nutshell – gcni tri-annual newsletter april 2015 – july 2015

VOL. 7ISSUE IAPR 2015 - JUL 2015 T H E G C N I N D I A T R I - A N N U A L N E W S L E T T E R

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IN THE NEWS

IN FOCUS

MEETINGS

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With the Millennium Development Goals coming to an end this year, the UN Secretary General with support of a high level panel, which included UNGC, drafted a set of 17 goals aimed at creating a new global development framework beyond 2015. I am pleased to inform you that UN's pragmatism and visionary approach finds resonance in the new Sustainable Development Goals that integrates the three 'interdependent and mutually reinforcing pillars' of economic, environment and social indicators for ensuring holistic and sustainable development. (https://www.unglobalcompact.org/docs/pu

blications/LN_Report_2014.pdf), GCNI

GCNI, while being ranked number one in Asia Oceania Region, now figures among top 10 high performing Networks in the world.

According to United Nations Global Compact Local Network Report 2014

President’s Desk GCNI, a regional leader, now among top ten high performing Local Network's in the world

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Non -BusinessSMECompany

continues to remain a leader in Asia Oceania Region besides now being elevated to among top 10 Networks of the UNGC Local Networks that account for more than 90 entities in more than 165 countries in the world. The inclusion of India in the top ten offers enough evidence to the fact that companies and organisations in India have high interest in sustainability and the potential to be a fast growing market. The list published by the UNGC showcases of the top 20 Local Networks, 8 are from Europe, of which five are in the top ten, 6

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Launch of 'Now to Next - Towards Sustainable Urban Mobility'publication

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Monthly Knowledge Sharing andNetworking Meeting on ‘CSR and Sustainable Community Initiatives in Health & Education' 14

Special Lecture by Dr. Shamshad Akhtar, Under-Secretary-General

of the United Nations and Excutive Secretary, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific on 'Sustainable Development Goals and India: 2015 and Beyond'

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Against this background, GCNI has been instrumental in forwarding the Indian perspective and supporting the development of these sustainable development goals by being a member of the Secretary General's High level Panel. The past few months witnessed attempts made by GCNI to put forth the stand of the Indian Companies and organisations firmly through programmatic interventions, cutting edge research and publications and networking on post 2015 agenda.

GCNI has achieved much during the period, and these learning would be built on for the future endeavours that we pursue. In the coming times, GCNI would work towards aligning its activities with the post 2015 global development agenda and develop itself as a thought leaders around Ten Universal Principles, Broad UN Goals, Special Initiative of the Secretary General, Sustainability and CSR. Moving forward, GCNI would be playing an influential role in the global development discourse for galvanising action around responsible business practices and culture.

I thank you for investing your time and resources in engaging with the Global Compact Initiative during the last year and look forward to your continued association with us in years to come. Your support and encouragement has been instrumental in ensuring the growth of Global Compact Network in India and its increasing regard as a leading network amongst its peers globally.

are from Asia & Oceania and 1 is from Africa & MENA. The annual report was released in June 2015 during the 15 years celebration event of UNGC.

Dinesh K. Sarraf, President, GCNI and Chairman & Managing Director, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited said, “Growth of India Local Network has been consistent and bold as it continues to retain its leadership position in Asia Oceania, besides growing well nationally. Now being among Top Ten performing Local Networks in the world is a special achievement and I greatly appreciate this accolade.”

The India Network has significantly moved forward and increased its sphere of influence, over the last few years. There is an increasing surge in critical programmatic interventions,

USA, 5 are from

The Network has expanded significantly within the country and collaborated not only with companies and organisations in India but also with UNGC, other Local Networks and other UN organisations.

The India Network has significantly moved forward and increased its sphere of influence, over the last few years. There is an increasing surge in critical programmatic interventions, cutting edge research and publications and trainings and capacity building and these have been instrumental in enabling this global and regional recognition.

cutting edge research and publications and trainings and capacity building and these have been instrumental in enabling this global and regional recognition. The Network has expanded significantly within the country and collaborated not only with companies and organisations in India but also with UNGC, other Local Networks and other UN organisations.

