"I call on you - individually through your firms, and collectively through your business associations - to embrace, support and enact a set of core values in the areas of human rights, labour standards, and environmental practices."
(Kofi Annan - UN Secretary General,
World Economic Forum, 31 January 1999, Davos)
The UN Global Compact's Ten Principles in the areas of human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption enjoy universal consensus and are derived from:
- The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- The International Labour Organization's Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work
- The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development
- The United Nations Convention Against Corruption
The UN 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, labour standards, the environment and anti-corruption:
Human Rights |
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Principle 1 Businesses should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights Principle 2 Businesses should make sure that they are not complicit in human rights abuses |
Labour |
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Principle 3 Businesses should uphold the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining Principle 4 Businesses should uphold the elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labour Principle 5 Businesses should uphold the effective abolition of child labour Principle 6 Businesses should uphold the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation |
Environment |
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Principle 7 Businesses should support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges Principle 8 Businesses should undertake initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility Principle 9 Businesses should encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies |
Anti-Corruption |
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Principle 10 Businesses should work against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery |
