UN Global Compact Bulletin (January 2019)
UN Global Compact Bulletin (January 2019)
Let's Make 2019 the Year of Tipping Points
20 years ago this month, our late founder UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan first proposed the idea of a Global Compact between the United Nations and the world’s businesses. The universal principles on human and labour rights, respect for the environment and anti-corruption proposed by Kofi Annan as the basis of the initiative remain as valuable and relevant today as they were then. In a topsy-turvy world, principles-based business can make a huge difference. Now is the moment in time when we can together begin to scale up faster to reach tipping points that will turn corporate sustainability from a nice idea into a practical, mainstream reality for businesses everywhere. To do so, this year the UN Global Compact will be launching three new global impact initiatives to help stakeholders to drive tipping points and real world impact by: Driving the SDGs through Youth and Innovation, Closing the Climate Change Gap and Closing the Gender Empowerment Gap. As we all know, the transformational change to create a better world relies on business know-how and resources. In other words, leaders like you.
Read Lise Kingo's Annual Letter »
NEWS & UPDATES
Governments renew support for UN Global Compact mandate and Ten Principles
On 20 December 2018, the UN General Assembly renewed its resolution for the UN Global Compact to continue partnering with the private sector to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including through the Ten Principles. The resolution, under General Assembly agenda item 27 — Towards global partnerships: A principle-based approach to enhanced cooperation between the United Nations and all relevant partners — reiterates the broad mandate of the UN Global Compact to advance United Nations values and responsible business practices within the UN system and among the global business community. Read more »
The time is now for business to finance the Global Goals
On the sidelines of the 2019 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, the UN Global Compact issued a call-to-action to finance the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to address the financing gap, estimated at US$ 2.5 trillion annually.
The call to action urges business to work with financial intermediaries to raise the financing needed to achieve the Global Goals by their 2030 deadline, including through foreign direct investment, corporate pension funds and raising debt through green or SDG bonds. Read more »
Partnering for impact to ensure no one is left behind
During the 2019 WEF Annual Meeting, 27 private sector representatives, the UN and international organizations joined forces to champion and showcase collaboration for global good through the Sustainable Impact Hub under the common cause “Leave No One Behind: Partnering for Impact”.
"We are all in this together,” said Dr. Ahmed Al Meraikhi, the UN Secretary-General's Humanitarian Envoy. “This means mobilizing all resources — technology development, financial resources, capacity building — and dynamic multi-stakeholder partnerships to deliver effectiveness and impact.” Read more »
UN Global Compact launches a Local Network in Thailand
Global Compact Network Thailand Attended by Ban Ki-moon, former UN Secretary-General, and over 500 business representatives, the UN Global Compact launched its Local Network in Bangkok, Thailand in December 2018. "By assembling leaders from the Thai private sector to form a Global Compact Local Network, the critical work that you are undertaking to align your business with the ideals of the United Nations has my deep respect. Our world is going through pronounced changes resulting in elevated uncertainties and new risks. Keep working to make business a force for good. Together, we can respond to the urgency of our global challenges and construct a better tomorrow," said Ban Ki-moon, who was also the former Chair of the UN Global Compact Board in his keynote speech. Read more »
Companies challenged to set science-based targets aligned with an ambitious 1.5 degree scenario
Global Compact Network Thailand At COP 24, the High-Level Meeting of Caring for Climate was convened by the UN Global Compact together with UN Environment and UNFCCC to ramp up corporate action towards the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Summit in September 2019 and to identify the concrete actions and partnerships business can undertake to recalibrate toward a 1.5-degree Celsius pathway — and, ultimately, toward a zero-carbon future. "There is still time to secure the world that we all want. We are at a critical juncture, where every day climate change is moving faster than we are, and where every half degree makes a world of difference," said Lise Kingo. Read more »
UN GLOBAL COMPACT ACADEMY
