The United Nations Global Compact Australia

MGSM Leadership Series “The business of business in peace and sustainable development”

Matthew Tukaki Australian Representative to the United Nations Global Compact

CEO and Executive Chairman of the Sustain Group

About The Global Compact

Established more than a decade ago after recognition that business and industry does and must play a role when it comes to significant challenges

Four core Principles: Anti-Corruption, the Environment, Labour and Human Rights

More than 8,000 signatories globally including more than 300 Australian companies and organisations & a further 300 global corporations with operations in Australia

More than 100 Local Networks around the world making it the largest corporate citizenship initiative on the planet – the 101st office was opened by the Secretary General in Burma this past April – We hope the 102nd will be Papua New Guinea

Established three Leadership Groups here in Australia: Human Rights, Anti-Corruption and the Environment

The UNGC Convened the Rio+20 Corporate Sustainability Forum

Our core focus areas:

Energy & Climate

Water & Ecosystems

Agriculture & Food

Social Development

Urbanization & Cities

Economics & Finance of Sustainable Development

The objectives of Rio+20 from business 1. Prove that corporate sustainability is an essential element in achieving sustainable development, and underscore the urgent need for the UN to engage the private sector as a key partner.

2. demonstrate that principle-based platforms and transformative partnerships are advancing critical issues – including sustainable energy, climate, water, food, women’s empowerment, children’s rights and good governance – with enormous potential to produce results if greater scale is achieved.

3. Highlight that there can be no sustainable development without respect for human rights, and that, while the primary responsibility for ensuring their promotion and protection lie with Governments, businesses have an independent responsibility to respect human rights.

4. Showcase leading technological and social innovations, emphasizing that many solutions to sustainability challenges already exist and can be more widely adopted with the right level of support, particularly from Governments and investors.

5. demonstrate the critical influence of other stakeholders – including investors, stock exchanges, business schools and universities, and cities – in stimulating corporate sustainability. Sessions held at the Forum by these groups – for example the principles for responsible Investment and the principles for responsible management education – aimed to bring scale to their work.

6. motivate a rising number of companies to commit to universal sustainability principles and report on performance, as advanced by the UN Global Compact.

7. mobilize a large number of commitments to action and partnerships by companies and other stakeholders. to ensure these commitments translate into impactful actions, only those that have clear targets and commit to annual public progress reports have been accepted. the UN Global Compact has designed and will continue to manage this process, whereby UN entities, as well as outside partners such as the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, can funnel commitments through business.un.org, the UN-Business partnership Gateway.

8. Provide inspiration and encouragement to Governments to transition to a green economy, and to take steps to support responsible business practices globally.

Australian business involvement

More than 150 Australian businesses, organisations and individuals in attendance

UNGC Australia convened panels entitled “The Business Response to the Sustainability Challenge” and “Business and Human Rights”

UNGC Australia, Indonesia and Japan convened a special session on disaster recovery post significant events (the Japan Earthquake, Queensland Floods and the Boxing Day Tsunami

UNGC Australia participated in a panel convened by UN Global Compact and UN Women on gender equality and the Women’s Empowerment Principles

Participated in more than 40 sessions from social impact investing and the valuation of natural capital to indigenous land management and water security

Water & Ecosystems & Natural Capital 1. In a special Communique titled “Make Water Sustainability a Priority”, 45

CEOs of major corporations from the CEO Water Mandate committed to broadening and deepening their development of corporate water sustainability policies and practices in areas such as: i) water-use efficiency in facilities and factories; ii) working with suppliers to improve their water-management practices; iii) developing public private partnerships at the river basin and watershed level with Governments, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders.

2. 37 banks, investment funds, and insurance companies submitted a far-reaching Natural Capital Declaration aimed towards integrating natural capital considerations into their products and services.

Sustainable Agriculture The UN Global Compact and a group of 16 leading companies and stakeholders in the food and agriculture sector committed to champion the development of global voluntary business principles on good practice and policy for sustainable agriculture. This initiative will be aimed at developing a common understanding and agreement on what resources and impacts are needed from

the global community to transform markets and agricultural supply systems.

Involving stock exchanges – responsible investment and disclosure / supporting green economy transition 1. 5 stock exchanges committed to promote long-term, sustainable

investment in their markets. These leading exchanges – with over 4,600 listed companies in developed and emerging markets –committed to work with investors, companies and regulators to promote long-term sustainable investment and improved environmental, social and corporate governance disclosure and performance among companies listed on their exchange.

2. 70 businesses, national Governments and international organizations endorsed the Green Industry Platform, an initiative that aims to mainstream environmental and social considerations into corporate operations through more efficient use of energy and raw materials, innovative practices and applications of new green technologies.

So what does this mean in terms of peace and conflict, war and disaster?

Quite simply business can and will play a significant role

Disasters, war, conflict, climate change

10.7 million people in the Horn of Africa need help

"We already face the most severe food security emergency in the world, and the situation is getting worse. If we are to avoid a deepening of this crisis, we need support.“ Baroness Valerie Amos

• Major wars, 1,000+ deaths per year • Minor wars and conflicts, fewer than 1000 deaths per year

1000+deaths in 2012

Business can play an important role when it comes to

humanitarian affairs and

emergency relief

business.un.ug

Partner with us to make a difference

New Guides and Toolkits for implementation

Thank you

E: matthew.tukaki@unglobalcompact.org.au

W: www.unglobalcompactg.org.au