Global Compact Launches in Chicago
(New York, 23 June 2006) - On 22-23 June the Global Compact Office, as part of its growing activities in the U.S. market, co-convened the “Midwest Conference on Corporate Responsibility” in partnership with the University of Illinois and two area companies, Abbot and Caterpillar.
The conference, held at the Union League Club in downtown Chicago, attracted more than 100 participants from the private sector, civil society, government and academia – and is believed to be the largest event held in the Chicago region on the topic of corporate citizenship.
The event featured a range of plenary events and breakout sessions covering the integration of principles into management systems; responsible investment; and perspectives on “Why Global Citizenship Is Everybody’s Business”.
In his keynote address, Gavin Power, senior advisor of the Global Compact, stated: “This conference is a clear sign of the importance of the tenets of this gathering movement, whose drivers include a desire to build trust and sustainable markets, including emerging economies; globalization and related outsourcing and logistics trends that have raised a host of new environmental, social and corporate governance issues and challenges; and the need to respond to the priorities of stakeholders, including investors”.
Mr. Power said the recent launch of the UN Principles for Responsible Investment, which today includes assets of approximately $5 trillion, reflects the growing importance of corporate citizenship and “should be welcome news to the many corporate responsibility leaders who have been waiting for the mainstream financial markets to recognize and reward their good performance”.
Please click here for agenda of meeting .
Please click here for speech by Gavin Power
.
Please contact Gavin Power (powerg@un.org ) for more information on this subject.
