Global Compact Advisory Council Endorses Strategic Approach
2003-01-27
On 16 January 2003, the Global Compact Advisory Council convened its third
meeting, held at UN Headquarters in New York. The meeting was chaired by U.N.
Deputy Secretary-General Louise Frechette and brought together 20 members (or
designated representatives) of the Advisory Council (AC) representing business,
labour, civil society and academia. Secretary-General Kofi Annan met with
council members during lunch.
The main objective of the meeting was to review strategies.
The meeting focused on the following issues:
- Broadening Corporate Commitment, particularly the role of annual financial
reports;
- Mission and Roles of Actors (see attachment); and
- The Leadership Challenge: Planning for a High-Level Meeting.
The meeting resulted in:
- Wide support for the new strategic approach, particularly that
participating companies – in exchange for the Global Compact’s elimination of
the formal requirement of annual submissions – henceforth use their annual
report and/or other prominent public corporate reports (e.g., sustainability
reports) to describe the actions taken in support of the Global Compact and
all of its nine principles.
- The importance of the Local Networks was fully appreciated and the Global
Compact Office was asked to ensure greater involvement of global actors in
national events and Local Networks.
- Recommendation that Policy Dialogue topics should have a clear relation to
the nine principles of the Global Compact.
- The council held extensive and constructive deliberations on the following
issues: i) Transparency/Corruption; ii) developing capacities to handle
complaints; and iii) a high-level meeting in 2004. Building on these
discussions, the Global Compact Office was requested to prepare relevant
concept papers for the next Advisory Council meeting for fuller deliberations
and action.
Please click here for a list of current Advisory Council
members.
Please click here to access "Mission and Roles of Actors"
document.
