The United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) originated as an idea in a speech given to the World Economic Forum by then UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in 1999. In that speech, Annan challenged world business leaders, stating,

I propose that you [business leaders] and we, the United Nations, initiate a global compact of shared values and principles, which will give a human face to the global market. Globalization is a fact of life. But I believe we have underestimated its fragility. The problem is this. The spread of markets outpaces the ability of societies and their political systems to adjust to them, let alone to guide the course they take. History teaches us that such an imbalance between the economic, social and political realms can ...

  • Loading...
locked icon

Sign in to access this content

Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL

  • Watch videos from a variety of sources bringing classroom topics to life
  • Read modern, diverse business cases
  • Explore hundreds of books and reference titles