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ICC
renews support for Global Compact at UN summit
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| UN Secretary-General
Kofi Annan launched The Global Compact initiative with 50 companies
in 2000. |
Paris,
June 24 2004
-- ICC Secretary General Maria Livanos Cattaui stressed the importance
of adhering to the United Nations Global Compact ethical business initiative
today and argued that the increasing integration of its principles into
the operational culture of companies has proved the initiative's worth.
Speaking on behalf
of world business to a gathering of more than 400 corporate executives,
government officials and civil society leaders at the UN headquarters
in New York, the ICC's support of the Global Compact came at a time of
deep divisions among business, non-governmental organizations and labour
as to the initiative's future and its voluntary nature.
The summit was convened
by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to propose a strategic direction for
the future of The Global Compact.
In her address to
the gathering Ms Cattaui said: "Growing acceptance of the Global
Compact in the world business community provides further underpinning
to the development of a collaborative relationship between the United
Nations and the private sector that is essential to the attainment of
the UN's basic goals, notably the Millennium Development Goals, which
are central to peace and human dignity".
Ms Cattaui added that
there is a "growing recognition that progress toward the Millennium
Development Goals is not only a moral and social imperative called for
by the principles of the United Nations but is also in the basic interest
of business in a stable, inclusive global society".
A two-page ICC statement
outlining the world business community's perspective of the Global Compact
was distributed at the summit. "The Global Compact encourages continuous
improvement in business behaviour, and serves as a learning forum through
the dissemination of good company practices," according to the statement.
"The open, flexible and voluntary process of engagement by companies
is a potential complement to the necessary action by governments to safeguard
and advance the Compact's principles."
ICC was the first
to welcome the Global Compact, launched on 26 July 2000. The compact is
open for adherence by any company and asks signatories to voluntarily
commit themselves to nine non-binding principles in the areas of human
rights, labour standards and environmental practice. A 10th principle
on fighting corruption was formally launched at yesterday's summit.
Summing up the session,
which was the largest and highest-level gathering ever held at the United
Nations, Mr. Annan said it had ended with "reinvigorated commitments"
to the Global Compact and with a deeper understanding of the venture and
"where we hope to take it".
"We have addressed the challenges facing the Global Compact as partners,
transforming our differences and tensions into constructive strategies
for action," Mr Annan said in closing remarks.
"You have shown
that, even in an era of uncertainty and fear, business, labour, civil
society and governments can overcome their divisions, and build on what
they have in common."
Click
here to view the full text of The Global Compact: A business perspective.
Click
here to visit the ICC Global Compact pages
Click
here to visit the UN Global Compact pages
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