Trade and Development / UN Global Compact; Contribution to the Global Compact trust Fund in 2012

Description What is done in the programme or project and why, what results are pursued, who benefits from the activities and who are involved in the implementation.

UN Global Compact (UNGC) is a global corporate leaders’ initiative, launched by the UN Secretary-General in 2000, which aims at transforming the business world to operate, both in developed and developing countries, in a socially and environmentally sustainable and responsible manner, together with the UN System, civil society and labor organizations. UNGC advances also development partnerships between companies and the UN System. UNGC on the most important and largest global network that advances the business commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and sustainable development. The private sector’s commitent to CSR by implementing UNGC’s ten principles on human rights, gender equality, labor rights, environmental sustainability and anti-corruption work integrates the human rights based approach and cross-cutting objectives of Finland’s development policy into Aid for Trade. Finland has partnered with the UNGC since 2008. UNGC works both at the global and local levels: Global Compact Office is responsible for the operative management and coordination of the initiative, support for other administrative parts of the initiative and active mobilization of various players, especially the private sector, in advancing sustainable development under the CSR umbrella. Local Networks are country-specific, multi-country or subregional membership-based networks that advance CSR with UNGC’s ten principles and collaborate with other players at country or subregional levels. UNGC incorporates almost 100 Local Networks all over the world.