Under the Patronage of Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Adbullah, UNDP launches an initiative that improves private sector's business behaviors and enhances its contribution to Jordan's development
Organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the official launch of the UN Global Compact in Jordan was held today under the patronage of Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah, who was represented by H.E. Mr. Sharif Al Zoubi, Acting Minister of Trade and Industry.
The event included approximately 200 leaders representing government of Jordan, private sector, international organizations including UN representatives, donors, the diplomatic corps, academia, media and civil society organizations gathered in Amman today 29 October 2007 to officially launch the Global Compact in the Jordan.
The launch included statements by Mr. Luc Stevens, UNDP Resident Representative, H.E. Nasser Shraideh, on behalf of the Minister of Planning & International Cooperation and Mr. Mustafa Nassereddin, representing Mr. Talal Abu Ghazaleh, the chairman and founder of Talal Abu Ghazaleh Group International (TAGI) and the Deputy Chairman of the UN Global Compact.
The Global Compact is a framework for businesses that are committed to aligning their operations and strategies with the ten universally accepted Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) principles in the areas of human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption.
During the event, three studies were presented to participants that assessed the current situation in the private sector in Jordan related to the Global Compact principles: anti-corruption, labour rights and environment. These studies aim at providing base-line information on the challenges facing the private sector in implementing corporate social responsibility and recommendations for effective planning and implementation activities of the Global Compact Network in Jordan.
Launching the UN Global Compact should increase the role of the private sector in collectively addressing issues related to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). It would enable the private sector in Jordan to benefit from the unifying commitment of companies from vastly different social and economic environments to corporate social responsibility and to promote greater involvement of the private sector in development.
Furthermore, the project will work towards establishing a National GC Network in order to promote and enhance the private sector’s role CSR practices in Jordan.
The Global Compact in Jordan was launched with the support of the Ministry of Planning, Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Trade and Industry, UN International Labour Organization and the Talal Abu Ghazaleh Group Int.
Six local companies are now signatories to the UN Global Compact: Nuqul Group, Aramex, Primus, Razorview, Schema, Taxtic in addition to the city of Salt.
By signing to the Global Compact, which is a voluntary initiative, the stakeholders can participate through a number of Global Compact engagement mechanisms, including policy dialogues, learning events, local networks and partnership projects. In these areas, such organizations have a crucial role to play in helping to foster partnerships and produce substantive action. Non-business participants such as the City of Salt as well as CSOs are also encouraged to commit their organization to the ten principles and to report on progress made within their organization.
UNDP, which is entrusted by the UN to bring the Global Compact to the national level, has with several diverse partners build awareness in Jordan on CSR.
UNDP is increasingly working on how to further facilitate business to play a role in achieving the Millennium Development Goals. According to Mr. Stevens, UNDP Resident Representative “I invite the Global Compact signatories for cooperation with UNDP in Jordan on issues of mutual interest” adding that “we should together contribute to the further development of Jordan private sector and economy and deliver a number of projects in the country that will be a source of hope for its citizens”.
More on the precedings of the Global Compact