Global Compact Network for Sri Lanka

The Employers' Federation of Ceylon with the collaboration of the International Labour Organisation has arranged for a meeting to set up a Global Compact Network among Sri Lankan Companies that have subscribed to the Compact.

It will be held on Monday, April 25 at the Galadari Hotel Colombo.

The Global Compact was announced by United Nations Secretary General Dr Kofi Annan at the World Forum in Davos Switzerland in January 1999 and formally launched in July 2000.

The Compact called on Companies to embrace nine universal principles in the areas of human rights, labour standards and the environment.

In 2003, a 10th principle on corruption was added to the Compact.

The key agencies of the United Nations partnering this initiative are the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR), the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The Global Compact is not a regulatory instrument. It is a voluntary initiative that seeks to provide a global framework to promote sustainable growth and good citizenship through committed and creative leadership.

Over 40 Sri Lankan Companies have subscribed to the Global Compact. At this meeting there will be a presentation on the theme "The Global Compact and Sustainable Development" by Dr Rajen Mehrotra of the ILO and a case study presentation by MAS Holdings Ltd.