Raymond Chirwa - Chief Executive Officer
Richards Bay Coal Terminal

The Global Compact, a network of thousands of companies and organizations across 100 countries worldwide, was launched on 26 July 2000. It was initiated by several dozen business leaders who came together at UN Headquarters to join an international drive to bring companies together with UN agencies, labour and civil society to advance universal social and environmental principles. Since then, the Global Compact has become the world’s largest voluntary corporate citizenship initiative.

Through the power of collective action, the Global Compact seeks to advance responsible corporate citizenship so that business can be part of the solution to the challenges of globalization. In this way, the private sector — in partnership with other social actors — can help realize the UN’s vision of a more sustainable and inclusive global economy.

The NBI became focal point to the Global Compact Network in South Africa in early 2007. As such, the organization has committed itself to gaining broad and meaningful participation in the initiative.

UNGC Annual Members Meeting: Raising the Bar on the UNGC South Africa in 2010.

“Knowledge brings wisdom, and wisdom brings success. An institution with values and a purpose beyond making money builds a culture that will not succumb to irrelevance and mediocrity. We should work towards becoming something that will last, and be sustainable. We should have leaders who are responsible for their results, and their communities, and who have an abundance of hope. Great leaders know that change does not mean loss. Problems often have opportunities hidden in them, and it is incumbent on our organisations and their leadership to get involved and make this a better nation, and ultimately a better world. 

The UNGC was established more than 10 years ago with the goal of bringing companies large and small together with UN agencies, labour and civil societies to achieve the 10 principles guiding the organisation. We have been through rough seas which generally tend to harness commitment and participation. It is our choice to make a difference in terms of our communities. Long after the dust has settled on our civilisation it is our contribution to the human spirit that will be remembered”

This is the message that came out of the recent UNGC Annual Members Meeting held at Barloworld, Johannesburg. The presentations can be viewed here.

For more information on how to become part of the South African Network, please contact Achieng Ojwang.