In recognition of GCNI's being among top Ten performance LN's in the world, UNGC awarded a trophy to GCNI at a function held in June in New York which was attended by Dr. Uddesh Kohli, Senior Adviser, UNGC and Executive Member, Governing Council, GCNI and Pooran Chandra Pandey, Executive Director, GCNI. The event also marked the celebration of 15 years of UNGC.

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Launch of 'Now to Next - Towards Sustainable Urban Mobility’ Publication

thOn 5 June 2015, The World Environment Day, GCNI launched a Urban Transport Sustainability Report titled 'Now to Next - Towards Sustainable Urban Mobility'.

The Sustainability Report is developed by GCNI under the aegis of its regional knowledge hub initiative 'Asia Pacific Resource Centre on Responsible Business Practices', which in recent past led two significant reports including 'Sustainability Practices-Perspective and Insights from Leading India and Global Businesses', and 'Regional Leadership Through Ten UNGC Principles: Insights and Practices from Nine Local Networks in Asia'.

Rapid Metro Gurgaon, is a

member of GCNI. The report captures all indicators that are essential in making an urban transport green, safe and sustainable. Rapid Metro Gurgaon qualifies as one of the top rated metros on parameters of safety, CO 2

and cost effectiveness.

Speaking on this development, Dinesh K Sarraf, President, Global Compact Network India and Chairman & Managing Director, ONGC said, 'GCNI's efforts in advancing sustainability as a theme in urban mobility is praiseworthy and its participation in developing sustainability report for the Rapid Metro is a step ahead in its path-breaking initiatives'. He further highlighted Rapid Metro Gurgaon's role in providing 'last mile connectivity' as the first public private partnership model in urban transport and its significance in being a world class urban transport system in India and benefitting people at large through its current value added services and future service provisions.

Providing further context for the launch, Rajiv Banga, Chairman & Managing Director, Rapid Metro Gurgaon said, 'We are delighted to work with GCNI on our sustainability

built on the public-private partnership model

report and look forward to deepening our engagement and escalating our efforts around sustainability together in future'. Further he said “while public transport facilitated travel for large numbers at reasonable prices and reduced traffic congestion; it was also associated with environmental externalities.” It is therefore important that public transport continually adopts technological advancements that minimize environmental impacts.

Drawing attention towards the construction boom in Gurgaon, Pooran Chandra Pandey, Executive Director of Global Compact Network India, said that "Today, Gurgaon's skyline is an unruly display of multi-storied structures which use highly energy-intensive materials such as steel and glass. The stress on urban transport infrastructure is increasing in the country. This calls for viable and innovative options to transform urban mobility systems into sustainable pillars of inclusive economic growth.”

In the first such report of its kind, Global Compact Network India explored the

the possibilities and drivers for transformation by analyzing the current trends in urban mobility. The report analyses context, sustainability issues, global good practices and way forward, including on how global practices can be localised for greater impact, scale and value for money.

The UN Global Compact celebrated its 15th anniversary and held Global Compact +15: Business as a force for Good, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, between

rd th23 - 25 June, 2015. The three day conference brought together “business and civil society to show how the private sector is taking action and partnering to advance societal priorities, with an emphasis on the United Nations global agenda for sustainable development to be released later this year (the Sustainable Development Goals – SDGs)”. The key agendas for discussion during the three day event ranged from "Business For Peace" and "Caring For Climate" to "Supply Chain Sustainability" and "Anti Corruption".

Addressing the participants during the 15 Year Anniversary celebration of UNGC Secretary General H.E. Ban Ki-Moon said “The business agenda and the sustainable development agenda are converging in new and exciting

Global Compact +15: Business as a Force for Good

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ways. What began as a simple call to action has become a global force for good”.

Concluding the event Georg Kell current Executive Director of the UN Global Compact stated that “Businesses around the world are awakening to

their role in society and have started making important strides to operate more responsibly and innovate for a greener and more sustainable future. But there is still a long way to go. We need companies everywhere to step up to the realities of our time, understanding that healthy societies and healthy markets go hand-in-hand.”

