Greetings and welcome to the seventh edition of the UN-Business Focal Point newsletter! Much has happened recently and we at the Global Compact Office wanted to include up-to-date information on the Resolution “Towards Global Partnerships” which was unanimously adopted on 5 December, 2007 by the Second Committee of the UN General Assembly...

How do you go about creating a successful and mutually beneficial relationship between a multinational company and an international humanitarian agency so that each recognizes the other’s goals, aspirations, abilities, talents and expertise? How do you create an open and honest dialogue between them, and how do you nurture mutual respect? The answer may well be the new alliance created by INSEAD and the International Organization for Migration (IOM)...

In July 2006, UNIDO and Microsoft established a partnership pooling expertise to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and foster greater innovation and competitiveness which helps to recognize the importance of harnessing the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for promoting sustainable industrialization throughout the developing world...

A collaborative effort between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), VivaCell, and Pyunic, an Arts and Crafts Center for the Disabled was established in Armenia within the framework of the Global Compact Armenia Network, which was launched in 2006 to promote corporate social responsibility in the Armenian republic...

Mondialogo is a public-private partnership initiated by Daimler and UNESCO to promote intercultural dialogue, exchange and understanding among young people around the world. Launched in 2003, the partnership was initially designed to run for a period of three years. However, the partnership has now been extended until 2009...

The United Nations International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and Microsoft signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Connect Africa summit outlining how they will work together to build a safe, inclusive and interoperable information society...

The United Nations, Google and Cisco have unveiled a pioneering online site that tracks progress towards decreasing global poverty by 2015. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched the project, called MDG Monitor, and highlighted the urgent need to increase global cooperation...

Some additional new partnerships with short summaries and links to further information...

The United Nations Environment Programme - Division of Technology, Industry and Economics (UNEP-DTIE) is currently promoting a new capacity-building project aimed at promoting chemical safety management and chemical accident preparedness along the value chain of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries...

September 2007 marked the one-year anniversary of UNICEF’s partnership with Deutsche Post World Net (DPWN), a global market leader in logistics, based in Germany. What does the one-year evolution of a large scale partnership look like?...

UNIDO has developed the Responsible Entrepreneurs Achievement Programme (REAP), a CSR-based management and reporting tool, that supports the practical implementation of CSR in smaller businesses. This programme was developed  with a view to assist Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in their efforts to implement CSR-based management approaches and operation methods...

Corruption is a significant concern around the world, and is widespread in the Asia-Pacific region. While the region can point to important achievements in economic and human development, the accountability and transparency record in many Asian countries is weak...

During my six-year tenure in the UN system formulating private-sector partnerships, I have witnessed considerable opposition to this concept lauded by Kofi Annan and some of the UN leadership...

At the United Nations, the joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) brings together the efforts of ten UN system organizations to the global AIDS response. In addition, UNAIDS seeks to leverage the skills, knowledge and resources of the private-sector in the fight. To gain more insight into these efforts, the editor spoke with the UNAIDS Chief of Private-Sector Partnerships, Ms. Regina Castillo...

Many people know Google Earth, a virtual globe program, as an enlightening way to explore our world without leaving our desks. Others use the software to point out strange or interesting geological or manmade landmarks, while perhaps more of us than we would like to admit use it as means to survive the lull in the day before or after lunch. To get an idea of how Google Earth is engaging public advocacy causes, I spoke with Rebecca Moore, Program Manager, Google Earth Outreach...

This new publication by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) shows how companies can contribute to global sustainable development through their core businesses in a way that is profitable for the companies and good for development...

The UNDP Viet Nam Global Compact Team have published three thematic brochures on labor, the environment and anti–corruption to raise awareness of the Global Compact in Viet Nam during the Global Compact Viet Nam Network Launching Ceremony...

The “Business Guide to Partnering with NGOs and the UN” is based on a survey of about 20,000 companies worldwide, and profiles the leading NGOs and UN agencies – both global and local - that have demonstrated competency in areas such as advocacy, awareness-raising, health and the environment...

A new study conducted by The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) and the Bertelsmann Foundation, explores how governments - through incorporating corporate social responsibility (CSR) into national policies - can contribute to shaping a fair and balanced process of globalization by working together with private and civil society actors...

A new issue of the Secretariat for the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) newsletter “Business.2010” was published in October 2007. The new issue focuses on "Banking for Biodiverstiy"...

A list of upcoming events relevant to UN private sector focal points...

The names and contact information of new colleagues and other personnel changes...