On 31 October 2013 the UN Global Compact introduced a Communication on Engagement (COE) for non-business participants. This reporting mechanism aims to provide non-business participants with an opportunity to engage more actively in the initiative and to better connect with business participants.

The COE is a tool, for non-business participants, to express their commitment through transparency and communicate the ways they advance the UN Global Compact. In the spirit of continuous improvement and engagement, non-business participants will be required to disclose specific activities in support of the initiative to stakeholders every two years, as well as results.

The COE is a public document uploaded to the UN Global Compact website. When possible, the COE must be fully integrated in the organization's main medium of stakeholder communication, such as an annual report.

Non-business participants in the UN Global Compact will be required to communicate to stakeholders on their activities in support of the initiative within two years of joining and every two years thereafter. Failure to submit a COE every two years will result in a change of participant status to "non-communicating". Organizations that do not submit a COE within one year of becoming "non-communicating" will be expelled from the initiative.

The COE must include the following elements:

• A statement by the Chief Executive or equivalent expressing continued support for the UN Global Compact and renewing the participant's ongoing commitment to the initiative and its principles.

• A description of the practical actions that the organization has taken to support the UN Global Compact principles and to engage with the initiative. Practical actions should relate to one or more of the specific activities suggested to each type of non-business participant in support of the initiative.

• Measurement of outcomes (i.e. qualitative or quantitative measurements of results).

To learn more, read the COE Policy