‘Doing Well by Doing Good’ Amounts to Investment in Stability, Prosperity,

 

Opportunity, Secretary-General Tells ‘Board of Boards’ CEO Conference

Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message to the “Board of Boards CEO Conference”, delivered by Georg Kell, Executive Director of the United Nations Global Compact, in New York on 27 February:

It is a pleasure to greet the global business leaders gathered for the Board of Boards CEO Conference.

I thank the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP) for its efforts to build awareness of corporate-community partnerships.  By encouraging greater corporate commitment to social and environmental programmes in the United States and around the world, CECP is helping to make business part of the solution to urgent global problems.

The world is at a critical juncture — economically, socially and environmentally.  More than 1 billion people lack access to food, electricity or safe drinking water.  Most of the world’s ecosystems are in decline.  Gaps between rich and poor are widening.  We are nearing the point of no return on climate change.  Citizens by the millions are voicing their discontent.  Trust in Government and the private sector is declining dramatically.

In these uncertain and tumultuous times, we need to work together to deliver a more sustainable and equitable future for all.  The upcoming “ Rio+20” Conference on Sustainable Development is a major opportunity for companies to show the world what they are doing to move the world in this direction.  I also invite you to work more closely with the United Nations, including the Global Compact corporate sustainability initiative, and the many other platforms we have established to promote sustainable energy, combat climate change, empower women and improve the health of women and children.

This afternoon at United Nations Headquarters, a special forum will take place focusing on the role of partnerships with the private sector and others in creating jobs for young people and meeting the Millennium Development Goals.  I thank those of you who are contributing to this effort, and urge all of you to explore what more you can do, within your considerable spheres of influence, to support economic and social development for the world’s most vulnerable populations.  Doing well by doing good has become an accepted business principle.  Such support is not charity — it is an investment in markets, in stability, prosperity and opportunity.

The private sector is a key partner for the United Nations.  In that spirit of partnership, I wish you a most productive meeting.

* *** *

For information media • not an official record