Dr. Uddesh Kohli, Senior Advisor, UNGC and Pooran Chandra Pandey, Executive Director, GCNI represented the India Local Network and shared the experience and progress of the Network with respect to its activities and engagement with its stakeholders. They talked about “The India Collaboration Lab” being designed as a platform to convene public and private stakeholders and to identify and design initiatives to scale innovations in WASH, health, education and agriculture sectors in India.

At the end of the three day event, Lise Kingo was appointed as the new Executive Director of the United Nations Global Compact. She will succeed Georg Kell, who retires later this year after over 25 years of service to the United Nations.


Driving the Uptake of Corporate Water Stewardship in India and South Asia through the Lens of Post 2015 Agenda

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Global Compact Network India along with CEO Water Mandate organised a Special Address on 'Driving the Uptake of Corporate Water Stewardship in India and South Asia through the Lens of Post 2015 Agenda' on May 06, 2015 in Gurgaon. The event was supported by DLF Foundation, a member of GCNI

Global Compact Network India to assess the 'Rashtriya Swayamsiddh Samman'-National level Awards to recognise grassroots NGOs and innovators at individual and organisational levels to be held on 14th January 2016 in New Delhi.

The event started with a welcome address by Mamta Malik, Manager – CSR (PR & Communications) at DLF Foundation and was followed by context setting by Pooran Chandra Pandey, Executive Director, Global Compact Network India.

The event included a special address by Jason Morrison, Technical Director, CEO Water Mandate, UNGC, New York where he gave an overview of the UN Global Compact CEO Water Mandate. In his address he highlighted some of the critical issues around water including global water challenges, business risk, water stewardship tools and good practices and human rights to water and sanitation. He further discussed about Water Stewardship and the UN-led Post-2015 Sustainable Development Agenda. It focussed specifically on collective action opportunities in India, the Water

Action Hub and the public launch of the integrity management framework for water stewardship initiatives.

Furthermore it highlighted how these tools can contribute towards the realisation of a much anticipated "post-2015" sustainable development goal on water. He stated that such collaborations between businesses and UN can also pave the way for exploring how to further cooperate, where interests might lie, and the development of a strategic plan for moving the water work stream forward.

The special address was followed by a Q & A session that further provided valuable insights on the issue of water and the role of businesses addressing the global challenges relate to it. This was followed by closing remarks and vote of thanks by Pooran Chandra Pandey, Executive Director, Global Compact Network India where he emphasized that these efforts offer a solid foundation for expanding CEO Water Mandate and UNGC Network India collaboration vis-à-vis corporate Water Stewardship in India.

Global Compact Network India (GCNI) will be acting as a knowledge and process partner for the Rashtriya Swayamsiddh Samman instituted by JSPL Foundation, a non-profit CSR wing of Jindal Steel and Power Ltd., one of our life time corporate members.

The Rashtriya Swayamsiddh Samman will felicitate 10 individuals and 10 organisations from the grassroots level for their exemplary Courage, Commitment and Confidence that has enabled them to overcome adversities and create a unique identity of their own, making them a source of inspiration for many in India. JSPL Foundation will award Rs. 1 lacs to each winner (individuals and organisations) to help and support their ongoing work and enhance the impact on ground. This will further motivate other individuals and organisations to contribute towards improving lives through sustainable interventions at grassroots levels. Areas in which Awards would be given include Rural Development, Health, Education, Women Empowerment, Public Service, Environment, Entrepreneurship, Art and Craft, Innovation & Technology and Livelihood/Vocational Skills.

Please apply and nominate at: http://jsplfoundation.co.in/swayamsiddh/index.html

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A Global Opportunity Panel was organised by DNV GL, UN Global Compact and Monday Morning Global Institute at Hotel Imperial in New Delhi on June 12, 2015. The panel was organised as a half day workshop, with both facilitated discussions and dialogues with the other participants. The panels played a vital part in the process by securing global inputs for the analysis. At the workshop, the participants were presented with 5 global risks and then they identified opportunities for each of the risks.

