The COP describes any action(s) that the company plans to undertake by its next COP to have the credibility of the information in its COP externally assessed, including goals, timelines, metrics, and responsible staff

Information is reviewed by a panel of peers (e.g., members of the same industry, competitors, benchmarked leaders, others organized via Global Compact Local Network)

Information is assured by independent assurors (e.g., accounting or consulting firm) using their own proprietary methodology

Information is assured by independent assurors (e.g., accounting or consulting firm) against recognized assurance standard (e.g., ISAE3000, AA1000AS, other national or industry-specific standard)

Other established or emerging best practices

Applies the GRI Sustainability Reporting Guidelines or the GRI Standards

Is 'in accordance - core' with GRI Standards

Is 'in accordance - comprehensive' with GRI Standards

Applies elements of the International Integrated Reporting Framework

Any relevant policies, procedures, and activities that the company plans to undertake by its next COP to fulfill this criterion, including goals, timelines, metrics, and responsible staff

Place responsibility for execution of sustainability strategy in relevant corporate functions (procurement, government affairs, human resources, legal, etc) ensuring that no function is conflicting with company sustainability commitments and objectives

Assign responsibility for corporate sustainability implementation to an individual or group within each business unit and subsidiary

Design corporate sustainability strategy to leverage synergies between and among issue areas and to deal adequately with trade-offs

Ensure that different corporate functions coordinate closely to maximize performance and avoid unintended negative impacts

Other established or emerging best practices

Any relevant policies, procedures, and activities that the company plans to undertake by its next COP to fulfill this criterion, including goals, timelines, metrics, and responsible staff

Analyze each segment of the value chain carefully, both upstream and downstream, when mapping risks, opportunities and impacts

Implement monitoring and assurance mechanisms (e.g. audits/screenings) for compliance within the company’s sphere of influence

Undertake awareness-raising, training and other types of capacity building with suppliers and other business partners

Other established or emerging best practices

Any relevant policies, procedures, and activities that the company plans to undertake by its next COP to fulfill this criterion, including goals, timelines, metrics, and responsible staff

Commitment to comply with all applicable laws and respect internationally recognized human rights, wherever the company operates (e.g., the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Guiding Principles on Human Rights) (BRE1 + ARE1)

Statement of policy stipulating human rights expectations of personnel, business partners and other parties directly linked to operations, products or services (BRE 1)

Statement of policy publicly available and communicated internally and externally to all personnel, business partners and other relevant parties (BRE 1 + BRE 5 + ARE 1 + ARE 5)

Other established or emerging best practices

Any relevant policies, procedures, and activities that the company plans to undertake by its next COP to fulfill this criterion, including goals, timelines, metrics, and responsible staff

System to monitor the effectiveness of human rights policies and implementation with quantitative and qualitative metrics, including in the supply chain (BRE3 + ARE3)

Monitoring draws from internal and external feedback, including affected stakeholders

Leadership review of monitoring and improvement results

Process to deal with incidents the company has caused or contributed to for internal and external stakeholders (BRE 4 + ARE 4)

Grievance mechanisms that are legitimate, accessible, predictable, equitable, transparent, rights-compatible, a source of continuous learning, and based on engagement and dialogue (BRE4 + ARE4)

Other established or emerging best practices

Any relevant policies, procedures, and activities that the company plans to undertake by its next COP to fulfill this criterion, including goals, timelines, metrics, and responsible staff

Process to ensure that internationally recognized human rights are respected

On-going due diligence process that includes an assessment of actual and potential human rights impacts (BRE 2 + BRE 3 + ARE 2 + ARE 3)

Operational-level grievance mechanisms for those potentially impacted by the company’s activities (BRE 4 + ARE 4)

Allocation of responsibilities and accountability for addressing human rights impacts

Internal decision-making, budget and oversight for effective responses to human rights impacts

Processes to provide for or cooperate in the remediation of adverse human rights impacts that the company has caused or contributed to (BRE 3+ BRE 4 + ARE3 + ARE 4)

