ILO experts on skills and employability explore the contribution of enterprises to building a skilled workforce in their countries of operation. The discussion focuses on common challenges companies face in developing and implementing a skills and employability policy and practical examples of private sector engagement in skills systems.

The COE Template is an easy-to-use web-based template with examples.

Drawing on insights from the SDG Industry Matrix, and on the heels of the historic Paris Agreement on climate change, this Climate Extract identifies industry specific ideas for climate action. Although achieving all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is inextricably linked with climate action, this Extract focuses on SDGs 7, 12 and 13. It profiles opportunities to create ‘shared value’, which in the context of the SDGs represents the coming together of market potential, societal demands and policy action to create a more sustainable and inclusive path to economic growth, prosperity and well-being.

Various stakeholder groups are mounting calls for Boards of Directors to take sustainability into account while adhering to their legal duties to shareholders. This puts questions about fiduciary duty front and center. Careful legal analyses of such questions have been prepared over the past year by law firms all over the world. The collection of memoranda below will inform and enrich discussion among Board directors, and the lawyers who counsel them, about how changing circumstances near and far are affecting their ability to meet fiduciary duty requirements. 

 Prof. Robert G. Eccles and Tim Youmans of Harvard Business School have led this collaboration which included the UN Global Compact, the American Bar Association’s Task Force on Sustainable Development and PRI, Their aim was to gather legal perspectives from law firms in a wide range of countries. Each participating law firm used a standard research template developed by Linklaters in the UK to structure their respective legal memo. The legal memos are posted below with the permission of the participating firms. To further grow the research, enquiries from law firms in countries that do not already have a legal memo are welcome. If you do not see your country listed and want to know if one is being prepared, please contact Ingvild Soerensen (soerensen@unglobalcompact.org).

This webinar presents the experiences of signatories of the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, a groundbreaking legally binding agreement signed in May 2013 to make garment factories safe. Ensuring that workers throughout global value chains can work in safe places is an important element of supply chain sustainability. This webinar addresses how companies can work together with trade unions and governments to contribute to occupational health and safety throughout their supply chains. Representatives of major brands and global trade unions presented their experiences.

Contains the findings of research on Local Networks in sub-Saharan Africa including common practices, governance and leadership, funding, and company demand, among others. This document is geared toward Global Compact Local Networks (LNs) for learning purposes.

Includes aggregate information on the type, size and location of companies disclosing sustainability information in sub-Saharan Africa. It provides historical trends in reporting as well as recommendations and best practices around sustainability reporting. This document presents the status of sustainability disclosure through the Global Compact Communication on Progress (COP) in the region.

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).

Chief Executives of Caring for Climate and UNEP-FI signatories engaged in a high-level meeting together with Government representatives, including representatives of relevant bodies established under the UNFCCC. The high-level meeting put forward an overview of all commitments and contributions by business and investors towards COP21. Following welcoming remarks, participants engaged in discussions focused on pricing the cost of carbon emissions. The event concluded with a report-back segment and key recommendations for Government actions that would help bring greater scale and quality to corporate climate leadership globally. The high-level meeting was the focus area business event under the Lima-Paris Action Agenda.

Marking the UN Global Compact’s 15th anniversary, Global Compact +15 brought business and civil society to the United Nations to show how the private sector is taking action and partnering to advance societal priorities, with an emphasis on the United Nations global agenda for sustainable development (i.e. the Sustainable Development Goals – SDGs). The General Assembly Session was a unique gathering of all participants and special guests in the UN General Assembly Hall. Together participants aimed to demonstrate to Governments the private sector’s critical role in solving our world’s greatest challenges and show how the Global Compact’s work is at the heart of the United Nations agenda.

Presents an overview of COP trends in 2015. This illustrates last year’s submissions by region, sector and organization type, among other criteria. It also includes the list of participants that submitted a GC Advanced COP in 2015.

Presents an overview of COE trends in 2015. This illustrates last year’s submissions by region, sector and organization type, among other criteria.