It supports the notion that responsible, long-term oriented entrepreneurship is the driving force for sustainable economic development and for providing the managerial, technical, and financial resources needed to meet social and environmental challenges.

ICC and the Business for Peace Foundation thus share a common role in promoting business ethics and corporate social responsibility, and ICC and its global network are proud to be an official supporting partner in the Oslo Business for Peace award programme.

The ambition of this award is to accelerate the development of ethical business practices by increasing awareness of the strengths of the ethical business case. The aim is to inspire and encourage business people to foster peace and stability to the benefit of humanity.

ICC national committees and local chambers of commerce play a vital role in this chain, increasing the awareness of ethical business within their communities. They are ideally placed to identify and reward such outstanding business people who have been able to achieve business success while acting in an ethically responsible manner.

Last year's recipients ranged from a UK product designer who has created sustainable refrigeration, to a Nigerian entrepreneur who has increased the overall returns to rice farmers through enhanced productivity, improved quality and guaranteed buy-back of crops.

The Business for Peace Award is a wonderful opportunity for ICC in fulfilling its heritage as "Merchants of Peace", promoting peace and prosperity through trade.