Meeting with the UN Secretary-General, Mexican Businesses Commit to Making Local Global Compact Network a Reference for Best Practice

(Mexico City, 4 August 2008) – On the occasion of his first official visit to Mexico, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon met with leading business champions of the Mexican Global Compact Network in Mexico City today.

The 18 executives made a commitment to take the Network, which is one of the world’s largest, to its next level of development and create a truly business-led, nationally owned, multi-stakeholder platform for corporate responsibility. In a Mexico Declaration presented during the meeting, participating companies pledged to position the Global Compact Mexico Network as a platform to:

• advance the UN Global Compact and the implementation of the ten universal principles throughout the Mexican business and social environment;
• strengthen the role of the Network in facilitating multi-stakeholder partnerships and collective action with other companies; and
• engage in advocacy and policy dialogues on global challenges, including climate change and the Millennium Development Goals.

Addressing the group, the Secretary-General stressed that “[w]hen companies work hard to uphold human rights, workplace standards, environmental protection and corporate governance, we can be confident that progress will be made in the fight to better our societies and our world.” He also noted that a “vibrant business community greatly improves the chances of raising living standards, combating health epidemics, achieving equality and protecting the environment.” He further commended the Mexican Network for its “focus on training sessions and developing materials, helping to ensure that Mexican signatories to the Compact ‘walk the talk’ and are equipped to act on their commitments to engage responsibly.”

Attending the meeting were senior executives of the following Mexican and multinational corporations: ASUR, Agricola Chaparral, Bombardier, Cemex, Cinepolis, Compañía Mexicana de Aviación, Grupo Gigante, Grupo Marhnos, Grupo Inverlat Scotiabank, Iberdrola, IXE Grupo Financiero, MVS Radio, Parque Xcaret, Petrobras, Petróleos Mexicanos, Pfizer, Pricewaterhouse Coopers and Via Delphi.

Contact

Diana Chávez
Focal Point for Global Compact Network Mexico
diana.chavez@undp.org.mx
+52 (55) 5263 9756