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On 24 October, some 200 representatives of business, civil society,
government and academia gathered in Berlin to take stock of German Global
Compact activities. The event titled "Global Partnerships – from theory to
practice" was organized by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and
Development (BMZ), the Federal Foreign Office, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für
Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) and the German United Nations Association
(DGVN). It quickly emerged that the Global Compact has proved to be a versatile
learning platform. There was also broad agreement that the Global Compact as a
voluntary initiative has played a very useful role as a complement to existing
regulatory approaches. While pilot projects are making convincing progress and
several new "accession candidates" were recruited in Berlin, participants agreed
that particularly the small and medium enterprises that are so vital to the
German economy must be attracted in greater numbers.
In her
keynote address, Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, Minister for Economic Cooperation
and Development, emphasized not only the "moral authority" of the Global Compact
as a "coalition of common sense and responsibility", but also put her vision
into words: "A time will come, when the Global Compact will be a leading quality
standard among responsible enterprises. Companies that fail to comply with the
principles of the Global Compact will find it difficult to survive in the market
place. They will be branded as the dinosaurs of economic history, which have
failed to adapt to new, better conditions."
"We must learn to work
together," demanded Georg Kell, Executive Head of the Global Compact Office in
New York. "Thanks to BMZ and GTZ, we now have brand-new structures for this
cooperation." After three years of Global Compact activities, he saw positive
trends: GC networks have now been established in about 50 countries, and more
than 1,200 companies worldwide have become involved.
In addition
to Georg Kell, the opening panel included members of parliament Walter Riester
(SPD) and Claudia Roth (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen), BDI (Federation of German
Industries) foreign trade expert Dr. Claudia Wörmann, Prof. Dr. Dr. Sabine von
Schorlemer from the University of Dresden, Dr. Peter Eigen, Chairperson of
Transparency International and Heinz Putzhammer, member of the management board
of the German Trade Union Federation (DGB). The debate focussed on the
fundamental question whether existing voluntary commitments should be replaced
by binding rules for enterprises. "Voluntary commitments alone are not enough",
claimed Claudia Roth. "It is essential that we lay down concrete standards that
go a step further than voluntary commitment, so that compliance can be
required." Walter Riester echoed this notion: "Additional regulations such as
ILO standards or OECD guidelines are indispensable, in order to keep to the path
taken by the Global Compact." Resistance to more rules and regulations for the
implementation of the nine principles was voiced by the BDI. While stressing
that she fully embraced the introduction and implementation of social and
environmental standards, Claudia Wörmann believed that it should be left to the
companies themselves to decide what path they take to achieve these.
In several workshops, participants discussed successful
partnership projects to illustrate forms of corporate commitment in developing
countries and emerging economies. There was consensus that one of the future
tasks of the partners involved will be to develop models on the basis of the
pilot projects to help establish longer-term, sustainable structures. The
participants also recognized the need to strengthen decentralized structures –
national, regional or topic-specific Global Compact networks – in order to
ensure shorter paths between potential partners and helpers. It was encouraged
that each of the groups involved – the private sector, civil society,
politicians or academics - should take a critical look at their own contribution
and find new ways of thinking.
The organisers had set three goals:
to provide information about the activities of the Initiative and difficulties
encountered, to add impetus to the critical dialogue between private industry
and other stakeholders as repeatedly called for by Kofi Annan, and to recruit
more members from the ranks of the private sector. Participants were delighted
that all three objectives had been achieved. At the end of the meeting several
companies announced their intention of joining the Initiative.
"The Global Compact is not self-evident" summed up Kerstin Müller,
Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office. "It is an intellectual and a
practical challenge. No participant can fall back on previous experience. Many
components have been spontaneously called into being, and much must simply be
tested in practice."
For further information please contact Paula-Marie Hildebrandt at
the GTZ.
