The international community and the business world have edged closer in recent times to cooperate on a set of core principles in social and environmental areas. Common goals, such as building markets, combating corruption, safeguarding the environment and ensuring social inclusion, have resulted in unprecedented partnerships and openness among business, government, civil society, labor and the United Nations. Many businesses recognize the need to collaborate with international actors in the current global context where social, political and economic challenges as well as opportunities – whether occurring at home or in other regions – affect companies as never before.
This ever-increasing understanding is reflected in the growth of the U.N. Global Compact, which today stands as the largest corporate citizenship and sustainability initiative in the world -- with over 6,000 corporate participants and stakeholders from over 130 countries.
The UN Global Compact has two objectives:
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Mainstream the 10 principles in business activities around the world
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Catalyze actions in support of broader UN goals, including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
The Global Compact asks companies to embrace, support and enact, within their sphere of influence, a set of core values in the areas of human rights, labor standards, the environment, and anti-corruption. This has led to the creation and agreement on ten overall principles.
The CSE is a signatory of the Global Compact.