin America met to talk about the trends and challenges of corporate citizenship and their strategy to achieve sustainability. Organized by Barcelona Center for the Support of the Global Compact Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Support Center for the Global Compact.
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Presentation: Ethical Guidelines of Norway’s Sovereign Wealth Fund |
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New York Marriot Marquis
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Director General of the Norwegian Ministry of Finance, Mr. Martin Skancke, presented the Norwegian Government Pension Fund and its ethical guidelines. The Norwegian Government Pension Fund is the second largest sovereign wealth fund in the world, with 445 billion USD market value as of December 2009. Ethical guidelines for the management of the fund were established in 2004, prohibiting investments that contribute to violations of fundamental ethical norms, human rights and environmental degradation. |
Leaders Breakfast on Business and Climate Change: Aligning Policy Engagement with Sustainability Efforts |
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New York Marriott Marquis
Jayoung Par
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Hosted by the UN Global Compact’s Caring for Climate Initiative and Oxfam International, this event focused on concrete strategies to strengthen the progressive business voice on international and national climate and energy policy. The panel discussion was centered on the wider frame of aligning companies’ public policy engagement with their responsibility and sustainability commitments. Mr. Adrián Fernandez, President, National Institute of Ecology, Mexico made a special remark urging businesses to lead the way forward in process negotiations ahead of COP16 and to amplify the business voice to advance the climate change agenda. |
Innovation for the Base of the Pyramid |
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New York Marriott Marquis
Ole Hansen
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The event featured short introductory interventions on the potential for the private sector to develop market-based solutions to meeting global social and environmental challenges as well as on the needs at the base of the pyramid, followed by an open floor discussion. The side event was hosted by the Confederation of Danish Industries, the Danish Ministry for Economy and Business Affairs and Global Compact Nordic Network. The meeting was opened by the Danish Minister for Economy and Business Affairs, Brian Mikkelsen, and moderated by the CEO and General Director of the Confederation of Danish Industry, Hans Skov Christensen.
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Global Compact Board Lunch Meeting |
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New York Marriott Marquis
Da Woon Chung
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Members of the Global Compact Board will reflect on the outcomes of the Leaders Summit. |
Lunch: Making Human Rights Work for Business – Latest Standards and Guidance Tools |
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New York Marriott Marquis
Yann Wyss
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Hosted by IFC, International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF) and the Global Compact, this session featured the revised version of the Guide to Human Rights Impact Assessment and Management and demonstrated how it will help companies better assess and address the human rights risks and impacts in their operations; improve due diligence; and meet the new requirements in the draft, updated IFC Performance Standards. Speakers included John Ruggie, Special Representative on Business and Human Rights; Motoko Aizawa, Advisor, Business Advisory Services Vice-Presidency, IFC; Graham Baxter, Acting CEO, IBLF and Ursula Wynhoven, Head, Policy & Legal, UN Global Compact.
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