We are excited to announce eight new sessions on the UN Global Compact Academy Learning Platform where companies engaging with the UN Global Compact at the Participant level have the opportunity to learn from subject matter experts and the experiences of corporate leaders on key topics. Learn more »
31 January | 10 a.m. ET: How Corporate Reporting Can Help Inform National SDG Review Processes »
25 February | 10 a.m. ET: How Business Can Advance Policies That Fast-track a Zero-carbon Future »
ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE NOW
Select your Engagement with the UN Global Compact
We help companies to be a force for good while also setting the stage for long-term business success. Find the right level of engagement to suit your company’s need »
Connect with Global Compact Local Networks in Your Country
Over 70 Local Networks advance corporate sustainability by helping companies understand what responsible business means within a national context. Find your Local Network »
Partnering with diverse types of organizations can help you generate innovative solutions and have an impact far beyond what you can accomplish alone. Find out how to partner with the UN and business »
SAVE THE DATE
On 14 March 2019, join us for the 2019 Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Forum at the UN Headquarters in New York to look at the future and consider how the WEPs can help business, investors, Governments and other stakeholders navigate new opportunities and work collectively to ensure that women help define and benefit from opportunities in the future of work. The Forum will also explore how to maintain momentum on advancing gender equality, accelerate the pace of progress and position responsible businesses to rise to the challenge. Learn more »
OUR LATEST RESOURCES
- UN Global Compact Progress Report 2018
- Human Rights: The Foundation of Sustainable Business
- The Ambition Loop — How Business and Government Can Advance Policies that Fast Track Zero-Carbon Economic Growth
HIGHLIGHTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
Global Compact Network Germany convenes corporate sustainability leaders
The annual conference of Global Compact Network Germany brought together over 150 stakeholders to conclude the Network’s series of dialogues aimed at making the Global Goals more tangible for companies on the ground by connecting them to relevant megatrends. Read more »
At the SDGs and Business Forum, Global Compact Network Netherlands launched its first progress report on Dutch companies' progress on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. "More and more Dutch companies and SMEs are taking action on the SDGs. The amount of our members that are contributing to the Ten Principles and the SDGs has grown from 68 percent in 2016 to 89 percent in 2017," said Jan-Willem Scheijgrond, Chairman of the Network. Read more »
View More News from Around the World »
UPCOMING EVENTS
14 Mar: New York | 2019 Women's Empowerment Principles Forum
The 2019 WEPs Forum will look to the future and consider how the WEPs can help business, investors, Governments and other stakeholders navigate new opportunities and work collectively to ensure that women help define and benefit from opportunities in the future of work.
20 Mar: São Paulo | SDG Investment Forum
Focusing on the unique opportunities, needs and challenges in Brazil, the SDG Investment Forum and resulting Roadmap will advance a dialogue on increasing private investments in SDG priority areas.
WELCOME NEW JOINERS
The UN Global Compact welcomes 145 new companies and 75 new non-business stakeholders joined the initiative.
The ten largest companies (by employee number) to join during the month were:
- Haifa Group (Israel)
- K-PLAN & RIQUEL STRATEGY S.L. (Spain)
- Activity On Canarias ® (Spain)
- C.A.A AQUAESPORT S.L (Spain)
- Polipropileno del Caribe S.A (Esenttia) (Colombia)
- ONVACATION (Colombia)
- Euroconte Exportacao Importacao LTDA (Brazil)
- Depuracion & Filtracion Technologies, S.L. (DEPURFILTECH) (Spain)
- LA ROMANA FARINE S.R.L. (Italy)
- ALMA - C.I.S. S.R.L. (Italy)
76 companies were expelled for failing to Communicate on Progress.
ABOUT THE UN GLOBAL COMPACT
As a special initiative of the UN Secretary-General, the United Nations Global Compact is a call to companies everywhere to align their operations and strategies with ten universal principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. Launched in 2000, the mandate of the UN Global Compact is to guide and support the global business community in advancing UN goals and values through responsible corporate practices. With more than 9,500 companies and 3,000 non-business signatories based in over 160 countries, and more than 70 Local Networks, it is the largest corporate sustainability initiative in the world.
For more information, follow @globalcompact on social media and visit our website at www.unglobalcompact.org.
