UN GLOBAL COMPACT BULLETIN

SEPTEMBER 2009

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NEWS & UPDATES

1. Global Compact Clarifies Purpose and Scope of Integrity Measures
   
2. CEO Water Mandate Convenes During World Water Week
   
3. Work Underway by Expert Group on Responsible Investment in Conflict-Affected Countries
   
4. Participant Status: New Signatories, COPs and Delistings

ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES

1. Seal the Deal: Take Steps to Promote Effective Climate Agreement in Copenhagen
2. Global Climate Week: Participate in the Week’s Activities
3. CEO Letter on Anti-Corruption: Join the Campaign Today
   
4. Call for Examples: Dealing with Corruption in the Supply Chain
5. Call for Comment: Buyer Impacts on Labour Conditions in the Supply Chain
6. HIV/AIDS, Health, Privacy and Non-discrimination: Dilemma Workbook and Case Studies
7. Corporate Values and Culture Project: Submit Your Company’s Values Statement
   
8. More Opportunities: GCLead Retreat, Caring for Climate, Vote Human Rights and more

FEATURED RESOURCES

1. Report of the Global Compact Board Meeting (24 July 2009)
   
2. Embedding Human Rights in Business Practice: New Cases
   

EVENTS

1. Invitation: Financing Change, Changing Finance (22-23 October, Cape Town)
2. Invitation: Business and Human Rights Roundtable (5-6 Nov, New Delhi)
   

September
2nd UN Private Sector Forum: Climate Change (22 September, New York)

October
Implementing Labour Principles in Global Supply Chains: ILO Training for Social Auditors (12-14 October, Turin)
Financing Change, Changing Finance (22-23 October, Capetown)
GCLead Retreat – Crisis and New Scenarios for Global Compact Implementation (22–23 October, New York)

November
Why Responsible Business Conduct Matters: OECD-ESCAP Regional Conference on Corporate Responsibility (2-3 November, Bangkok)
Training Sessions on Human Rights, Adaptation to Climate Change (4-5 November, Berlin)
Business and Human Rights Roundtable (5-6 November, New Delhi)
3rd Session of the Conference of the States Parties to the UN Convention against Corruption (9–13 November, Doha)
China-Japan-Korea Global Compact Local Networks Roundtable (12-13 November, Seoul)

April 2010
B4E Business for Environment Global Summit 2010 (22–23 April, Seoul)

June 2010
2010 Global Compact Leaders Summit (24–25 June 2010, New York)

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 Compact Clarifies Purpose and Scope of Integrity Measures
Following a recommendation by the Global Compact Board at its July meeting (24 July, New York), the Global Compact Office has released a Board-approved “Frequently Asked Questions” document to clarify for external audiences the purpose and scope of the Global Compact Integrity Measures. More. Read the FAQ.

2. CEO Water Mandate Convenes during World Water Week
The CEO Water Mandate, in partnership with the Pacific Institute, convened its 4th working conference (16 – 18 August, Stockholm) during World Water Week. The conference included multi-stakeholder working sessions focusing on responsible corporate engagement in public policy, water and human rights, and water disclosure. Approximately 100 water experts and practitioners from business, civil society, the public sector and other interests attended. More.  

3. Work Underway by Expert Group on Responsible Investment in Conflict-Affected Countries
Over 40 members of the Global Compact Expert Group on Responsible Investment in Conflict-Affected Countries participated in a webinar (27 August) to discuss the development of a guidance document which will seek to clarify investor and external stakeholder expectations of business practices in conflict-affected countries. The group further refined the scope of the guidance document, scheduled for release at the Global Compact Leaders Summit in June 2010, and created sub-groups to lead in the drafting of sections on core business, strategic social investment, and engagement.

4. Participant Status: New Signatories, COPs and Delistings
In August, 61 companies and 42 non-business stakeholders joined the Global Compact. 153 Communications on Progress (COPs) were received, and 26 companies were delisted for failing to communicate on progress.

The largest companies (by employee number) to join during the month were: Coop (Switzerland), Evonik Industries AG (Germany), Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated (USA), TELE NORTE LESTE PARTICIPACOES S/A (Brazil), and Ness Technologies Inc. (Israel).

Total figures as of 31 August:

• Business participants: 5,141
• Non-business participants: 1,865
• COPs received: 6,159
• Delisted business participants: 973

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ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Opportunities are intended for Global Compact stakeholders unless otherwise indicated.

1. Seal the Deal!: Take Steps to Promote Effective Climate Agreement in Copenhagen
Seal the Deal! aims to galvanize political will and public support for reaching a comprehensive global climate agreement at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 15) in Copenhagen. We hope that your organization will make a strong statement of support and help us take the message to a wider audience, including those at the negotiating table. We are asking companies to: 1) Develop a short CEO testimonial on why we must Seal the Deal!, 2) Raise public awareness through marketing channels and 3) Responsibly lobby government. More on Seal the Deal!

