IBLF works through two ways: promoting the importance of the business contribution to the UN Millennium Development Goals, and helping companies understand how to adopt the principles of the UN Global Compact.
Business and the MDGs: A Framework for Action - 2nd edition launched
As the organisation which puts business at the heart of sustainable development, IBLF is committed to assisting the United Nations engage business as an active partner in development issues. The Millennium Development Goals are a set of targets for tackling disease, poverty, education and environmental damage. The World’s heads of state committed to meeting these goals by 2015.
Since the launch of the goals in 2000, IBLF has worked with companies, UN agencies and other organisations to engage the private sector in contributing to the achievement of these goals.
2008 marks the half way point to achieving the MDGs, and there is a special focus on progress at the UN General Assembly. To contribute to this focus, IBLF has:
- issued a second edition of Business and the MDGs: A Framework for Action with UNDP, with updated examples and a summary of efforts to date
- promoted the World Business and Development Awards, which showcase leading practice by companies
- supported the Business Call to Action which encourages new commitments by the world’s largest companies
- worked with the Financial Times to produce two pages in their paper on the subject of Business and Development
- Core Business: develop responses in the workplace, the marketplace and along the supply chain.
- Social Investment: mobilise core competencies and resources such as money, products, skills and people to support and strengthen local communities.
- Policy Dialogue and Advocacy: take individual and collective action to support systemic change at a local, national and international level.
UN Global Compact
The UN Global Compact is a set of principles based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and UN agreements, that was proposed by the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in January 1999. He challenged world business leaders to help build the social and environmental pillars required to sustain the new global economy and make globalisation work for all the world’s people.
IBLF is committed to assisting the United Nations engage business as an active partner in the Global Compact. IBLF helped the UNGC to develop its website, was involved in the drafting of the initial nine Principles – another has since been added on corruption – and has worked closely with the GC since then.
The UN Global Compact is not just another code – it is a framework for benchmarking practice against the main UN agreements on human rights, environment, labour standards and corruption, and it is a focus for voluntary sharing of good practice and reporting progress.
It complements the UN’s Millennium Development Goals, which aim to eradicate extreme poverty by 2015, by focusing specifically on the role of business.
The proposals have subsequently won widespread support from leading businesses, business associations, NGOs and representatives of labour organisations as a good and practical basis for business to establish operational policies and benchmark standards.
At a time when business behaviour is coming under closer scrutiny by the public, consumers and activists, and the best businesses are making clear public commitments to good standards, the UN Global Compact is a useful framework for making progress and learning from good practice.
Recent activities
September 2008: World Business and Development Awards in support of the MDGs, presented by IBLF, UNDP and ICC. The awards acknowledge the role business can play in meeting the targets for reducing poverty around the world by 2015 and recognise innovative and productive approaches to sustainable development. More information on the Award winners.
March 2008:- IBLF holds leadership dialogue on the health MDGs, with senior figures from business and NGOs. Nutrition and food security emerge as key issues http://www.iblf.org/media_room/general.jsp?id=123996
December 2007: The UK Network of the UN Global Compact launched its own website, which was supported by the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office and managed by IBLF. Visit www.ungc-uk.net for more information
May 2006: Second World Business Awards in support of the MDGs, presented by IBLF, UNDP and ICC. The awards acknowledge the role business can play in meeting the targets for reducing poverty around the world by 2015 and recognise innovative and productive approaches to sustainable development.
January 2006: IBLF was appointed to provide the Secretariat for the UK Network of the UN Global Compact, a company led initiative that acts as a focal point for the UK signatories of the Global Compact.
December 2005: IBLF produced, in conjunction with the UN Global Compact and Transparency International, Business against corruption: a new publication exploring how companies can implement the 10th UN Global Compact Principle, which is against corruption.
September 2005: FT Supplement on Business & Development. The supplement was supported by IBLF and UNDP and published on the opening day of the UN’s New York summit.
May 2005: IBLF, the UNGC and the UN Development Programme organised a second symposium focusing on the role of business in reducing poverty and meeting the Millennium Development Goals. IBLF also gives input and consultation into seminars and consultations that the UNGC convenes. Senior business executives, government representatives, civil society leaders and development practitioners discussed opportunities for maximising and scaling up the business contribution to development.
June 2004: FT Supplement on Business and Development. The report was focused on the relationship between companies and global poverty, produced with the support of IBLF and UNDP.
2004: IBLF/ICC/UNDP World Business Awards in support of the MDGs. Selected from 64 nominations in 27 countries, ten projects were specially recognised that are making a significant contribution to the MDGs.
2003: Business and Millennium Development Goals: A Framework for Action
Publication on how companies and business coalitions can work with the UN system, governments, and civil society organisations to help achieve the MDGs.
2003: IBLF/UNDP First Business and Development Symposium, Highgrove, Gloucestershire