The triennial Global Compact Leaders Summit is fast approaching. The Summit not only has clear significance for GC stakeholders and the UN system (serving as the organization’s largest gathering of business leaders), the event also promises to be a milestone in the broad corporate citizenship movement.

Why is this so important now? Certainly, it is reassuring that new ways of operating and cooperating across sectors have been forged among enlightened leaders in a relatively short period of time. The case for corporate responsibility is increasingly understood, the arguments are resonating. But, it is clear that this agenda can only have significant impact if it reaches critical mass.

Why do we need scale? It is the belief of the Global Compact that responsible business is the best hope for delivering broad-based development and creating sustainable markets. Goals that are vital in our world – a world bonded together through technology and globalization, yet at the same time increasingly divided by feelings of inequity, protectionism, intolerance and fear. There are stark gaps between the world’s “have's” and “have not’s”. Development insufficiencies are directly linked to threats to global peace and market stability in the 21st century.

Government has crucial roles and responsibilities in this agenda. This is why approximately 40 Government Ministers will attend the meeting – to further discuss the necessary institutional frameworks and incentives to allow private sector development and growth.

We know that when business operates in a manner truly consistent with universal principles, it can help achieve social and economic inclusion. But in the broad range of corporate citizenship programs and initiatives found around the world, we still face fragmentation, duplication and uncertainly with respect to citizenship strategy and execution. We know that less rigorous approaches to corporate responsibility may be easier to mainstream, but these will be ineffective in meeting the common challenges facing business and society in the 21st century.

At the Global Compact Leaders Summit, I have no doubt that this agenda can be moved through the focused engagement and collective will of 1,000 leaders from business, government, civil society, labour and academia. Our collective work can inspire business everywhere to seek higher aspirations for its role in society, helping to achieve a new phase of globalization that delivers broad-based development and creates more inclusive and sustainable markets.

Sincerely,

Georg Kell
Executive Director, UN Global Compact