Conference on Annan's Global Compact initiative opens in London

Officials from various business and labour interests are among the scores of participants gathered at a conference which opened today in London on Secretary-General's Global Compact initiative.

The event, being convened at the British Petroleum training centre to review Global Compact's progress, will seek to address a range of issues associated with the Secretary-General's initiative, which was launched in July 2000, with the aim of involving business in upgrading environmental, labour and human rights conditions, and bringing the benefits of globalization to more people worldwide.

Discussions will focus on charting how participating companies can share their experiences in working with the Compact's nine guiding principles, which are drawn from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Labour Organization's Fundamental Principles on Rights at Work, and the Rio Principles on Environment and Development. The event will also explore how an Internet data bank and learning resource tool can be set up to provide information and commentary on corporate citizenship.

The conference is expected to draw some 80 participants, including representatives of major corporations, academic experts, and leaders from the labour, human rights, and environmental movements from around the world.