This Global Opportunity Panel is a key source of insights and content to the Global Opportunity Report – an annual report demonstrating that in every risk there is opportunity, and that every true opportunity is sustainable, meaning that they are

chances to create long term value for society, not just short term profit. The report is targeted towards opinion formers and decision makers who are actively engaged in shaping the dialogues on how we handle sustainability challenges.

Global Opportunity Panel organised by DNV GL, UN Global Compact and Monday Morning Global Institute

Global Compact Network India partners with Inesa Advisory Services Pvt Ltdfor two research and knowledge-based projectsGlobal Compact Network India (GCNI) has partnered Inesa Advisory Services Pvt Ltd for research and knowledge-based collaboration to promote a common agenda of sustainable development through joint execution of two research-led knowledge projects.

First Research study on Decentralised approaches to rural electrification will identify and analyse success factors and constraints for the sustainability and replicability of decentralised distributed generation models and provide inputs for policymakers to consider in order to support such innovative solutions in the interest of improving quality of life, livelihoods and equitable socio-economic development in the country.

The second study will address farmers' needs for regular water supply, in a resource-efficient manner and will be focussed on identifying alternative approaches that help rationalise power subsidies in a targeted and effective manner and promote alternative, renewable energy sources – in this instance, solar power. It will review how solar water pump is an innovative solution to address the issues faced by the farmers. The study will identify and analyse success factors and constraints to the sustainability and scalability of these solutions, highlight best practices and provide inputs for policymakers.

Both the studies will soon be released.

The Global Opportunity Report is inspired by the Opportunity Panels meeting in eight cities on five continents (Abu Dhabi, Beijing, Delhi, Johannesburg, London, Oslo, San Francisco and São Paulo) with each panel consisting of 25-30 creative, innovative, and solution-oriented decision makers and influencers from Business, Academia, Public Sector and Civil Society.

The report presents Five Risks, Fifteen Opportunities and more than a Hundred Solutions, demonstrating how sustainable opportunities can be found in all risks. Following the 8 panels around the world, the 15 best opportunities will be selected to be featured in a global survey testing the confidence they inspire across the globe. The 15 final opportunities and the results of the global survey will then be presented in the next Global Opportunity Report to be launched early in 2016.

The meeting was attended by over 33 participants, representing various sectors including corporates, non-governmental organisations, government organisations institutes of repute, international organisations etc.

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GCNI's success story included in UNGC and DNV GL's global publication titled “Impact Transforming Business, Changing the World”In acknowledging the important role played by the India Network in galvanising corporate action in support of UNGC's ten universal principles and sustainable development, GCNI was selected by United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) to be a part of a 5 nation Assessment Survey of UNGC. Besides India Local Network, Local Networks in Spain, Nigeria, Argentina and Egypt were also a part of this global assessment initiative. The report titled “Impact – Transforming Business, Changing the World” was launched during the United Nations Global

thCompact 15 anniversary celebrations thin New York on 25 June 2015. The

report concludes that the UN Global Compact, as the world's largest corporate sustainability initiative, and the business community has had an impact on the development of sustainability over the past 15 years.

1Some of the key findings of the report are as below1. Sustainability is gradually penetrating deeper into markets and sectors all around the world. Global Compact signatories are present in 156 countries, and 25% of the world's largest companies have joined the Global Network.2. A deeper understanding of the complexity and interdependence of global challenges has emerged. Partnership and collaboration are the new norm.3. More sustainability issues - equality, climate change and corruption - are now on the corporate agenda because they impact performance.4. Business has become more strategic, systematic, integrated, transparent and collaborative regarding sustainability.5. Leading companies are ahead of regulations and drive the debate to make regulations smarter. Yet these

