The United Nations Global Compact (UNGC)

The United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) is a UN-led initiative that engages companies, investors, and other stakeholders in advancing responsible business practices aligned with universal principles on human rights, labour, environment, and anti-corruption. Announced by Secretary-General Kofi Annan and formally launched in 2000, it operates as a voluntary participation framework rather than a regulatory body. The UNGC is structured as a global office supported by country-level Local Networks, enabling regional engagement across more than 160 countries. Its central mechanism is a principle-based commitment model, where participating organisations align strategies with the Ten Principles and disclose progress through public reporting.