Rotarians Should Actively Support The United Nations Global Compact

PROPOSAL:
Rotarians Should Actively Support the United Nations Global Compact
Submitted by Josef Klee, Rotary Club New York (former United Nations Deputy Director)
The Secretary General of the United Nations, in July 2000, launched the Global Compact to advance responsible corporate citizenship so that business can be a constructive part of the solution to the challenges of globalization.
The Global Compact is a voluntary initiative and not a regulatory instrument, and it relies on the enlightened self-interest and cooperation of companies to promote a more sustainable and inclusive global economy. Companies joining the Global Compact must send a letter to the United Nations Secretary General expressing their support for the Global Compact and its ten principles. These principles relate to universally accepted tenets in the areas of human rights, workplace standards, environment and anti-corruption which are derived from international treaties.
Today, nearly two thousand companies from all regions of the world and a number of international civil society organizations have joined the Global Compact.
The Global Compact has initiated regional networks, international policy dialogue meetings and numerous partnership projects with United Nations agencies and civil society organizations in support of global economic and social development goals.
For further information please refer to http://www.unglobalcompact.org/
I would strongly recommend that Rotary International as a leading nongovernmental organization at the United Nations, fully embrace the Global Compact and designate it as one of Rotary’s priority programs, and that individual Rotarians actively support the Global Compact in their respective fields of business. Close cooperation between Rotary and the Global Compact would be a natural move since the Four-Way-Test and the concept of the Global Compact are based on the same philosophy and ethics. Rotarians are expected to meet high professional and business standards, and to build good will and friendship and to provide service to both the local and international communities. Many Rotarians all over the world are business leaders and thus have a direct interest in fostering good corporate citizenship.
With this brief note, I wish to call upon Rotarians to support the Global Compact; and I would welcome any comments, ideas and recommendations on how we can support the United Nations Global Compact.Josef Klee, Rotary Club New York (former United Nations Deputy Director)