Your company has your own unique deadline based on the date you joined the UN Global Compact or your previous COP submission. It is displayed on your company’s public profile. Search for your profile.

New participants must submit their first COP one year after joining the initiative. Existing participants are required to submit their COPs one year after the last submission. For example, if the last submission took place on 1 April 2017, the next COP will be due on 1 April 2018. Please note that all COPs are due at 23:00 UTC on the designated date.

The COP Policy is available in multiple languages in our library.

The following formats are accepted:

• A stand alone document
• Part of a sustainability or corporate social responsibility report
• Part of an annual financial report
• A Basic COP Template which is available for those new to reporting that may not already publish formal report.
• An express COP is available for small and medium-sized enterprises, click here for more information.

Define the period covered by the report (starting and ending dates).

Decide for what COP differentiation level you are aiming: GC Active or GC Advanced.

Consider:

• How much time do you need to report?
• What indicators do you need to measure and/or collect on a regular basis during the year to report outcomes?
• Do not wait until the last minute. This requires time and preparation
• Do you need ideas? Use the UN Global Compact Management Model and the Global Compact Self-Assessment Tool
• You can also use the COP Basic Template to prepare your report
• Review your report using our checklist

• Basic Guide to the Communication on Progress: Provides an overview of the minimum requirements of the Communication on Progress. The guide includes practical suggestions and examples grounded in best practices from participating companies. Access the guide in our library.
• Recorded Webinar: Reaching “GC Active” Level: Gives an overview of the COP Policy and explains the Differentiation Programme, with a special emphasis on the GC Active level. It covers the minimum COP requirements, deadline extension and modification, and online submission. Access the webinar in our library.

• List of GC Advanced Criteria and COP submission questionnaire: Available in our library in multiple languages.
• Your Path to External Assessment: Helps companies to set the scope and objective for the external assessment of sustainability reports and/or COPs; understand the different approaches to inform the right type of assessment; and select a specific external assessment approach.
• Making the Connection - Using GRI's Guidelines to Create a COP: Produced by the UN Global Compact in partnership GRI, describes how to use the GRI
• Sustainability Reporting Guidelines to prepare a COP: Addresses how to fulfill the elements of the GC Active and GC Advanced levels of the Global Compact differentiation programme, how to meet the requirements to be in accordance with G4, and includes detailed cross-referencing between GRI indicators and GC Advanced criteria.
• International Integrated Reporting Framework: Establishes guiding principles and content elements that govern the overall content of an integrated report, and explains the fundamental concepts that underpin them. Access the Framework. See the Brief for Business Participants on Integrated Reporting.