25 April, Kyiv. In response to growing interest in corporate social responsibility in Ukraine, the United Nations in Ukraine has launched the Global Compact Initiative which involves over 34 Ukrainian and international businesses, associations and civil society organizations.
“As business interests increasingly overlap with development objectives, the need for responsible business practices, as well as cross-sector partnerships, is more important than ever before.” – stated Kalman Mizsei, Assistant to UN Secretary-General and Regional Director of UNDP, while welcoming the business leaders at the official launch of the Global Compact in Kyiv .
In 1999, the UN Secretary General has launched the Global Compact with two main objectives: (i) to make its 10 principles on human rights, labour, corruption and the environment part of business strategy and operations around the world and (ii) to facilitate the development of partnerships between the private sector and the Governments, UN agencies, labour and civil society in support of Millennium Development Goals.
The Global Compact asks companies to embrace, support and enact, within their sphere of influence, a set of core values in the area of human rights, Labour standards, the environment and anti-corruption.
Addressing the participants of the ceremony Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Borys Tarasyuk emphasized, “The commitment of the members to the 10 principles of the Global Compact makes these business companies important partners of the Government of Ukraine in the priority areas of observing human rights and labour standards, enhancing anti-corruption efforts and addressing environmental challenges”.
To promote the corporate social responsibility concept and encourage the adoption of socially responsible practices as a positive force for change, the United Nations system in Ukraine has organized series of focus group meetings with the private sector, leading representatives of Ukrainian and multinational companies, business associations, trade and labour unions and civil society representatives.
The signatories of the Global Compact in Ukraine: Active-Bank Commercial Bank, American Chamber of Commerce, Bank Nadra, British Airways Ukraine, Bytsko Travel Company, Coca-Cola Company, Consortium for the Enhancement of Ukrainian Management Education, European Business Association, Federation of Employers of Ukraine, JSC "Kyivstar GSM", JSC PROsto-INSURANCE, HVB Bank Ukraine, Institute for Sustainable Comminities, UCAN Project, International Center for Policy Studies, Gestalt Consulting Group, GlaxoSmithKline, Leo Burnett Ukraine, Lviv Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Lviv Regional Association of Small and Medium-size businesses, Nissan Motor Ukraine LLC, Odessa Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Siemens Ukraine, SC Johnson Ukraine, Scientific and Industrial Enterprise “OMiTex”, Scientific production Investment Group “INTERPIPE”, System Capital Management, TNK-BP Ukraine Ltd., Tetra Pak Ukraine, Ukrainian Women’s Fund, All-Ukrainian Public organization “Ukrainian Public Relations League”, Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ukrainian National Committee of International Chamber of Commerce, Ukrainian Association for Quality.
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