With more than 20,000 companies and 2,000 non-business signatories based in over 160 countries, and 70 country networks, the United Nations Global Compact is the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative — one Global Compact uniting business for a better world.
Companies joining the UN Global Compact commit to Ten Principles of sustainable business conduct. By incorporating these principles into strategies, policies and procedures, companies are not only upholding their basic responsibilities to people and planet, but also setting the stage for long-term success.
The UN Global Compact’s Ten Principles are derived from: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Labour Organization’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, and the United Nations Convention Against Corruption.
Globally and locally connected
All German signatories of the UN Global Compact are part of the UN Global Compact Network Germany. As the country network of the global initiative, we support our participants in Germany through various learning and dialogue formats to integrate sustainability into their core business. These formats include:
- Formats specifically developed by us for the German context. More information on these can be found on our topic pages.
- International offerings conducted by us in cooperation with the UN Global Compact or other country networks.
The Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact
Human Rights
1. Businesses should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights.
2. Businesses should make sure that they are not complicit in human rights abuses.
Labour
3. Businesses should uphold the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining.
4. Businesses should uphold the elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labour.
5. Businesses should uphold the effective abolition of child labour.
6. Businesses should uphold the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation.
Environment
7. Businesses should support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges.
8. Businesses should undertake initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility.
9. Businesses should encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies.
Anti-Corruption
10. Businesses should work against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery.
More on anti-corruption
