Communication on Progress

Communication on Progress

Participant
Published
  • 08-Feb-2022
Time period
  • February 2021  –  December 2021
Format
  • Stand alone document – Basic COP Template
Differentiation Level
  • This COP qualifies for the Global Compact Active level
Self-assessment
  • Includes a CEO statement of continued support for the UN Global Compact and its ten principles
  • Description of actions or relevant policies related to Human Rights
  • Description of actions or relevant policies related to Labour
  • Description of actions or relevant policies related to Environment
  • Description of actions or relevant policies related to Anti-Corruption
  • Includes a measurement of outcomes
 
  • Statement of continued support by the Chief Executive Officer

  • Statement of the company's chief executive (CEO or equivalent) expressing continued support for the Global Compact and renewing the company's ongoing commitment to the initiative and its principles.

  • Dear UNGC CoP Team,

    On behalf of all partners of our firm, I am pleased to submit our firm’s Communication on Progress (CoP) for the year 2021, our first year as a Participant of the UN Global Compact since we joined on February 16 of last year.

    First and foremost, let me reiterate our firm’s commitment and support to uphold the 10 Commit-ments of the UN Global Compact (UNGC) in the areas of Human Rights, Labour, Environment and Anti-Corruption.

    Below, please let me summarize our actions for the furtherance of the UNGP and its principles:

    Being a small Swiss law firm, we provide legal assistance to Swiss and international companies and individuals. Our scope of practice areas is broad, but in particular covers Corporate & Com-mercial Law, Construction & Real Estate, Banking & Finance, Restructuring, Constitutional and Administrative Law, Private Clients, Employment Law and Health & Life Sciences. In the area of Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) we support our clients on all legal aspects in particular the design or modification of their governance structures, the drafting of policies and guidelines, the design and implementation of HRDD concepts, the assessment and enhancement of their risk mitigation concepts as well as their reporting on sustainability matters. We further assist them by examining RBC-related legal risks in connection with transactions and assist them in RBC-related legal and administrative proceedings.

    Further, members of our firm engage as law school lecturers at various Swiss universities and are passionate to pass on their experience and knowledge to the next generation of legal profession-als.

    In this context, I would like to mention my colleague Dr. Tobias Meili, who is a partner at our firm and leads our RBC practice. Dr. Meili has been appointed as lecturer of law of the internationally recognized University of St. Gallen (HSG) in 2021 and contributed to Prof. Peter Hongler’s course “Law and Economics of Regulated Markets and Business Ethics” at Master Level. The course was very well received by the students and, hence, will be repeated in 2022, again with Dr. Meili as a lecturer on RBC.

    We believe that hands-on engagement with the business on RBC-themes is key to promote the goals underlying the UNGP Principles. In this spirit, we engaged on a pro bono basis as follows:

    • On January 28, 2021, Dr. Meili was invited by the Basel Chamber of Commerce (HKBB) to provide a keynote speech (via Webinar, due to Corona restrictions) to the HKBB members firms regarding the Swiss legal framework on responsible business conduct after the rejec-tion of “Responsible Business Initiative” in late 2020.

    • On September 21, 2021, the Employers’ Association Basel (Arbeitgeberverband Basel) host-ed a F2F interactive learning and networking event (“Voneinander Lernen”) for member firms on Responsible Business Conduct. Keynote contributors were Mr. Antonio Hautle (represent-ing the Global Company Network Switzerland & Liechtenstein), Dr. Meili (covering the Swiss legal framework) and two companies (Syngenta as representative of a large Swiss MNE, and Davidoff as a medium size Swiss company with a strong supply chain ties to developing countries). The interactive event was attended by representatives of various member firms and the format is likely to be repeated.

    We believe that our 2021 engagement shows our commitment to act as ambassadors of the UNGC and its values and we are looking forward to continue this exciting journey together!

    Sincerely yours,

    _________________
    Dr. Carlo Conti
    Managing Partner / CEO

Human Rights
  • Assessment, policy and goals

  • Description of the relevance of human rights for the company (i.e. human rights risk-assessment). Description of policies, public commitments and company goals on Human Rights.

  • Please see our complete CoP in the Chapter "General Information"

  • Implementation

  • Description of concrete actions to implement Human Rights policies, address Human Rights risks and respond to Human Rights violations.

  • Please see our complete CoP in the Chapter "General Information"

  • Measurement of outcomes

  • Description of how the company monitors and evaluates performance.

  • Please see our complete CoP in the Chapter "General Information"

Labour
  • Assessment, policy and goals

  • Description of the relevance of labour rights for the company (i.e. labour rights-related risks and opportunities). Description of written policies, public commitments and company goals on labour rights.

  • Please see our complete CoP in the Chapter "General Information"

  • Implementation

  • Description of concrete actions taken by the company to implement labour policies, address labour risks and respond to labour violations.

  • Please see our complete CoP in the Chapter "General Information"

  • Measurement of outcomes

  • Description of how the company monitors and evaluates performance.

  • Please see our complete CoP in the Chapter "General Information"

Environment
  • Assessment, policy and goals

  • Description of the relevance of environmental protection for the company (i.e. environmental risks and opportunities). Description of policies, public commitments and company goals on environmental protection.

  • Please see our complete CoP in the Chapter "General Information"

  • Implementation

  • Description of concrete actions to implement environmental policies, address environmental risks and respond to environmental incidents.

  • Please see our complete CoP in the Chapter "General Information"

  • Measurement of outcomes

  • Description of how the company monitors and evaluates environmental performance.

  • Please see our complete CoP in the Chapter "General Information"

Anti-Corruption
  • Assessment, policy and goals

  • Description of the relevance of anti-corruption for the company (i.e. anti-corruption risk-assessment). Description of policies, public commitments and company goals on anti-corruption.

  • Please see our complete CoP in the Chapter "General Information"

  • Implementation

  • Description of concrete actions to implement anti-corruption policies, address anti-corruption risks and respond to incidents.

  • Please see our complete CoP in the Chapter "General Information"

  • Measurement of outcomes

  • Description of how the company monitors and evaluates anti-corruption performance.

  • Please see our complete CoP in the Chapter "General Information"