In mid-August, the UNGC launched a campaign calling on member companies’ CEOs to show their support for peace and security, human rights and sustainable development. The response has been a resounding endorsement.
The UN Global Compact (UNGC) is a solid platform and a broad concept based on ten universal principles within Human and Labor Rights, Environment, and Anti-corruption. It involves all of the major players in global business and sustainability, including the GRI (Global Reporting Initiative), ETI (Ethical Trading Initiative), ICC (International Chamber of Commerce), and OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development). AAK has been a member of the UNGC since 2003.
In response to this moment of global disruption and uncertainty, the UNGC recently launched a campaign calling on member companies’ CEOs to show their support for peace and security, human rights and sustainable development.
The CEOs, including AAK’s Johan Westman, answered the call to mark the 75th anniversary of the United Nations and the 20th anniversary of the UNGC by signing a Statement from Business Leaders for Renewed Global Cooperation. In just one month, the Statement was signed by more than 1,000 CEOs from large, medium and small enterprises in virtually every industry and more than 100 countries. The business leaders’ Statement was developed by the UN Global Compact’s Action Platform on Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, whose work is aligned with and supports Sustainable Development Goal 16.
The spirit of multilateralism gave rise to the United Nations. This Statement demonstrates to the world that business heartily embraces that spirit. For the sake of our planet and its people, authentic, courageous leadership and global cooperation is needed urgently now, more than ever.