THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
REMARKS AT UNITED NATIONS GLOBAL COMPACT
BOARD MEETING
Rio de Janeiro, 21 June 2012
Good morning.
I am pleased to join you for this first meeting of the reconstituted
Global Compact Board.
Usually, we hold our Board meetings in New York. I hope this meeting
at Rio+20 will be an auspicious beginning for this new Board as we
seek to take corporate sustainability to the next level.
Let me begin by extending a warm welcome to our new Board members,
especially those here today:
Mr. Abrahão, Mr. Di Piazza and Mr. Galaev.
Mr. Gopalakrishnan, Ms. Foster and Mr. Masilela.
Mr. Naqvi, Mr. Polman and Ms. Tilaar.
Mr. Vasudeva and Mr. Wilton.
The work of the Global Compact and the broader UN-business agenda has
grown dramatically since the Board was first appointed in 2006. It is
fitting that we now augment the Board with additional expertise and
perspectives to help steer our work.
I greatly appreciate the time and energy that all of you have
committed to the Global Compact. UN-business collaboration is
essential for achieving a better future.
We are on a good track already.
Through the Global Compact, some 7,000 companies in 135 countries are
working to change their operations to align with universal principles.
Platforms and working groups on sustainable energy, climate, water,
women’s empowerment and anti-corruption are thriving.
We have Local Networks on the ground in 101 countries. I have visited
at least a dozen of these and been very inspired by the level of
enthusiasm and action. In April, I launched the network in Myanmar and
felt the true potential of the Compact to contribute to the historic
transition under way in that country.
And just two days ago, the Corporate Sustainability Forum here in Rio
showed that business is able and willing to be part of solutions to
the serious global challenges we face. In fact, businesses are
leading the charge in key areas.
These are all promising signs.
But as we know, much more needs to be done to increase both the scale
and quality of corporate sustainability practices.
Not enough companies are taking the agenda seriously. We have set a
goal of reaching 20,000 companies by 2020 as part of our efforts to
reach critical mass.
For those companies that are in the Global Compact, we must find a way
to keep them engaged and improving their work. Just one-quarter of our
participants consider their work advanced.
It is also unfortunate that we are forced to remove so many companies
each year – especially small companies – that are not meeting the
requirements of the initiative. These are companies that have found
their way to the Global Compact, yet somehow do not keep pace. We
must work harder to keep them on the path of sustainability.
These two goals – growth and quality – are keys to Global Compact’s
future. I am pleased to hear that the Board is making new progress on
a growth strategy and on integrity measures. I expect these
discussions to continue at our next meeting later this year.
In advance of that next gathering, I ask you to explore how we can
best mobilize business to support priority UN goals. Indeed, this is
the second of the Global Compact’s primary objectives – and one I
would like to see strongly advanced in the years to come. For my
second term in office, I have identified partnership as a central
means to achieve our core mandates, and business will be central. I
would like to thank Paul Polman and other members of the Global
Compact LEAD working group which has helped to define UN-Business
partnership services. Now we need to build and deepen these
capacities, and integrate them with our multi-stakeholder partnership
capacities and efforts.
Already we have some experience upon which we can build. The Global
Compact’s Caring for Climate platform has helped to advance our
Sustainable Energy for All initiative – which clearly stands as one of
the biggest and most important outcomes at this Rio+20 Conference.
Now we need to strengthen and systematize our capacity to build and
execute such powerful transformational partnerships. I look forward
to the Global Compact’s active support on this.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We are here together in Rio to create a new model for development –
one that rejects the myth that there is a zero-sum trade-off between
growth and the environment.
We are here because we understand that, with smart public policies,
governments can grow their economies, alleviate poverty, create decent
jobs and accelerate social progress in a way that respects the earth’s
finite natural resources.
Momentum for change is growing. You will play a crucially important
role in making this transformation irreversible.
We at the United Nations and I personally attach great importance to
your efforts, and we will continue to look to you for leadership,
stewardship and commitment.
Now, I am eager to hear from you on the work you have under way or are planning.
Thank you.