Lawyers are increasingly expected to raise ethical and moral—as well as legal— considerations faced by their client transnational corporations as a matter of professional responsibility. In turn, they often serve a “moral leadership” role. Leadership involves perceiving challenges and opportunities just over the horizon. This Good Practice Note aims: (1) to illustrate how transnational corporations' in- house corporate counsel are perfectly situated to propel their corporations to adopt practices that ensure respect for human rights; and (2) to encourage this positive role by concisely highlighting key lessons learned and good practices.

Corporations increasingly are embracing the dual challenges of maximizing profits while also promoting the protection of human rights. The latter is at the core of corporate social responsibility and it holds the promise of being good for business. Corporate strategic philanthropy plays a central role in this dual mission of profitability and responsibility. This Good Practice Note provides the context for and offers recommendations relating to each of these elements while demonstrating how corporations are using the shift from traditional philanthropy to strategic philanthropy in the most valuable and measurable way.

This guide offers baseline definitions and practical steps that SMEs can take toward effective management of the social, environmental and economic impacts of supply chains.

This guide provides a framework for creating and applying social impact measurements in connection with corporate activities within the communities where companies operate.

The Guiding Principles seek to provide an authoritative global standard for preventing and addressing the risk of adverse human rights impacts linked to business activity.

Reviews the recent history of such partnerships, and makes recommendations for enhancing their effectiveness and scale.

Provides guidance for governments, employers’ organizations and trade unions on working together to achieve sustainable economic and social development.

Explores how donors can effectively support public-private collaboration in order to attract sustainable investments and foster development in the Least Developed Countries. To this end, the report takes stock of existing donor programs aimed at engaging the private sector in development activities, identifies shortcomings and promising approaches, and offers recommendations on how donor programs can attract more public-private collaboration to the Least Developed Countries.

A stocktaking and assessment of existing and emerging water accounting methods and tools being used in the private sector.

The CEO Water Mandate is a strategic framework for action with recommendations that include production strategies, water-utilization audits and incentive systems for water recycling, the development of a water-sustainability agenda, and inclusion of the GRI guidelines in corporate reporting.

Advances understanding of Boardroom engagement in environmental, social and governance issues and provides a roadmap for how companies can better integrate oversight of these issues into the Board agenda.

Presents case studies of companies that have adhered to the SA8000 standard as a way to advance their commitment to the Global Compact.