UN GLOBAL COMPACT BULLETIN

JUNE 2009

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NEWS & UPDATES

1. Global Business Leaders Call for Ambitious Climate Treaty
2. Secretary-General Urges Business to Push for Comprehensive Global Climate Agreement
3. CEOs Call for Greater Adherence to UN Convention Against Corruption   
   
4. Twenty Climate-Neutral Companies Join Caring for Climate
   
5. Nordic Network Meets with UN Secretary-General
6. Local Network Launched in Australia
7. Participant Status: New Signatories, COPs and Delistings

ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES

1. CEO Letter on Anti-Corruption: Join the Campaign Today
2. World Day Against Child Labour: Mark the Day
3. Anti-Corruption Reporting Guidance: Participate in Field Test
   
4. Integrating Human Rights into Business Management: Consultation Draft for Review
5. More Opportunities: GCLead Retreat, Business Empowerment of Women, Caring for Climate, Vote Human Rights and more

FEATURED RESOURCES

1. Caring for Climate Series
   
2. Caring for Climate: Nordic Best Practice
   
3. Climate Change and the Global Water Crisis: What Businesses Need to Know and Do
4. The Corporate Responsibility to Respect Human Rights: Briefing on the work of the special representative of the Secretary-General on business and human rights
5. Women’s Principles: Translated in All UN Languages
6. Global Compact Blog – Perspectives on Sustainability  
   

EVENTS

Please visit the Event Calendar on our website to learn more about the listed events, including intended audience and availability.

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NEWS & UPDATES

1. Global Business Leaders Call for Ambitious Climate Treaty
The World Business Summit on Climate Change (Copenhagen, 24-26 May) was convened by the Copenhagen Climate Council, in cooperation with the Global Compact and five other organizations. The event gathered 650 participants to discuss how companies can help solve the climate crisis through innovative business models, new partnerships and the development of low-carbon technologies.

On the Summit’s closing day, business leaders issued the “Copenhagen Call” appealing for a new global climate treaty that sets bold targets for emissions reductions by 2020 and 2050, which would profoundly affect business. The Call states that business leaders stand ready to make those changes and encourage ambitious political decisions which safeguard the planet and support economic recovery. More. Download the Copenhagen Call.

2. Secretary-General Urges Business to Push for Comprehensive Global Climate Agreement
Delivering opening remarks at the World Business Summit on Climate Change (Copenhagen, 24 May), the Secretary-General urged global business leaders to green the global economy by taking actions such as reducing emissions, mitigating harmful practices and investing in innovative green solutions. 

He also emboldened business leaders to press their governments to comprehensively address climate change, stating: “You must make it clear to your leaders that doing the right thing for the climate is also the smart thing for global competitiveness and long-term prosperity.” In a strong appeal to CEOs, he argued: “For those who are directly or implicitly lobbying against climate action I have a clear message: your ideas are out of date, and you are running out of time. What the fence sitters and the skeptics fail to understand is that climate change fundamentally changes the 21st century balance sheet.” Read speech.

3. CEOs Call for Greater Adherence to UN Convention against Corruption
CEOs from some of the world's leading companies have called on governments to more effectively and robustly implement the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC). In a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, CEOs indicated their support for UNCAC and provided ideas for an effective implementation review mechanism. The Secretary-General expressed deep appreciation for the leadership demonstrated by the corporate community. More. Join the Campaign.

4. Twenty Climate-Neutral Companies Join Caring for Climate
The Global Compact welcomed 20 Scandinavian companies as new signatories to Caring for Climate. The companies are a part of the “Climate-Neutral Companies” group which works to inspire businesses to anticipate the profound changes necessary to avert climate risks. To meet their commitment, the companies measured their direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions and within a year reduced emissions by a total of 33 percent. More.

5. Nordic Network Meets with UN Secretary-General
The CEOs of 19 companies participating in the Global Compact Nordic Network met with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (Copenhagen, 24 May). At the meeting, hosted by the Confederation of Danish Industries, the chief executives showcased best and emerging practices in tackling climate change, and discussed their climate goals. More.

6. Local Network Launched in Australia
The Global Compact formally launched the Australian Local Network at the tenth National Business Leaders Forum on Sustainable Development at Parliament House (Canberra, 28 May). Business and government representatives acknowledged the importance of formally developing responsible business practices, both locally and internationally, and that commitment to the Global Compact is a practical step toward this objective. More. 

7. Participant Status: New Signatories, COPs and Delistings
In May, 120 companies and 35 non-business stakeholders joined the Global Compact. 144 Communications on Progress (COPs) were received, and 19 companies were delisted for failing to communicate on progress.

The largest companies (by employee number) to join during the month were: Campbell Soup Company (USA), ALTRAN (France), Banco de Credito BCP (Peru), Magyar Telekom Plc. (Hungary), and Companhia Energetica de Minas Gerais (Brazil).

