Notícies
United Nations Global Compact VII Local Networks Forum
The VII Annual Local Networks Forum was held in Istanbul, Turkey, in June 2009. Organized by the Barcelona Center for the Support of the Global Compact – Forum Foundation, in conjunction with the UN Global Compact Office, the meeting gathered over 300 Local Network and company representatives from over 80 countries.
The first day, three side meetings were held: the Progress & Value Workshop, the ILO Training Workshop on Labour Principles, and the Expert Group Meeting on Responsible Investment in Conflict Affected Countries. These meetings offered concrete insights, tools and reflections, while also constituting a useful networking platform for future collaboration.
In the evening, all ALNF attendants were kindly invited by His Excellency Mr. Joan Clos, Spanish Ambassador in Turkey, for a Cocktail at the Residency of the Spanish Embassy in Turkey. The Ambassador offered a keynote opening address, followed by the interventions of Mrs. Mireia Belil, General Director of the Forum Foundation and the Barcelona Center, and Mrs. Ulrika Richardson-Golinski, Resident Representative for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
On June 9th, the VII ALNF was officially opened in a Plenary Presentation, which was followed by an update on the UN Global Compact by Georg Kell and Soren Petersen, and five presentations by GC signatory companies on the four GC issue areas - Human Rights, Labour, Environment and Anti-Corruption.
That same morning, the Human Rights Working Group Meeting was opened by its Chair, Mrs. Mary Robinson. The meeting addressed key issues related to Business and Human Rights, and lasted until the day after, adopting the various formats offered at the ALNF, such as the Knowledge Fair, to which the afternoon was devoted. Participants broke up into parallel sessions, each addressing a concrete issue. The Knowledge Fair format, already present at previous editions of the ALNF, allowed for intensive group work, with Local Networks and companies presenting, exchanging and debating on the activities and initiatives carried out during the year.
The Knowledge Fair was also the platform where various tools and initiatives were presented, such as measurement tools for assessing companies’ contributions to the UN Millennium Development Goals and the UNDP’s Growing Inclusive Markets initiative, which fosters, studies and supports social intrapreneurship and entrepreneurship initiatives. Mr. Afzaal Malik, Vice-President, presented the case of Coca-Cola’s Manual Distribution Centers – a clear example of market-driven initiatives creating social value in addition to profit. Jane Nelson, from Harvard University, recently published a provisional report on the MDC. Participants debated around this and similar initiatives.
Sessions were found useful and constructive, as they set the stage for sharing best practices, for peer-learning and discussion on the main issues faced and how to overcome them. Participants gathered according to their main areas of work and concern; debates and question and answer sessions were intense, setting the path for further collaboration among Local Networks. Indeed, participants were offered a great variety of new approaches and initiatives, which allowed them to find complementary approaches to build up from in their own work. Members of a same delegation would also split to attend different meetings, further enhancing the Knowledge Fair as an intensive working platform.
In the evening, dinner was kindly offered by the China Development Bank.
On June 10th specific emphasis was placed on Local Networks’ work and governance. Breakout sessions were organized for LN to share best practices, activities, and management issues. In addition, the Fifth Communication on Progress Workshop was organized by Oliver Johner, COP Analyst at the GCO, while Local Networks meetings were being held according to geographical regions. This aimed at reinforcing collective and synchronized action of LN on a regional basis.
The Global Compact Office then presented its latest tools for Local Networks: the Knowledge Sharing Site. This online platform will be gathering Network profiles, activities and shared documents to further strengthen collaboration and exchange among Local Networks all around the world. Before the Closing Session, the GC Local Network Working Group presented the outcomes of its work, and suggested a number of key changes concerning minimum requirements and governance guidelines, which were approved by the ALNF, and may be consulted on the GC website.
Overall the VII Annual Local Networks Forum provided an exceptional platform for knowledge sharing and networking, and reflected the growth of the initiative: once again, a record number of attendants and country representation was achieved.
The Progress and Value Workshop
Organized and sponsored by the Barcelona Center, a Progress and Value Workshop was held as part of the VII Annual Local Network Forum. The Workshop adopted an experimental format: there was a Dinner and a full day training session, intended for both Local Network and company representatives.
