An increasing number of companies recognize that water poses a significant risk to their business and have begun to take action to mitigate their risks via improved water management practices and stewardship. This paper proposes a new recognition that companies seeking to manage water-related business risks can and should contribute to improved water and sanitation management and governance that is also in the public interest.

Explains in brief what inclusive business models are and how companies can address common external and internal constraints to their implementation. This primer also puts forward the business case for leveraging the unique perspectives and contributions of low-income people as consumers, employees and stakeholders in the value-chain and community.

Demonstrates how companies can help to advance the SDGs by operating responsibly in alignment with universal principles and finding opportunities to innovate to address societal challenges. Through a commitment to the UN Global Compact, companies are taking the first step to contribute to achieving the SDGs and have access to a range of tools to scale up their efforts.

Each volume of case studies explores how several companies have dealt with various human rights issues. These examples emphasize the need for cohesive and sometimes over-arching corporate policies on human rights engagement.

Over the past few years, human rights have taken an increasingly prominent place in supply chain management. This Good Practice Note provides guidance on how to identify, prioritize, and respect supply chain human rights risks in a way that aligns with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Sometimes effective prioritization is needed when companies face a host of potential adverse human rights impacts to which they cannot respond simultaneously.

Youth represent a quarter of the world's population and will continue to impact the economies and societies of the future, yet many will not realize this potential if denied opportunities to pursue decent work. Many entrepreneurial young people are starting their own business and creating jobs for themselves and others. This note calls on business to promote entrepreneurship among young people and to support and invest in youth-owned enterprises.

Sporting events have become popular platforms for companies to enhance their visibility and connect with fans, and sport sponsorship can help companies enter new markets, shape branding and corporate image, and establish emotional connections to their products and services. The Global Compact Anti-Corruption Working Group released a guide on “Fighting Corruption in Sport Sponsorship and Hospitality” in December 2013 to provide guidance on how to enhance transparency in sport sponsorship and hospitality. This webinar discusses some of the main challenges, risks and opportunities in this area as well as provides an introduction to the guide.

Initially developed in 2000 as a common framework for UN-Business collaboration, the Guidelines apply to the UN Secretariat as well as separately administered organs, Funds and Programmes. The Guidelines, developed in 2000, revised and reissued in 2009, and further revised in 2015, provided a framework on a common and systemic approach to partnerships between the Organization and the business sector, placing greater emphasis on transparency, coherence, impact, accountability and due diligence.

Held over two days, the third annual Caring for Climate Business Forum at COP21/CMP11 provided a multi-stakeholder platform for dialogue and action among business, investors, civil society, the UN and Government officials. The first day of the Forum consisted of plenary and thematic sessions on the topics of carbon pricing, science-based target setting, responsible policy engagement, adaptation and finance. Sessions were organized by the UN Global Compact, UNEP and UNEP Finance Initiative, UNFCCC secretariat and in collaboration with Caring for Climate strategic partners, which include Global Compact Network France, CDP, The Climate Group, Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), United Nations Foundation and World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).

The Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) initiative is a peer-to-peer learning platform for exploring how exchanges, in collaboration with investors, regulators, and companies, can enhance corporate transparency – and ultimately performance – on ESG (environmental, social and corporate governance) issues and encourage sustainable investment. Since 2012, several other leading exchanges have joined the group of SSE Partner Exchanges. UNCTAD, the UN Global Compact, the PRI and UNEP-FI, as the core organizer of the SSE Initiative, also committed to supporting stock exchanges in this effort. The SSE initiative invites exchanges globally to become a Partner Stock Exchange within the SSE by making a voluntary public commitment to promote improved ESG disclosure and performance among listed companies. http://www.sseinitiative.org

PRI in conjunction with the PRI Investor Steering Committee on Human Rights identified a list of 50 large global extractive companies considered to be particularly exposed to human rights risks. Drawing from these company examples, this guidance explores best practices and challenges in implementing the UN Guiding Principles in extractive industries, and identifies six areas for investor engagement. The guidance also provides useful case studies, questions for engagement and resources for each of the six areas outlined.

Principle 3 of the Women’s Empowerment Principles encourages companies to ensure the health, including sexual and reproductive health, of all workers. Investing in women’s health not only benefits employees and surrounding communities, but it can also have a positive social and economic effect on the private sector. In ensuring that workers have safe working conditions and available health services, companies establish healthier staff, better relationships, and in many cases higher Return-on-investment (ROI). This webinar highlights the benefits of investing in women's health, real life examples from Levi Strauss & Company and Merck, and strategies that businesses can implement to respect and support women’s health.