Total figures as of 31 May:

• Business participants: 5,181
• Non-business participants: 1,749
• COPs received: 5,686
• Delisted business participants: 888

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ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Opportunities are intended for Global Compact stakeholders unless otherwise indicated.

1. CEO Letter on Anti-Corruption: Join the Campaign Today
The United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) seeks to promote and strengthen measures to prevent and combat corruption. From a business perspective, UNCAC holds the potential to become the global framework for combating corruption. It is critical to call for political will and determined action by governments to put in place a mechanism to effectively review implementation of UNCAC. Chief executives are encouraged to sign a letter of support drafted jointly with the International Chamber of Commerce, Transparency International and the World Economic Forum PACI. More information.  Read the CEO Letter.

To indicate a CEO’s willingness to add his or her name to the anti-corruption letter, please send an email to uncac-letter@unglobalcompact.org.

2. World Day Against Child Labour: Mark the Day
The World Day Against Child Labour will be celebrated on 12 June 2009. when millions of people all over the world will unite to remind us of the plight of child labourers and what can be done to tackle it. World Day is an opportunity to celebrate progress made during the past ten years, while highlighting the continued challenges. This year there will be a special focus on the exploitation of girls in child labour.  More about World Day 2009.

Learn how companies and Global Compact Local Networks can mark World Day against Child Labour 2009.

3. Anti-Corruption Reporting Guidance: Participate in Field Test
A task force of the Global Compact Working Group on Anti-Corruption has developed a guidance document providing thorough and consistent reporting techniques for anti-corruption matters across companies. The guidance follows the anti-corruption management cycle from commitment to implementation to monitoring. A field test of the Reporting Guidance on the 10th Principle is being conducted on an anonymous basis through an online questionnaire open from 11 May – 24 July. The main purpose is to test the usefulness and user-friendliness of the guidance.

Please contact Olajobi Makinwa (makinwa@un.org) by 15 June to express interest in participating in the Field Test.

4. Integrating Human Rights into Business Management: Review Consultation Draft
The Guide to Integrating Human Rights into Business Management, an online tool produced jointly by the Business Leaders Initiative on Human Rights (BLIHR), the Global Compact and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), is currently open for consultation. The publication offers practical guidance to companies wanting to take a proactive approach to human rights within their business operations. The publication is open for an initial consultation period until 30 June 2009. Access the Guide.

To submit comments, please fill out the feedback form or send an email to globalcompact@un.org.  

5. More Opportunities: GCLead Retreat and Webinars, Business Empowerment of Women, Caring for Climate, Vote Human Rights and more
Many of the engagement opportunities announced in past issues of the Bulletin are still open for interested parties. View the full list of Engagement Opportunities

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FEATURED RESOURCES

1. Caring for Climate Series: Presents a broad range of perspectives on the roles of business, investors and governments in tackling climate change. The following reports are part of the Series:

• Best Practices and Policy Frameworks: the 2009 Survey of Caring for Climate Signatories. By GlobeScan.
• Energy Efficiency and Low Carbon Intensity: Are We Making Progress? By Yale University, School of Forestry & Environmental Studies and the Centre for Business and the Environment at Yale
• Change is Coming: A Framework for Climate Change - A Defining Issue of the 21st Century. By Goldman Sachs.
• Investor Leadership on Climate Change: An Analysis of the Investment Community's Role and Snapshot of Recent Investor Activity. By the Principles for Responsible Investment.
• Building a Green Recovery. By HSBC.
• Carbon Markets - the Simple Facts. By Mission Climat of Caisse des Dépots. 

2. Caring for Climate – Nordic Best Practice: Details 22 case studies from Nordic business signatories to Caring for Climate. Case studies cover five general strategies on business and climate change: life cycle assessment, reduce value chain impacts, promote renewable energy, increase energy efficiency, and responsible lobbying. Download.

3. Climate Change and the Global Water Crisis – What Businesses Need to Know and Do: Explores the linkages between climate change and water from both the scientific and corporate management perspectives. This white paper underscores the importance of addressing the interconnected environmental challenges in an integrated manner. Download.

4. The Corporate Responsibility to Respect Human Rights – A briefing on the work of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Business and Human Rights: Provides an overview of the policy framework for managing business and human rights challenges established by Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Business and Human Rights. Download. 

5. Women’s Principles Translated: To facilitate the ongoing consultation process around a set of practical principles for business on empowering women, the Global Compact and UNIFEM have translated the principles and consultation questions into all six UN languages.  Download.

The deadline for providing responses to the questions for reflection on business and the empowerment of women and other comments has been extended to 30 June 2009. Send responses to laraine.mills@unifem.org

6. Global Compact Blog – Perspectives on Sustainability: Updated frequently by our staff in New York, Perspectives on Sustainability serves up a fresh and timely mix of news and commentary on corporate responsibility trends and developments related to the Global Compact. The blog welcomes comments from registered users (subject to moderation).

To recommend readings and news that could be of interest to Perspectives readers, please send an email to gcblog@unglobalcompact.org. 

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Published 5 June 2009