25 June 2015 — The business community and the private sector can make a difference as United Nations Member States are in the process of formulating a new sustainability agenda, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today said at the General Assembly, which was meeting to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the UN Global Compact.

"The business agenda and the sustainable development agenda are converging in new and exciting ways. What began as a simple call to action has become a global force for good," the UN chief told a special Assembly meeting, 'Global Compact+15: Business as a Force for Good' which marked the initiative’s 15th anniversary.

The Global Compact is a UN initiative to encourage businesses worldwide to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies, and to report on their implementation. So far, more than 8,000 business participants have committed to doing business responsibly, in line with universal principles encompassing human rights, labour rights, environmental protection and anti-corruption efforts.

Source: UN