The UN Global Compact

The Global Compact is a UN initiative, and its objective is to promote the social involvement and responsibility of businesses. The 10 principles of the Global Compact point out the most important aspects of human rights, labour rights, environment and anti-corruption in a simple way. The Global Compact creates a universal and simple framework, which is flexible and emphasises the process and ongoing improvements.

The UN encourages businesses and organisations to support the 10 principles and implement them in their strategies and operations and to report their work according to the principles on a yearly basis.

The 10 principles:

Human rights:

1. Businesses should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights, and
2. make sure they are not complicit in human rights abuses.

Labour rights:

3. Businesses should uphold the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining,
4. support elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labour,
5. support effective abolition of child labour, and
6. eliminate discrimination in respect of employment and occupation.

Environment:

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

Anti-corruption:

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

Read more on Global Compact’s homepage