This guide explores the role of the bond market – the largest asset class in the global financial markets – in the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With US$ 6.7 trillion of annual issuance, bonds can provide a cheap, reliable and scalable source of capital for a variety of stakeholders involved in the implementation of Agenda 2030, including companies, governments, cities and public-private partnerships. SDG bonds also provide an answer to the lack of SDG investment opportunities for institutional investors. A diverse portfolio of SDG Bonds, including sovereign, municipal, corporate and project bonds across developed and emerging markets could fulfill mainstream investors’ growing demand for impact while matching their risk-return appetite.

The private sector plays an essential role in humanitarian preparedness, response, and recovery efforts, but large numbers of independent actors - no matter how well intentioned - can introduce complexity and potential duplication of efforts, particularly when companies react in an ad hoc or uncoordinated way.  To deliver maximum impact, many forward-thinking companies have begun to forge private-sector networks. These networks of companies and local businesses collaborate in a country or region to strengthen their own risk preparedness and to mobilize and coordinate the private-sector response to an emergency.  The paper discusses the role of the private sector in disaster prevention, preparedness, response and recovery efforts and introduces ideas how companies can collaborate better to become more resilient themselves and reduce duplication and deliver maximum impact supporting humanitarian efforts.

Aimed at mobilizing the private sector to become a catalyst for enhancing and deepening country-level action to meet the ambitions set out by the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Building on the decade’s work of Caring for Climate, the platform will provide companies the opportunity to make progress on scaling responsible climate action that contributes to the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and national SDG plans. Practically, the platform seeks to provide a safe space for companies to review, re-align, and recalibrate their corporate goals, strategies, and public policy efforts to inform and ramp up climate ambition into the development plans of governments.

Companies and organizations are making tremendous strides in creating policies that support inclusive and diverse environments; however data shows that women, as well as other minority groups such as ethnic and/or racial minorities, persons with disabilities etc. continue to be underrepresented and face barriers to achieving their full potential. While there are several factors that contribute to this global reality, one factor that is often overlooked is the need to address unconscious biases and implicit associations that can form an unintended and often an invisible barrier, restricting a company’s gender equality policies and programmes from reaching their intended mark. To achieve truly inclusive business environments the Women's Empowerment Principles call on companies to take steps to uncover, raise awareness about, address and reduce unconscious biases throughout their organization, including at the management and leadership levels.

Explains in brief what inclusive business models are and how companies can address common external and internal constraints to their implementation. This primer also puts forward the business case for leveraging the unique perspectives and contributions of low-income people as consumers, employees and stakeholders in the value-chain and community.

The ‘5 x 5 stepping stones’ presented in this handbook have been developed based on the stories and strategies of NGOs, unions and child labour free zone members worldwide. The handbook shows that - in spite of poverty - it is really possible to get children out of work and into school. It can be used by community-based organisations, NGOs and unions, but is also insightful for companies and policymakers who want to learn about this innovative approach to stopping child labour.

Framed around the Children’s Rights and Business Principles, this webinar focuses particularly on the relevance these Principles have and the guidance they suggest for business seeking to respect and support children’s rights in their supply chains. The webinar also includes good practice examples from business.

Principle 3 of the Children’s Rights and Business Principles (CRBPs) indicates that all businesses should provide decent work for young workers, parents and caregivers. This webinar explored how companies can commit to supporting children’s rights by paying particular attention to the rights of young workers – who are above the minimum age of employment – as well as parents and caregivers. The discussion looked at what kind of support companies can provide to implement Principle 3, including provisions of safe working conditions for young workers, paid leave, breastfeeding and child care facilities, agile working hours, and the benefits of providing such support. The webinar also included specific examples from business.

Surveys and research, both within the UN Global Compact and externally, have shown that smaller and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face greater barriers than large companies in meeting sustainability standards, let alone taking actions to pursue and promote sustainability. SMEs often provide important services and products in the supply chain of larger companies and account for more than 50% of employment worldwide, and creating opportunities for SMEs is a key way to advance development and reduce poverty. This webinar explored various methods of how companies, Global Compact Local Networks and other stakeholders can support SMEs’ commitment to sustainability.

Better Work is a unique partnership programme which aims to improve both compliance with labour standards and promote competitiveness in global supply chains. The programme involves both the development of global tools and the implementation of country-level services. This webinar presents an overview of how Better Work engages managers and workers as part of factory-level assessment, advisory and training services, and will explain how national Project Advisory Committees promote local ownership of improvements in the industry.

Experts from the ILO’s International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour discuss research on global trends in the realization of this fundamental human right, including an analysis of important developments in the business contribution to the elimination of child labour.

Learn how companies in the UN Global Compact are taking action to advance corporate sustainability around the world