1New global study reveals: United Nations transforms business' commitment to sustainability' (June, 2015), Available on https://www.dnvgl.com/news/new-global-study-reveals-united-nations-transforms-business-commitment-to-sustainability-28245

companies are in the minority, and less progressive companies are blocking positive change.6. The financial sector shows positive developments – through its support for the Principles for Responsible Investment, rapid development of Green Bonds and Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative.7. The local Global Compact Networks are very effective in engaging local businesses around the issues that are important for that particular country or region.8. The Jury is still out on whether a sustainable and inclusive economy will be achieved. But the UN Global Compact has undoubtedly helped to change the understanding of corporate responsibility all around the world.9. Some companies are talking about a 'net zero footprint' in terms of carbon, water and waste, and some leaders have established concrete goals for reaching zero footprint levels. This is highly promising and such companies will get many followers.10. Leading companies are also

beginning to look for ways to turn sustainability risks into new business opportunities.Some of the key changes suggested by the key interviewees and members of the Global Compact Network across the world include 1. "Sustainability is the business of business" - we need to mobilise the vast majority of companies. Sustainability must be part of daily business - embedded in our business models and long-term goals and making sure we add value to society.

2. “Breaking down barriers, energising positive drivers” - how we can enable conditions to speed up change. It is a matter of better and smarter governance and regulations. Providing the right directional support and shifting investor practices.

3. “New thinking for a new reality” - changes will come. We should inspire change by showcasing new business opportunities and sustainable solutions. And we should demonstrate that business is ready for the transformation.

Over leaders from 20 leading Corporates and business houses, NGOs and Academic Intuitions from India including Aide et Action, BASF India, BMW Group India, CAF India, DLF Foundation, Foundation for MSME Cluster, Inesa Advisory Services, International Resources for Fairer Trade (IRFT), Jindal Steel & Power Limited, Paharpur Business Centre, Mahindra & Mahindra, NMDC Limited, Novozymes South Asia Pvt. Ltd., SERFAC, Tata Steel, Welingkar Institute of Management and YES BANK were interviewed for this report.

The full report can be accessed on . http://globalcompact15.org/report/

IMPACTTRANSFORMING BUSINESS,CHANGING THE WORLD

Te United Nations Global Compact

IMPACTTRANSFORMING BUSINESS,CHANGING THE WORLD

Te United Nations Global Compact

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Thank you for the invitation to join you all this evening. The Global Compact Network makes an invaluable contribution to the United Nations development agenda, and the support of our business partners will be essential for us to succeed in meeting our post-2015 sustainable development challenges.

In my remarks tonight, I will: First, touch briefly on core elements of post-2015 development agenda;

Second, explore opportunities for business to mainstream sustainable development; and

Third, speak to the need for a different kind of global partnership.

The United Nations system and our Member States are now fully geared to negotiate and adopt in 2015:

A universal set of 17 proposed sustainable development goals (SDGs) with 169 associated targets;

Post-2015 Development Agenda

‘Sustainable Development Goals and India: 2015 and Beyond'

A new framework for the sustainable financing of development, which is one of the most critical means of implementation for the emerging global development agenda; and

A new universal climate agreement, with specific climate actions.

The context, framework and focus on poverty eradication of the new sustainable development agenda has been laid out by United Nations Secretary-General in his Synthesis Report: The Road to Dignity by 2030, which was released earlier this month. Post-2015 sustainable development has the potential to break new ground. Transitioning from the relatively simple Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the sustainable development agenda, as proposed by UN Member States, is a wide-ranging and transformational new development paradigm.

To ensure deeper and lasting economic and human progress, the architecture of the post-2015

development agenda calls for a rethink and redesign of development policy frameworks.

Instead of relying on a segregated approach to development, this round of global development advocates a holistic and integrated approach to economic, social and environmental concerns. There is growing evidence of strong inter-dependence and inter-linkages between these three core pillars, and a coordinated response on these pillars would be self-reinforcing. Transmission channels and mechanisms between the three pillars are manifold. For instance: economic growth fostered by inclusive policies has positive spill overs across economies which, in turn, leverage social progress.

Global, regional and national partnerships in finance; trade; as well as science, technology and innovation, will be critical to execute and implement this complex but attainable development path. Progress on

Special Lecture by Dr. Shamshad Akhtar, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.

