Fifty global executives convened during the UN General Assembly’s week of high-level debates, to candidly share corporate approaches to converging global crises. This business-to-business discussion focused on complex dilemmas related to strengthening peace, justice, and strong institutions (Sustainable Development Goal 16). Discussion centered around three questions: 1. How are you managing increased pressure to take a stand on political and social issues? 2. How are you weighing the cost of doing something, versus the cost of doing nothing? 3. How can lobbying be part of an accountability framework regarding corporate actions in these areas? This document summarizes high-level take-aways.

The ILO Helpdesk is a service from the International Labour Organization that provides a one-stop-shop to help company managers and workers understand the application of international labour standards.

  2022 marks the 10-year anniversary of the Children’s Rights and Business Principles developed jointly by UNICEF, UN Global Compact and Save the Children in consultation with children, businesses, investors, governments, civil society, trade unions, national human rights institutions and United Nations entities. The joint Brief “Charting the Course: Embedding children’s rights in responsible business conduct” summarizes the findings of a more detailed forthcoming report by the three organizations and aims to chart the course for the coming years. Impact at scale is yet to be achieved to put child rights at the heart of corporate sustainability, the time has come to raise the bar towards making business fit for children.

Guides companies around the world to better understand and address human rights impacts in their operations and supply chains. Users can access in-depth analysis of key human rights issues, due diligence recommendations, as well as case studies illustrating how other businesses have responsibly addressed human rights impacts.

The UN Global Compact partnered with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on a Business Guide to urgently respond to Ukraine’s humanitarian crisis. The Guide provides concrete action for businesses to support the Secretary-General’s three-month Flash Appeal for people in Ukraine, and a Regional Refugee Response Plan for the situation outside, under the leadership of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

Developed by the United Nations Global Compact, UNICEF and Save the Children – the Children’s Rights and Business Principles are the first comprehensive set of principles to guide companies on the full range of actions they can take in the workplace, marketplace and community to respect and support children’s rights. While the business and human rights agenda has evolved significantly in recent years, a child rights perspective has not yet been explicitly addressed. (https://childrenandbusiness.org/)

Description: Part of the UN Global Compact SDG Ambition Accelerator Initiative, the Living Wage Ambition is one of ten SDG Ambition Benchmarks aiming at challenging organizations to set more ambitious targets and accelerating integration of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into core business management. This ambition is encouraging companies to provide and promote a living wage as an essential aspect of decent work to ensure all workers, families and communities can live in dignity. The guide “Achieving the Living Wage Ambition: Reference Sheet and Implementation Guidance” provides illustrative details regarding the steps to take to successfully implement a living wage programme in a company’s business system which will lead to all employees being provided with wages and benefits that are sufficient to cover at least their basic needs. For more information on the SDG Ambition Accelerator Initiative please visit here.

The Human Rights Due Diligence Tool provides guidance and a checklist for cargo owners, charterers and logistics providers to conduct human rights due diligence across their supply chains to identify, prevent, mitigate and address adverse human rights impacts for seafarers impacted by the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.

 Explains the background and the contents of the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and how they relate to the broader human rights system and other frameworks. It aims to help both practitioners and newcomers to navigate the Guiding Principles and improve their understanding of the Guiding Principles by placing these in context.

Highlights the central role businesses play in determining whether or not global temperature increases can be limited to 1.5°C by 2050, and identifies key issues that businesses should consider when assessing climate change and human rights - such as climate refugees, human trafficking, litigation hotspots, investor demands, and cost of inaction. 

Gender equality is both a fundamental human right and a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. Yet, at the current rate of progress, it will take over 10 generations to close the economic gender gap. This 30-minute e-learning course will help you understand the role of business in advancing gender equality and the concrete steps that all companies can take to help accelerate the pace of change. By completing this session and related learning materials, you will learn: Why gender equality and women’s empowerment is a prerequisite to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. How your company can contribute to the achievement of SDG 5. How to build the business case for gender equality in your company. How the Women’s Empowerment Principles and other key frameworks, Tools and resources can support your business. -Concrete steps that your business can take to mainstream gender equality into strategy and operations.

This collection of case studies and business guidelines, compiled by Global Compact Local Networks across Africa, highlights how business and other partners are working to advance gender equality. Including company examples, as well as key resources and relevant gender-equality activities taking place at regional and local levels, this report hopes to inspire and challenge more companies to move from commitment to action and to play a leading role in ensuring that gender equality means business.