Process and programs in place to support human rights through: core business; strategic philanthropic/social investment; public policy engagement/advocacy; partnerships and/or other forms of collective action (BRE 6 + ARE 6)

Other established or emerging best practices

Any relevant policies, procedures, and activities that the company plans to undertake by its next COP to fulfill this criterion, including goals, timelines, metrics, and responsible staff

Risk and impact assessments in the area of labour

Dialogue mechanism with trade unions to regularly discuss and review company progress in addressing labour standards

Allocation of responsibilities and accountability within the organization

Active engagement with suppliers to address labour-related challenges

Grievance mechanisms, communication channels and other procedures (e.g., whistleblower mechanisms) available for workers to report concerns, make suggestions or seek advice, designed and operated in line with the representative organization of workers

Other established or emerging best practices

Any relevant policies, procedures, and activities that the company plans to undertake by its next COP to fulfill this criterion, including goals, timelines, metrics, and responsible staff

System to track and measure performance based on standardized performance metrics

Dialogues with the representative organization of workers to regularly review progress made and jointly identify priorities for the future

Audits or other steps to monitor and improve the working conditions of companies in the supply chain, in line with principles of international labour standards

Process to positively engage with the suppliers to address the challenges (i.e., partnership approach instead of corrective approach) through schemes to improve workplace practices

Other established or emerging best practices

Any relevant policies, procedures, and activities that the company plans to undertake by its next COP to fulfill this criterion, including goals, timelines, metrics, and responsible staff

Reference to principles of relevant international labour standards (ILO Conventions) and other normative international instruments in company policies

Reflection on the relevance of the labour principles for the company

Written company policy to obey national labour law, respect principles of relevant international labour standards in worldwide company operations and engage in dialogue with representative organization of the workers (international, sectoral, national).

Inclusion of reference to the principles contained in the relevant international labour standards in contracts with suppliers and other relevant business partners

Structural engagement with a global union, possibly via a Global Framework Agreement

Participation and leadership by employers’ organizations (international and national) to jointly address challenges related to labour standards in the countries of operation, possibly in a tripartite approach (business – trade union – government).

Other established or emerging best practices

Any relevant policies, procedures, and activities that the company plans to undertake by its next COP to fulfill this criterion, including goals, timelines, metrics, and responsible staff

Environmental risk and impact assessments

Assessments of lifecycle impact of products, ensuring environmentally sound management policies

Internal awareness-raising and training on environmental stewardship for management and employees

Grievance mechanisms, communication channels and other procedures (e.g. whistleblower mechanisms) for reporting concerns or seeking advice regarding environmental impacts

Other established or emerging best practices

Any relevant policies, procedures, and activities that the company plans to undertake by its next COP to fulfill this criterion, including goals, timelines, metrics, and responsible staff

System to track and measure performance based on standardized performance metrics

Leadership review of monitoring and improvement results

Process to deal with incidents

Audits or other steps to monitor and improve the environmental performance of companies in the supply chain

Other established or emerging best practices

Any relevant policies, procedures, and activities that the company plans to undertake by its next COP to fulfill this criterion, including goals, timelines, metrics, and responsible staff

Reference to relevant international conventions and other international instruments (e.g. Rio Declaration on Environment and Development)

Written company policy on environmental stewardship

Inclusion of minimum environmental standards in contracts with suppliers and other relevant business partners

Specific commitments and goals for specified years

Other established or emerging best practices

Any relevant policies, procedures, and activities that the company plans to undertake by its next COP to fulfill this criterion, including goals, timelines, metrics, and responsible staff

Publicly stated formal policy of zero-tolerance of corruption (D1)

Commitment to be in compliance with all relevant anti-corruption laws, including the implementation of procedures to know the law and monitor changes (B2)

Statement of support for international and regional legal frameworks, such as the UN Convention against Corruption (D2)

Detailed policies for high-risk areas of corruption (D4)

Policy on anti-corruption regarding business partners (D5)

Any relevant policies, procedures, and activities that the company plans to undertake by its next COP to fulfill this criterion, including goals, timelines, metrics, and responsible staff

Carrying out risk assessment of potential areas of corruption (D3)