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sustainable development will be contingent on:

Robust and high quality inclusive growth accompanied by job generation, with benefits shared widely across society;

Effective domestic and global governance mechanisms that support corporate and environment sustainability and climate action;

The ability of Governments to better leverage the strengths and resources of the private sector for sustainable development; and

Augmenting multilateral frameworks to harness finance; trade; and science and technology.

The need to switch to more sustainable development paths is becoming more urgent with every passing day. The Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change underscores that failure to contain the rise of surface temperature to below two degrees Celsius by 2100 will be catastrophic for our planet. South Asia would be the worst affected, as the IPCC concludes that a one degree increase in temperature will raise sea levels by up to 98cm, which could be devastating for coastal cities and regions.

A country like India, with its coastline of more than 7,500km, is very vulnerable to the effects of global warming. Nearly 50 per cent of India's population are also dependent on climate-sensitive sectors like agriculture and forestry for their livelihoods.

While there remains some scepticism about the feasibility of limiting the rise in global temperatures to two degrees Celsius, “Deep Decarbonisation” and “Green Growth” offer routes to low-carbon development paths. These options call for an urgent transition to sustainable development approaches, supported by global cooperation at an unprecedented scale in technology development and diffusion, which allows switching for adoption of low-

carbon sustainable technologies. The private sector's role in pursuing these low carbon paths will be critical.

I would like to now focus on the critical role that business enterprises will have play in implementing the sustainable development agenda and the SDGs. There are two broad aspects to this role: firstly, in terms of the resources necessary for implementation; and secondly, sustainable development requires that business enterprises realign their priorities and take the lead in implementation of the SDGs by adopting sustainable business practices. Some important elements of this dual role include:

Mainstreaming Sustainability in Indian Business

Stronger private sector engagement in the regional economy can harness opportunities for export-oriented production, and greater participation in global and regional value

Economic growth:

chains can create and expand economic opportunities. In India, the Government is promoting 'Make-in-India' to strengthen productive capacities and drive India's growth. Business enterprises have a key in this effort.

Sufficient numbers of decent jobs, especially for women and youth, assist in lifting people out of poverty. In this context, I applaud the priority that the Government of India is giving to the 'Skill India' programme and its creation of a new Ministry of Skills Development and Entrepreneurship. Business enterprises have a clear and important role to play in the programme and in generating decent work opportunities.

Future business models have to generate surpluses within the paradigms of sustainable development. The cost of compliance with environmental standards has to be borne, and businesses have to chart a course of low carbon growth. The

Employment creation:

Low carbon development paths:

need to go beyond business-as-usual models requires more creative use of technologies, and these practices can be incentivized. A good example is paper recycling in India. 'Wealth from waste' has already caught the imagination of entrepreneurs leading to several successful 'low-cost high-value' business models that use industrial residues and municipal wastes as inputs.

Thermal energy generation is the source of 70 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions in India, and 25 per cent of households lack access to modern energy. Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All) can be advanced by raising ambition on harnessing renewable energy opportunities. There is enormous untapped hydroelectric potential as well as real potential for greater reliance on solar and wind energy. In this regard I learnt with great interest that India is now quintupling the target under the National Solar Mission to 100,000MW of solar power by 2022. Businesses can also bring down energy consumption by investing in co-generation and through enhancing energy efficiency. All these opportunities will pay rich dividends while shrinking our carbon footprint.

Urban agglomeration is irreversible, and with it skyrocketing demand for urban infrastructure and services. This offers immense commercial opportunities and can be made to support sustainable development as well.

New sources of renewable energy:

Sustainable Urbanization:

By 2050 Indian cities are expected to house more than 50 per cent of the population, which is why India's 100 Smart Cities proposal is so interesting and timely. These new cities will be developed on the basis of public-private partnerships, with a role for business in evolving more sustainable patterns of urbanization.

