UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Thursday opened a business
summit which aims to make companies take more responsibility for
tackling the various challenges facing the globalized world.
The Global Compact is a seven-year-old partnership set up by
former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, which aims to bring
companies together with UN agencies, labor and civil society to
advance universal social and environmental principles.
More than 3,000 companies from over 100 countries have now
pledged to observe the 10 principles of the compact, which cover
human rights, employment standards, environment and anti-corruption
measures.
Ban told the opening session of the meeting that companies'
commitment to the Global Compact was "essential at a time when
objectives and priorities of the international community and the
business world are more aligned than ever before."
"You are embracing the Global Compact... because in our
interdependent world, business leadership cannot be sustained
without showing leadership on environmental, social and governance
issues."
Ban also called on business leaders to use the compact as an
organizing tool for their global operations. "Ensure that your
boards, subsidiaries and supply chain partners use the Compact as
both a management guide and a moral compass."
Neville Isdell, chief executive of Coca Cola used his speech to
urge companies to play their role in tackling such world challenges
as climate change, pollution, aging of the population and
poverty.
"The Global Compact gives us the structure and focus for global
action," he said.
Some 1,000 participants including politicians and officials,
chief executives and the heads of civil societies are attending the
two-day meeting of the UN Global Compact, a UN release said.
( Xinhua News Agency July 6, 2007)
