Nowadays, sustainability is getting more attention than ever before, but it also raises a lot of questions. What is sustainability and how can companies become sustainable? In order to give companies an idea on how to become sustainable, this article will go over the “Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact”.
The UN released the “UN global compact 10 point principles” in order to further support the corporate sustainability concept. The UN stated that corporate sustainability starts with a company’s value system and their principle-based approach on doing business. This means that they are operating in ways that, at least, meet fundamental responsibilities in the areas of human rights, environment, labour and anti-corruption. Responsible businesses will act according to their values and principles, wherever they may be, and are aware that good practises in one area should not inflict harm in another area. If companies want to uphold their responsibilities of people, planet and long-term success, they can incorporate the Ten Principles of the UN global compact into their strategies, policies and procedures, and also establishing a culture of integrity. The 10 principles can be divided into four categories: Principle 1 and 2 fall under the human rights category, principles 3, 4, 5 and 6 are part of the labour category, principles 7, 8 and 9 are part of the environment category and principle 10 is from the anti-corruption catergory. The principles are:
In this article we will explain what these 10 principles are and how to incorporate them in your business.
The UN wants to point out their expectations for businesses on human rights. They expect that companies respect and support human rights. With respecting human rights, the UN means that a company should use due diligence to avoid human rights violations and address disadvantageous impacts on human rights with which they are involved. Businesses are also encouraged to actively support human rights. Supporting human rights means that the company will contribute positively to human rights, to promote or further develop human rights.
What can companies do to act according to this principle?
Respect human rights:
Support human rights:
With complicity, it is meant that the company is involved in human rights abuses caused by another company, government, individual or another group.
What can companies do to act according to this principle?
Freedom of association gives employers and employees the right to freely and voluntarily create associations with others to protest and collectively bargain with their employers. In order to give the ability of free decision making, the work environment needs to be free of violence, pressure, fear and threats.
What can companies do to act according to this principle?
Any form of work or service for which the person hasn’t offered him-/herself voluntarily, and is under threat of a penalty, is seen as forced or compulsory labour. Forced labour can come in many forms, for example: Slavery, bonded labour or debt bondage, physical confinement in the work location and deception of false promises about the types and terms of work.
What can companies do to act according to this principle?
Child labour is something different than youth employment or student work. Child labour is a form of exploitation and has been recognized and defined by international instruments.
What can companies do to act according to this principle?
With discrimination, the UN means the different or negative treatment of people based on characteristics that are not related to the job requirements. Examples of these characteristics are: race, colour, sex, religion, political opinion, national extraction, social origin, age, disability, HIV/AIDS status, trade union membership, and sexual orientation.
What can companies do to act according to this principle?
With precaution, risk will be assessed, managed and communicated. When a risk can do a reasonable amount of harm, decision-makers need to apply precaution and consider the fact that there still is some uncertainty that appears from scientific research. Article 15 of the 1992 Rio Declaration states: “where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation”.
What can companies do to act according to this principle?
Chapter 30 of Agenda 21 elaborated what the role of business and industry is in the sustainable development agenda: "Business and industry should increase self-regulation, guided by appropriate codes, charters and initiatives integrated into all elements of business planning and decision-making, and fostering openness and dialogue with employees and the public.".
What can companies do to act according to this principle?
Environmentally sound technologies are protecting the environment, are less polluting, use all resources more sustainable, recycle their wastes and products and have a more acceptable manner of dealing with residual waste than the technologies for which they were substituted.
What can companies do to act according to this principle?
This principle was adopted in 2004 which commits UN Global Compact participants to avoid bribery, extortion, any other forms of corruption, and commits them to proactively create policies and concrete programmes to address corruption internally within their supply chains. Companies are also challenged to work together and join civil society, the United Nations and governments to realize a more transparent global economy.
What can companies do to act according to this principle?
Sustainability is gaining more attention and we believe that these principles can give a good idea on how to act properly towards the planet and people. If you want to find more information, you can go to the UN global compact site for more activities under the name of “The Ten Principles of the UN Global Pact”.
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