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Green Banking and Financial Services:

Frugal innovations:

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR):

Financial institutions should prioritize sustainable development in their lending. In this regard the very impressive Indian Government programme on financial inclusion, “Jan Dhan”, under which 115 million people now have bank accounts, is worth replicating.

Indian companies are known the world over for their frugal engineering capabilities that have led them to the development of useful but affordable products including generic medicines, the world's cheapest car, water purifiers and many other products. Frugal innovation stands for generating more business and social value while optimizing available resources. It is about achieving 'more with less', and the future we want will require businesses to invest in these approaches.

There is no doubt that CSR will

remain an important aspect of the contribution of business enterprises to achieving the SDGs. But CSR should not be seen as a pay-off to continue

unsustainable business practices. The primary delivery of sustainable development outputs must be through business practices themselves. With the new Indian law requiring 2 per cent of profits to be earmarked for CSR this will be most effective by channelled these resources into sustainable development priorities.

The United Nations system has held extensive consultations with multinational and national companies to evolve our understanding of how best business enterprises can be engaged in promoting development and supporting the alignment of corporate strategies and processes with the global development agenda.

The UN Global Compact released a report entitled 'Building a Post-2015 Business Engagement Architecture'. The report lays out “priorities for how to motivate and support global business in realizing its full potential to advance sustainable development through action, collaboration and co-

Building a Better Global Public-Private Partnership

investment.” It is certainly encouraging that today's global businesses recognize and are committed to their social responsibilities.

Some members of the Global Compact Network are active in the ESCAP Business Advisory Council (EBAC) and the Asia-Pacific Business Forum (APBF) created by ESCAP to provide platforms for region- wide public-private sector dialogue. We look forward to continue our engagement with business enterprises through the Global Compact Network and the Asia Pacific Business Forum for working towards the common goals of sustainable development.Conclusion

To conclude, economic growth and sustainable development are not zero sum games. They are both prerequisites of the future we want, mutually reinforcing, and neither can succeed in the absence of the other.Sustainable growth strengthens all three pillars of development – economic, social, and environmental – and recognizes that long-term prosperity requires a careful balance between benefits reaped today and ensuring the well-being of our people and our planet tomorrow. Ultimately it a concept grounded in intergenerational equity.

The United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, put it best when he said: “The objectives and priorities of the international community and the business world are more aligned than ever before…for business to enjoy sustained growth, we need to build trust and legitimacy…for markets to expand in a sustainable way, we must provide those currently excluded with better and more opportunities to improve their livelihoods.”

This is why the private sector is such a central partner as we shape the post-2015 development agenda, and in India it is why business must pay a key role in helping us implement and achieve the new sustainable development goals.

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Global Compact Network India in collaboration with HCL Technologies commenced the women empowerment series called 'iBelieve’, with NASSCOM as an advocacy partner on

th20 July 2015.

GCNI and HCL Technologies Launch 'iBelieve' series

Sustainability has become a guiding principle and a strategy for business growth and sustainable development. Business corporations, UN agencies, government departments, civil society and other development actors are seeking a different cadre of human resources who can align profit with ecological and social mission. In this context, role of Universities assumes significance for creation and nurturing of young leaders and managers, who accelerate sustainable development.

GCNI, in order to share knowledge and take forward mutually-reinforcing benefits of research, training and thought leadership, on sustainability and sustainable development supported Xavier Institute of Management Bhubaneswar (XIMB) to set up Xavier School of Sustainability, to promote research and academic pursuit in sustainability for addressing the challenges in building a better corporate business and equip students with values of Sustainability. The school strives to invoke sustainability to care for environment, human development and sustainable communities and responsible business and to manage our common future. Through its academic curriculum, the school aims to promote values of greater environmental justice and peace (on earth) and create and nurture next generation of responsible managers and leaders, who strategies sustainability by connecting business and society. This programme offers unique opportunity to specialise in one of the functional areas of management and also to specialise in Sustainability offering its students a competitive advantage and a global advantage to their careers.

As a part of this initiative, GCNI will support Xavier School of Sustainability to advice it on issues of course-curriculum, Industry feedback, General Advisory, Industry led Research and support from within its membership to galvanise sustainability efforts of the school in a more meaningful manner.

