Below you will find a brief summary of UNGC Network UK events in 2011, and past event reports. For further information about any of these events, please contact the Secretariat here.

UK Network 2011 Activity Report


UK Network Outreach Event

5 December 2011
RBS London
The UNGC Network UK Annual Outreach Event was hosted by the Royal Bank of Scotland on Expectations for the Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development.


Local Network Regional Meeting Latin America

8 November 2011
Mexico City, Mexico
Global Compact Local Network Focal Points from Latin America will meet to discuss implementation of the Global Compact in the region. The meeting will include training on the Global Compact Management Model. The training will have a special focus on implementing and communicating on Anti-Corruption issues. For more information, contact Javier Bolanos.


European Global Compact Local Networks Annual Conference

26th-28th October 2011
Rome
A Public-Private Joint Efforts Towards Rio+20 Sustainability Conference hosted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Italian Local Network, with the aim of setting out an agenda for Rio+20 and beyond. The three central themes discussed included food security and sustainable agriculture, green jobs and social inclusion, and sustainable cities.


Webinar: Communicating the Global Compact

20th October 2011
Many UNGC sigantories fail to maximise the benefits of Global Compact membership by communicating the initiative incorrectly or insufficiently. The UN Global Compact UK Network hosted a webinar on how and why to communicate about the Global Compact both internally and externally. The prominent speakers Matthias Strausberg, Head of Public Affairs and Media Relations, Global Compact Office, and Marcia Balisciano, Director of Corporate Responsibility, Reed Elsevier, gave valuable information to participants, seeking to enhance their commitment to and advocacy of the Global Compact.


UK Network Quarterly Meeting 3: Anti-Corruption

6 October 2011
HSBC London
This meeting addressed the potential obstacles companies face when attempting to adhere to extra-territorial anti-bribery legislation in different markets and possible solutions to overcoming these challenges. We are pleased to announce our speakers: Professor Sheldon Leader (University of Essex), Brook Horowitz (Director of Regions & Business Standards, IBLF), Jane de Lozey & Rosemary Donnabella (Case Managers, Serious Fraud Office), and John Root (Senior Compliance Manager, HSBC).


UNGC Supply Chain Sustainability Advisory Group Meeting

4 October 2011
London


1st PRIME Middle East/North Africa Forum

2-3 October
Cairo, Egypt
The 1st PRME MENA Regional Forum will be held under the theme:“Entrepreneurship – Sustainability – Transparency: Promoting Responsible Management in a Changing Region”. The will be organized by the School of Business - The American University in Cairo (AUC), in partnership with the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) Secretariat, The AUC John D. Gerhart Center for Philanthropy and Civic Engagement, The Arab Society of Faculties of Business, Economics and Political Sciences (BEPS), and the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK).For more information, contact Merrill Csuri.


Corporate Sustainability in Wales

19th July 2011
Welsh Centre for International Affairs, Cardiff
The UK Network, in conjunction with the Welsh Centre for al Business, hosted a forum on corporate sustainability for the business community in Wales and the surrounding region. Following presentations on the state of corporate sustainability in Wales in relation to the global agenda and local political initiatives, Andy Mason (RBS), Deb Leary (Forensic Pathways), and Mark Barnett (The Consortium) shared their unique experiences with the UN Global Compact and the UK Network. A reception followed.


UK Network Quarterly Meeting 2: Labour Issue Area

21st June 2011
TUC
The 2nd Quarterly Meeting of 2011 focused on the labour issue area with particular attention paid to the topic of employee engagement. We were pleased to have Diana Holland (UNITE), Irene Cowden (G4S plc) and Nita Clarke (IPA) speak on the topic.


Child Rights and Business Principles: London Consultation

5 May 2011
UNICEF London
UNICEF co-hosts consultations on first-ever global standards for child-friendly businesses
NEW YORK, USA, 7 June 2011 – Business leaders and civil society representatives met in London and Delhi in May for consultations on setting the first-ever global standards for child-friendly business practices. A set of Children’s Rights and Business Principles (CRBP) will be launched in November based on these and other consultations, which are giving stakeholders an active role in shaping and developing the guidelines.


Countdown to 2011: Exploring the Implication of the Access to Remedy Pillar

11 April 2011, Clifford Chance
In lieu of a quarterly meeting on human rights, UK Network members were encouraged to attend the Countdown to 2011 event series.


Reducing the Cost of Conflict: Responsible Business in High-Risk Areas and Challenging Operating Environments

23 March 2011, Old Mutual
Organised by the UK Network, Engi, & the UN Principles on Responsible Investment, this groundbreaking conference – bringing together the UN, business, the UK government and leading NGOs - featured high-level speakers and showcase the new Guidance of the UN Global Compact and PRI: Responsible Business in Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas. Joined by a distinguished panel of speakers, Sir Mark Moody-Stuart (Chairman of Hermes, Chairman of the UN Global Compact Foundation, and former Chair of Shell and AngloAmerican) and Henry Bellingham MP (Parlimentary Under Secretary for Africa, UN, economic issues and conflict resolution) participated in the discussion moderated by Jane Corbin (Senior Correspondent on BBC TV's Panorama).


Countdown to 2011: Exploring the Implication of the State Duty to Protect Pillar

1 March 2011
In lieu of a quarterly meeting on human rights, UK Network members were encouraged to attend the Countdown to 2011 event series.In the run-up to John Ruggie's (the UN Special Representative on Business and Human Rights) final report to the Human Rights Council in June 2011, the International Business Leaders Forum, in partnership with Clifford Chance, the Equality and Human Rights Commission, and Amnesty International UK organised a series of multistakeholder events to debate the practical challenges of operationalising the Protect, Respect and Remedy Framework, discuss the Guiding Principles, and consider feasible scenarios following the end of the UN Special Representative's mandate in June 2011.


UK Network Quarterly Meeting: COPs and Sustainability Reporting

8 February 2011, IBLF
IBLF hosted the UK Network’s first Quarterly Meeting of 2011 in London on 8 February. The meeting focused on the Communications on Progress (COP) process, with an emphasis on the Differentiation Framework – which incentivizes and recognises companies’ continual progress.