United Nations Global Compact Annual Review 2011

The Annual Review 2010 is organized following the three dimensions of the Global Compact Blueprint for Corporate Sustainability Leadership, a model for achieving higher levels of sustainability performance. This review assesses how - and to what extent - participating companies are implementing the ten principles; taking action in support of broader UN goals and issues; and engaging with the Global Compact locally and globally. At the center of the review are the findings from the 2010 Global Compact Implementation Survey completed by 1,251 companies from 103 countries, assessing corporate sustainability policies and actions being taken from the boardroom through the supply chain

The UN Global Compact is a strategic policy initiative for businesses that are committed to aligning their operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. By doing so, business, as a primary driver of globalisation, can help ensure that markets, commerce, technology and finance advance in ways that benefit economies and societies everywhere. Endorsed by chief executives, the Global Compact is a practical framework for the development, implementation, and disclosure of sustainability policies and practices, offering participants a wide spectrum of workstreams, management tools and resources - all designed to help advance sustainable business models and markets. The UN Global Compact Annual Review is a comprehensive annual study that assesses how - and to what extent - companies worldwide are implementing the ten principles; taking action in support of broader UN goals and issues; and engaging with the Global Compact locally and globally. At the centre of the review are the findings from the Annual Global Compact Implementation Survey, an annual, anonymous online survey of Global Compact participants worldwide, conducted to take stock of environmental and social performance and identify trends and developments related to corporate sustainability issues.

This book examines the rise and spread of corporate social responsibility across the globe and its impact on corporate reputation and behaviour.

In recent years, a new movement has emerged within organizational psychology, transposing the established principles of the field onto arenas of more pressing humanitarian need, including the humanitarian treatment of all workers in all work settings. Humanitarian Work Psychology (HWP) stretches the parameters of the discipline to focus on regions, communities, and groups of workers that can potentially benefit most from its research and insights. Humanitarian Work Psychology and the Global Development Agenda is the first book to provide a collection of case studies of HWP in action. Edited by some of the leading scholars in the field, it benchmarks HWP against the developmental goals set out by the United Nations at the start of the century as the most pressing issues of our age, ranging from the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger and the achievement of universal primary education, to gender equality and empowerment, the reduction of child mortality, greater environmental sustainability and global partnership-building. Including findings from interventions conducted in Nigeria, India, Ghana, Hong Kong and Sierra Leone, the book examines how the latest research from organizational psychology can be used to support people working in developing economies, as well as in humanitarian work itself. The collection concludes with a section on how this exciting new field will develop in the future, particularly in reference to the forthcoming United Nations goals for global sustainable development. Humanitarian Work Psychology and the Global Development Agenda will be a fascinating read not only for all students and researchers of Organizational Psychology, but also those working and studying in the related fields of Development Studies, Environmental Sustainability, International Politics and International Economics.

The United Nations Global Compact Local Network Report takes stock of the work of Local Networks around the world, featuring statistics and case examples on network governance, activities, issues and communications. The publication is developed annually to showcase the work of Local Networks. Global Compact Local Networks (GCLNs) are organized by participants who come together voluntarily to advance the Global Compact and its principles at the local level. There are over 97 established and emerging GCLNs. While retaining diverse operations, all GCLNs operate with the mission to advance the UN Global Compact principles in business. GCLNs serve an essential role in rooting the UN Global Compact within different national contexts - and their distinct economic, cultural and linguistic needs. Participation in a GCLN provides companies the opportunity to engage with a variety of stakeholders, including other businesses and representatives from civil society, government, academia, business associations and investors.

Natural resources represent a large share of FDI inflows to the Asia-Pacific region. Covered in this study are oil, gas, mining, hydropower, and large tract plantations such as palm oil and rubber (but not agriculture). These sectors share a number of common features relating both to the nature and the social and environmental impacts of FDI. Growing worldwide demand for these finite resources has made them increasingly attractive investment opportunities. Over the past few years, ESCAP has been actively working to support increased implementation of more inclusive and sustainable business practices in the Asia and Pacific region. This study builds on this work by providing a review of the issues, challenges, instruments and tools related to responsible business and sustainable FDI in the natural resources sector in the Asia-Pacific region. The ultimate objective of the study is to promote FDI that brings a satisfactory return on investment for the business or investor and a positive social return on investment for the host country whilst ensuring environmental sustainability.

Over the last 30 years, corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become a household term, reflecting a combination of factors that we have come to associate with that most catch-all of terms "globalization," including the widespread popular concern with such social issues as the environment and international human rights. Corporate Social Responsibility examines the history of the idea of business ethics (which goes back at least to ancient Mesopotamia) before exploring the state of CSR today. This book argues that a wide-ranging understanding of the purpose of business is necessary to create value for a community of stakeholders which in turn can generate a sustainable future. The book suggests that corporations still have a long way to go, but remains optimistic. The book’s sanguine interpretation of the current state of corporate affairs and a recommended way forward, results not only from the authors analysis, but also his direct experience. This book presents the case that we are in the midst of a major paradigm shift in our understanding of the purpose of business and that this new understanding holds much promise for business being a significant force for a more just and peaceful world. This work provides a concise overview of CSR and an important examination of the present and future work of the UN Global Compact and will be of interest to students of international organizations, international business and corporate social responsibility.