We had the honour of counting on Mrs Futhi Mtoba’s presence and warm welcome words. Mr Georg Kell, Executive Director of the UN Global Compact, also addressed a few words to participants, after Mrs. Mireia Belil, General Director of the Barcelona Center, has opened the Workshop. Also during Dinner, Mrs. Yasemin Basar, Responsible for Human Ressources, Quality and Compliance at Yesim Textiles, shared the story of how her company joined the Compact, the values behind such choices, and the benefits and outputs achieved.
The second part of the Workshop consisted of a full day training session for both Local Network and company representatives. Jeff Senne conducted the Workshop, while Rodrigo Villaseñor, CSR Director at Scotiabank Group in Mexico, played the role of business faculty: Mr. Villaseñor presented Scotiabank Mexico’s journey with the Global Compact, through four short presentations on the vision, strategy, implementation and measurement stages – each corresponding to one module of the P&V Workshop, tipically aiming at company representatives.
A new format, especially aimed at the empowerment of LN Focal Points, was also tried out at the ALNF P&V Workshop. Since P&Vs are designed to spread and be adapted to local contexts, a Panel Discussion featuring experienced Focal Points was arranged, thanks to the kind collaboration ofDiana Chávez, Director of the GC Regional Center for Latin America and the Carribean, Deniz Ozturk, UNGC Turkey Focal Point, Tábata Villares, head of the GC in Brazil, and Oliver Johner.
Mrs. Chávez, Mrs. Oztürk, Mrs. Villares and Mr. Johner shared their experiences and insights regarding the organization of P&V Workshops, and explained the different formats they had set in motion, as well as the objectives, challenges and achievements of each Workshop.
This discussion added great value to the Workshop. Participants too shared their own experiences with the group, and Panelists answered specific questions and concerns. A climate of trust was spontaneously created, allowing for a peer-learning dynamic to drive the discussion.
To further encourage the spread of Workshops, the Barcelona Center had prepared a set of documents – the Progress and Value KIT, which was presented by Helena Viladàs, coordinator. CDs containg the complete Progress and Value KIT were handed out to all participants.
The Barcelona Center also called for participation in the forthcoming P&V Online Database, which will shortly be available to facilitate the exchange of experiences and the sharing of relevant material, so that overall improvement may be achieved over time through close, online collaboration.
In the evening, all ALNF attendants were kindly invited by His Excellency Mr. Joan Clos, Spanish Ambassador in Turkey, for a Cocktail at the Residency of the Spanish Embassy in Turkey. The Ambassador offered a keynote opening address, followed by the interventions of Mrs. Mireia Belil, General Director of the Forum Foundation and the Barcelona Center, and Mrs. Ulrika Richardson-Golinski, Resident Representative for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
On June 9th, the VII ALNF was officially opened in a Plenary Presentation, which was followed by an update on the UN Global Compact by Georg Kell and Soren Petersen, and five presentations by GC signatory companies on the four GC issue areas - Human Rights, Labour, Environment and Anti-Corruption.
That same morning, the Human Rights Working Group Meeting was opened by its Chair, Mrs. Mary Robinson. The meeting addressed key issues related to Business and Human Rights, and lasted until the day after, adopting the various formats offered at the ALNF, such as the Knowledge Fair, to which the afternoon was devoted. Participants broke up into parallel sessions, each addressing a concrete issue. The Knowledge Fair format, already present at previous editions of the ALNF, allowed for intensive group work, with Local Networks and companies presenting, exchanging and debating on the activities and initiatives carried out during the year.
The Knowledge Fair was also the platform where various tools and initiatives were presented, such as measurement tools for assessing companies’ contributions to the UN Millennium Development Goals and the UNDP’s Growing Inclusive Markets initiative, which fosters, studies and supports social intrapreneurship and entrepreneurship initiatives. Mr. Afzaal Malik, Vice-President, presented the case of Coca-Cola’s Manual Distribution Centers – a clear example of market-driven initiatives creating social value in addition to profit. Jane Nelson, from Harvard University, recently published a provisional report on the MDC. Participants debated around this and similar initiatives.
