UN Secretary-General Launches New Platform for Corporate Sustainability Leadership
Group of 54 Companies Makes Historic Commitment to Adopt Ambitious Sustainability Roadmap and Demonstrate Leadership in Tackling Global Challenges
(3BLMedia/theCSRfeed) Davos/New York, 28 January 2011 – Underscoring the role of business in addressing global threats - from climate change to widespread poverty or humanitarian emergencies - a group of chief executives joined UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in Davos/Switzerland today for the launch of Global Compact LEAD - a new platform created by the UN Global Compact to take environmental, social and governance performance to the next level and set a new benchmark for corporate sustainability.
The executives represent a group of 54 companies, all participants of the UN Global Compact, that have made an ambitious commitment to work towards implementation of the Blueprint for Corporate Sustainability Leadership, a comprehensive roadmap outlining roughly 50 concrete actions businesses can take to achieve greater sustainability. The Blueprint was first introduced by the Global Compact in June 2010.
Global Compact LEAD companies are further expected to share their knowledge through the initiative’s local networks in more than 90 countries and to report on their activities at an advanced level. Participants also pledge to work more actively with United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, many of which have built significant business partnership capacities in recent years, recognizing the critical role of business in addressing global challenges.
“From the beginning, the Global Compact has been driven by business leaders willing to move beyond the status quo,” the Secretary-General said in his remarks to the group. “Through Global Compact LEAD, you can help guide the way to the level of sustainability performance our world requires from business today.”
"The launch of Global Compact LEAD stresses the key role leading Global Compact participants have already played in advancing corporate responsibility around the world," said Georg Kell, Executive Director of the UN Global Compact. "At the same time, Global Compact LEAD responds to the critical need for these leaders to scale up their efforts so that we can achieve tangible impact on global challenges."
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Read More about the Blueprint for Corporate Sustainability Leadership.
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For more information, visit www.unglobalcompact.org/lead
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