UN Global Compact

UN Global Compact was launched in 1999 at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, by Kofi Annan, the former UN Secretary-General. Business leaders were invited to join an international initiative to encourage companies worldwide to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies. The Global Compact is a voluntary network where companies are brought together with UN agencies, labour groups and civil society.

The UN Global Compact's ten principles

The UN Global Compact challenges business to operate according to ten principles covering human rights, labour, the environment and corruption and bribery. They are derived from:

• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• The International Labour Organization's Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work
• The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, A/CONF.151/26 (Vol. I)
• The United Nations Convention Against Corruption

Human Rights

Businesses should:

1. Support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights; and
2. Make sure that they are not complicit in human rights abuses.

Labour Standards

Businesses should uphold:

3. the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining;
4. the elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labour;
5. the effective abolition of child labour; and
6. the elimination of discrimination in employment and occupation.

Environment

Businesses should:

7. support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges;
8. undertake initiatives to promote environmental responsibility; and
9. encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies.

Anti-Corruption

10. Businesses should work against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery.

• The UN Global Compact website provides information about guidelines and principles, networks and participants, programs and events, as well as fulltext reports. Some issues:
  • UN Global Compact and human rights
  • UN Global Compact and labour
• The Communication on Progress-rapporter (COPs), submitted by the UN Global Compact participants, are available on the website.
• Participant Search at the UN Global Compact website provides a list of all participants and stakeholders. A company’s Communication on Progress (COP) report can also be accessed through the Participant Search browser.

• UN Charter in Swedish | in English
• UN System Chart
• Yearbook of the United Nations
• Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Swedish | in English
• Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action
• Statue of the International Court of Justice