Human Resources procedures supporting the anti-corruption commitment or policy, including communication to and training for all employees (B5 + D8)

Internal checks and balances to ensure consistency with the anti-corruption commitment (B6)

Actions taken to encourage business partners to implement anti-corruption commitments (D6)

Management responsibility and accountability for implementation of the anti-corruption commitment or policy (D7)

Communications (whistleblowing) channels and follow-up mechanisms for reporting concerns or seeking advice (D9)

Internal accounting and auditing procedures related to anticorruption (D10)

Other established or emerging best practices

Any relevant policies, procedures, and activities that the company plans to undertake by its next COP to fulfill this criterion, including goals, timelines, metrics, and responsible staff

Process to deal with incidents (D13)

Public legal cases regarding corruption (D14)

Use of independent external assurance of anti-corruption programmes (D15)

Outcomes of integration of the anti-corruption principle

Other established or emerging best practices

Any relevant policies, procedures, and activities that the company plans to undertake by its next COP to fulfill this criterion, including goals, timelines, metrics, and responsible staff

Coordinate efforts with other organizations and initiatives to amplify—and not negate or unnecessarily duplicate—the efforts of other contributors

Take responsibility for the intentional and unintentional effects of funding and have due regard for local customs, traditions, religions, and priorities of pertinent individuals and groups

Other established or emerging best practices

Any relevant policies, procedures, and activities that the company plans to undertake by its next COP to fulfill this criterion, including goals, timelines, metrics, and responsible staff

Develop relevant products and services or design business models that contribute to UN goals/issues

Adopt and modify operating procedures to maximize contribution to UN goals/issues

Other established or emerging best practices

Any relevant policies, procedures, and activities that the company plans to undertake by its next COP to fulfill this criterion, including goals, timelines, metrics, and responsible staff

Join industry peers, UN entities and/or other stakeholders in initiatives contributing to solving common challenges and dilemmas at the global and/or local levels with an emphasis on initiatives extending the company’s positive impact on its value chain

Other established or emerging best practices

Any relevant policies, procedures, and activities that the company plans to undertake by its next COP to fulfill this criterion, including goals, timelines, metrics, and responsible staff

Commit company leaders to participate in key summits, conferences, and other important public policy interactions in relation to one or more UN goals/issues

Other established or emerging best practices

CEO leads executive management team in development of corporate sustainability strategy, defining goals and overseeing implementation

Any relevant policies, procedures, and activities that the company plans to undertake by its next COP to fulfill this criterion, including goals, timelines, metrics, and responsible staff

CEO promotes initiatives to enhance sustainability of the company’s sector and leads development of industry standards

Make sustainability criteria and UN Global Compact principles part of goals and incentive schemes for CEO and executive management team

Other established or emerging best practices

Any relevant policies, procedures, and activities that the company plans to undertake by its next COP to fulfill this criterion, including goals, timelines, metrics, and responsible staff

Publicly recognize responsibility for the company’s impacts on internal and external stakeholders

Consult stakeholders in dealing with implementation dilemmas and challenges and invite them to take active part in reviewing performance

Establish channels to engage with employees and other stakeholders to hear their ideas and address their concerns

Other established or emerging best practices

Any relevant policies, procedures, and activities that the company plans to undertake by its next COP to fulfill this criterion, including goals, timelines, metrics, and responsible staff

Board of Directors (or equivalent) assumes responsibility and oversight for long-term corporate sustainability strategy and performance

Board (or committee), where permissible, approves formal reporting on corporate sustainability (Communication on Progress)

Other established or emerging best practices

SDG 1: End poverty in all its forms everywhere

SDG 2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

SDG 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

SDG 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

SDG 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

SDG 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

SDG 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

SDG 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

SDG 15: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

SDG 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

Opportunities and responsibilities that one or more SDGs represent to our business

Where the company’s priorities lie with respect to one or more SDGs

Goals and indicators set by our company with respect to one or more SDGs

How one or more SDGs are integrated into the company’s business model

If the companies' activities related to the SDGs are undertaken in collaboration with other stakeholders

Other established or emerging best practices