2. Global Climate Week: Participate in the Week’s Activities
Global Climate Week (21-25 September 2009) will unite efforts calling for urgent action to combat climate change. Cities, organizations, groups and individuals are urged to mobilize their networks and take part. Climate Week will be marked by synchronized activities, such as “Go Green Day” and “Go Climate Neutral Day”, in more than 100 cities to encourage world leaders to seal a fair and effective climate agreement at the UN Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen this December.

Learn how to take part in Global Climate Week activities.

3. CEO Letter on Anti-Corruption: Join the Campaign Today
The UN 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 that governments 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. Support for the letter by a large group of companies will send a strong signal to the next Intergovernmental Working Group meeting which is scheduled for 31 August 2009 and the Conference of States Parties in Doha in November 2009. More information. Read the CEO Letter.

To indicate your CEO’s willingness to add his or her name to the anti-corruption letter, please send an email providing the company name, sector, country and CEO name to: uncac-letter@unglobalcompact.org.

4. Call for Examples: Dealing with Corruption in the Supply Chain
Global Compact companies are invited to submit brief case examples that highlight the customer-supplier relationship as it relates to corruption, to be featured in the upcoming publication “Fighting Corruption in the Supply Chain: A Guide for Customers and Suppliers”. The Global Compact is seeking innovative examples in the following areas: use of supplier codes of conduct; contract language; due diligence efforts; supplier training, auditing and monitoring; integration of anti-corruption measures into other aspects of supply chain management; and collective action to fight corruption among customers and suppliers. Cases may be published on an anonymous basis. 

For further information or to submit a case example, please email Olajobi Makinwa (makinwa@un.org) or Mark Snyderman (marksnyderman@gmail.com).

5. Call for Comment: Buyer Impacts on Labour Conditions in the Supply Chain
Comments are welcome on a draft note that offers practical guidance to business in its capacity as a buyer in order to promote better (and not risk undermining) labour conditions in the supply chain. The note was developed by Business for Social Responsibility for the Global Compact Human Rights Working Group's good practice forum. Download Draft Note.

Please send comments or questions to humanrights@unglobalcompact.org by 18 September.

6. HIV/AIDS, Health, Privacy and Non-discrimination: Dilemma Workbook and Case Studies
When operating in countries with a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS and poor health care systems, how does a competitive business respect the right to privacy and ensure non-discrimination against employees when implementing an effective and responsible disease management programme? This is the first of a series of human rights dilemma workbooks to be launched as part of the Global Compact Human Rights Solution Forum. More information. Download the workbook.  

Additional dilemma workbooks are being created on gender and non-discrimination, migrant workers, freedom of association and living wage. If your company is interested in contributing examples on these topics please contact: solutionsforum@maplecroft.com

7. Corporate Values and Culture Project: Submit your Values Statement
Aiming to identify corporate values and consider how they influence and enable sustainable decision-making by businesses, this project will develop an inventory of corporate values of Global Compact participants. We are seeking good examples of corporate value statements contained in mission statements, on websites, in annual or Corporate Citizenship reports, press releases, human resources manuals, etc.

Please submit your company's value statement to Project Director Chip Pitts at chip.pitts@att.net, with a copy to Lead Researcher Katharina Hermann at khermann@law.fordham.edu and Lauren Gula of the Global Compact Office gulal@un.org. The subject line of the email should read: “ Corporate Values”.

8. More Opportunities: GCLead Retreat, Caring for Climate, Vote Human Rights and more
Many of the engagement opportunities announced in past issues of the Bulletin are still active. View the full list of Engagement Opportunities

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FEATURED RESOURCES

• From Sustainability to Human Rights: A Case Study on Endesa/Endesa Brasil. Download. 
• Health and Safety at a Fertilizer Company in Pakistan. Download.
• The Ford Approach towards Human Rights and Business Integration. Download.

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EVENTS

1. Invitation: Financing Change, Changing Finance (22-23 October, Cape Town)
All Global Compact companies are invited to the UNEP FI 2009 Global Roundtable, supported by the Global Compact and PRI. The event will bring business together with financiers and investors to discuss and explore green market opportunities in a host of different sectors including energy, construction, cleantech, agri-business, infrastructure, water and extraction.

For more information or to register, please email the UNEP FI Secretariat (roundtable@unepfi.org) or visit www.unepfi.org/capetown.

2. Invitation: Business and Human Rights Roundtable (5-6 November, New Delhi)
Global Compact company representatives from South Asia and South-East Asia are invited to participate in the roundtable, which will provide the opportunity to discuss various issues regarding business and human rights. Participants will learn about practical steps to integrate human rights into business policies, processes and procedure by sharing experiences, questions, challenges and practices with fellow business leaders.

For more information or to register, please email roundtable@global-business-initiative.org

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Published 3 September 2009