The Lawyers as Leaders series raises awareness of the legal issues associated with corporate sustainability and responds to the evolving role of business in society and of the lawyers that advise companies. The four separate training modules focus on human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption, and feature prominent legal experts as well as general counsel who are leaders within their companies on sustainability issues.

The purpose of this guide is to increase the understanding of the four labour principles of principles 3, 4, 5, and 6 as well as to provide an inventory of key resources to help integrate these principles into business operations.

Provides practical guidance and examples to in-house counsel in their emerging role as key change agents in advancing corporate sustainability issues within their respective organizations. The Guide seeks to raise the profile of General Counsel regarding the efforts they are making, and to inspire and encourage other General Counsel and Boards, senior executives and management of their respective organizations to take action and deliver long-term value.

Strong rule of law is essential as a foundation for economic and social development. The Framework seeks to advance the rule of law by engaging responsible business to support the building and strengthening of legal frameworks and accountable institutions – serving as a complement to, not substitute for, government action.

The responsibility to comply with all applicable local, national, regional and international laws is a central tenet of the corporate responsibility to respect human rights. Yet sometimes local or national laws pose requirements that conflict with internationally recognized human rights, thereby making it difficult or impossible for business enterprises to meet their responsibility to respect human rights. The goal of this Good Practice Note is to provide business enterprises with a non-exhaustive set of good practices for addressing situations in which local or national laws appear to conflict with internationally recognized human rights.

Addresses how businesses can operate responsibly in conflict-affected or fragile countries and weak governance zones to ensure that operations contribute to peace-building. Suggested best practices to help companies mitigate the risks of operating in conflict-affected environments are also explored.

Provides an assessment of how companies in the UN Global Compact are adopting the Ten Principles and taking action to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals. Based on data collected in the UN Global Compact annual survey, the report takes stock of how companies are performing on critical sustainability topics. The report also takes a deep dive into the critical issues of climate and gender equality. A feature on the activities of Global Compact Local Networks over the past year is also included. 

This webinar conducted by an ILO expert examines principle 3 of the UN Global Compact's principles in detail. The webinar addresses challenges companies may face in their workplaces and in their operations to realize freedom of association, a human right at the core of ILO values, which also underpins and supports the other nine UN Global Compact principles.

revised in 2018, this self-guided 40 minute E-learning module provides an introduction to the ILO’s Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (MNE Declaration). The Declaration provides recommendations to governments, enterprises, and employers’ and workers’ organizations on how to maximize – each with different roles and responsibilities - the positive contribution of multinational enterprises to socioeconomic development and decent work, more specifically in the areas of employment, training, conditions of work and life and industrial relations. The module includes an overview of the principles of the MNE Declaration and real cases of how it can be put into practice and address a range of labour and employment issues in different contexts. It also provides a description of how the MNE Declaration relates to other international instruments which can also guide business behaviour, such as the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, the UN Global Compact, the UN Business and Human Rights Framework and Guiding Principles, and ISO 26000.

Illustrates how companies can implement the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact throughout their supply chains and integrate sustainability into procurement strategies. In 2015, the guide was revised to ensure the inclusion of and alignment with relevant standards and initiatives, and also to reflect current and emerging trends within this area. It includes several updated and new company examples. The second edition is available in English. The original Guide, launched in 2010, is available below in the indicated languages.

Provides an overview on how sustainable supply chain practices contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By implementing supply chain sustainability programmes, companies engage with both direct and sub-tier suppliers, mainstreaming values and actions and maximizing overall social, environmental and ethical impact.

The second edition of this Guide offers practical guidance to companies wanting to take a proactive approach to human rights within their business operations The second edition of this Guide offers practical guidance to companies wanting to take a proactive approach to human rights within their business operations.