“Let us choose to unite the powers of markets with the authority of universal principles.”
That was the message from Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 1999, when he called on business worldwide to join the Global Compact and support sustainable growth.
The Global Compact sets out ten principles in the areas of human rights, labour rights, the environment and anti-corruption which all members must observe and endorse.
ISS immediately welcomed the Compact as the principles align well with our corporate values, our business aspiration, and our commitment to sustainable development.
Globalisation is not bridging social, environmental and economic divides automatically. ISS recognizes that multinational companies have the ability and thus obligation to help the process back on track. Promoting the Global Compact is one of the ways in which ISS enacts its responsibility.
The Ten Principles of The Global Compact
On human rights, companies are asked to:
| 1. |
Support and respect the protection of international human rights within their sphere of influence |
| 2. |
Make sure their own corporations are not complicit in human rights abuses |
On labour rights, companies are asked to uphold:
| 3. |
Freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining |
| 4. |
The elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labour |
| 5. |
The effective abolition of child labour |
| 6. |
The elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation |
On the environment, companies are asked to:
| 7. |
Support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges |
| 8. |
Undertake initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility |
| 9. |
Encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies. |
On anti-corruption, companies are asked to:
| 10. |
Work against all forms of corruption, including extortion and bribery |
|
|
Enacting the Global Compact at ISS
As a corporate partner, ISS is asked to make a clear statement of support for the Global Compact and communicate about progress in implementing the ten principles. At ISS we do this by including the Global Compact in our:
- Policies
- Internal and external communication
- Stakeholder relations
- Training
- Annual Report
At least once a year we submit a communication on progress (COP) with actions and measurements of how we implement the Global Compact principles in our business.
Finally, ISS takes active part in an on-going Global Compact Policy Dialogue with representatives from business, UN Agencies, labour, NGO’s and others. These meetings serve the purpose of developing tools, discussing specified action and launching joint initiatives regarding issues like joint capacity building in the least developed countries.
Read more about the UN Global Compact