Sessions were found useful and constructive, as they set the stage for sharing best practices, for peer-learning and discussion on the main issues faced and how to overcome them. Participants gathered according to their main areas of work and concern; debates and question and answer sessions were intense, setting the path for further collaboration among Local Networks. Indeed, participants were offered a great variety of new approaches and initiatives, which allowed them to find complementary approaches to build up from in their own work. Members of a same delegation would also split to attend different meetings, further enhancing the Knowledge Fair as an intensive working platform.
In the evening, dinner was kindly offered by the China Development Bank.
On June 10th specific emphasis was placed on Local Networks’ work and governance. Breakout sessions were organized for LN to share best practices, activities, and management issues. In addition, the Fifth Communication on Progress Workshop was organized by Oliver Johner, COP Analyst at the GCO, while Local Networks meetings were being held according to geographical regions. This aimed at reinforcing collective and synchronized action of LN on a regional basis.
The Global Compact Office then presented its latest tools for Local Networks: the Knowledge Sharing Site. This online platform will be gathering Network profiles, activities and shared documents to further strengthen collaboration and exchange among Local Networks all around the world. Before the Closing Session, the GC Local Network Working Group presented the outcomes of its work, and suggested a number of key changes concerning minimum requirements and governance guidelines, which were approved by the ALNF, and may be consulted on the GC website.
Overall the VII Annual Local Networks Forum provided an exceptional platform for knowledge sharing and networking, and reflected the growth of the initiative: once again, a record number of attendants and country representation was achieved.
The Progress and Value Workshop
Organized and sponsored by the Barcelona Center, a Progress and Value Workshop was held as part of the VII Annual Local Network Forum. The Workshop adopted an experimental format: there was a Dinner and a full day training session, intended for both Local Network and company representatives.
We had the honour of counting on Mrs Futhi Mtoba’s presence and warm welcome words. Mr Georg Kell, Executive Director of the UN Global Compact, also addressed a few words to participants, after Mrs. Mireia Belil, General Director of the Barcelona Center, has opened the Workshop. Also during Dinner, Mrs. Yasemin Basar, Responsible for Human Ressources, Quality and Compliance at Yesim Textiles, shared the story of how her company joined the Compact, the values behind such choices, and the benefits and outputs achieved.
The second part of the Workshop consisted of a full day training session for both Local Network and company representatives. Jeff Senne conducted the Workshop, while Rodrigo Villaseñor, CSR Director at Scotiabank Group in Mexico, played the role of business faculty: Mr. Villaseñor presented Scotiabank Mexico’s journey with the Global Compact, through four short presentations on the vision, strategy, implementation and measurement stages – each corresponding to one module of the P&V Workshop, tipically aiming at company representatives.
A new format, especially aimed at the empowerment of LN Focal Points, was also tried out at the ALNF P&V Workshop. Since P&Vs are designed to spread and be adapted to local contexts, a Panel Discussion featuring experienced Focal Points was arranged, thanks to the kind collaboration ofDiana Chávez, Director of the GC Regional Center for Latin America and the Carribean, Deniz Ozturk, UNGC Turkey Focal Point, Tábata Villares, head of the GC in Brazil, and Oliver Johner.
Mrs. Chávez, Mrs. Oztürk, Mrs. Villares and Mr. Johner shared their experiences and insights regarding the organization of P&V Workshops, and explained the different formats they had set in motion, as well as the objectives, challenges and achievements of each Workshop.
This discussion added great value to the Workshop. Participants too shared their own experiences with the group, and Panelists answered specific questions and concerns. A climate of trust was spontaneously created, allowing for a peer-learning dynamic to drive the discussion.
To further encourage the spread of Workshops, the Barcelona Center had prepared a set of documents – the Progress and Value KIT, which was presented by Helena Viladàs, coordinator. CDs containg the complete Progress and Value KIT were handed out to all participants.
The Barcelona Center also called for participation in the forthcoming P&V Online Database, which will shortly be available to facilitate the exchange of experiences and the sharing of relevant material, so that overall improvement may be achieved over time through close, online collaboration.