GCNI Supports setting up of Xavier School of Sustainability

The series aims to present members and key stakeholders with lectures and presentations by eminent personalities from across industries, civil society organisations and academia. The objective of the series is to propagate the idea that women empowerment means more choices for both women and men – choices which can have intensely positive ramifications for our social and economic fabric worldwide – and that promoting equality through community initiatives and advocacy programs must pave the way ahead. The event aims to celebrate illustrious milestones accomplished by confident and skilled women from across the spectrum, who have achieved a great deal, successfully overcome daunting challenges, prioritised and balanced

their roles with efficiency that motivates us to take notice of and gather a leaf from their accomplishments. The core aim of the series is to gather men and women from diverse backgrounds under one roof and support discussions and solutions related to Gender and Inclusion at the workplace.

It is in this context the launch webinar thwas organised on 20 July 2015 on the

theme of ''What does Women Empowerment mean to you?” It was delivered by Dr. Rebecca Reichmann Tavares, Representative, UN Women's Office for India, Bhutan, Maldives and Sri Lanka. During the webinar Dr. Tavares, discussed about the idea of women empowerment and its various facets.

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Global Compact Network India in collaboration with GBC-Education India Working Group organised a roundtable lunch on 'The Future of India Inc.: Skilling the Next Generation'

thon 18 April 2015 in New Delhi. Led by the Rt. Hon. Lord Swraj Paul, Founder and Chairman of the Caparo Group, the group comprising top leaders of local schools, major organisations and multinational companies met to strategise on plans to fuel India's next-generation workforce.

The meeting began with the opening remarks by Roundtable Chair and Intel South Asia's Head of K-12 Education Shweta Khurana and included deliberations on India's progress in enrolment of children in school. The remarks were then followed by a keynote address by Lord Swraj Paul, who talked about the critical issue of education and the need to bring together corporates to ensure the success of education for all agenda. The keynote was followed by a group discussion where the group argued

that Universal education hinges on addressing gender disparity that's currently preventing at least 30 percent of girls in India from attaining primary school education. They also emphasised the need for more government-funded schools and institutions to provide students with more industry-specific skills.

Also underscored was the responsibility of not only multinational corporations, but also local businesses to launch initiatives that foster specific skill sets among the emerging workforce. If students could master basic skills – matched to at least one of India's 25 sectors – then even those who dropped out could still achieve success as an entrepreneur or future employee. Pooja Bhatt of Accenture and Co-Chair of the GBC-Education India Working Group, stated that leaders should caution against passivity: India's public policy must be reinforced by strategic Public-Private Partnerships and by on-the-ground role models – particularly female ones. Pooran Chandra Pandey, Executive

Director, Global Compact Network India in his address elaborated on the new UN agenda and the importance of education in ensuring holistics and sustainable development across the globe. In the end of the meeting the participants called for increased support for the 'UpForSchool' movement.

The 'UpForSchool' programme, launched in September 2014, has become known as the world's largest petition, with over 5.5 million people to have signed to date – to enroll 58 million children in school by the end of 2015. Spearheaded by a World at School, the petition is seen as a final push to ensure that the UN's 2000 promise for universal education would be met by 2015's year end. Speakers called on members to extend personal responsibility to their employees to increase #UpForSchool's visibility in the coming months. Ms. Khurana concluded in her closing remarks that awareness is one of the biggest obstacles to reaching their goals for universal education.

Roundtable 'The Future of India Inc.: Skilling the Next Generation'

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13 VOL.7 ISSUE 1 APR 2015 - JUL 2015

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Consultation on "SDG Industry Matrix for Industrial Manufacturing" with KPMG on November 24, 2015, Gurgaon

India Sustainability Dialogue on CSR with BMW on December 8, 2015, New Delhi

International Conference on Women Empowerment and Sustainable Development Goals with SIDART during 18 & 19 December, 2015, Jaipur

Rashtriya Swayamsiddh Samman with JSPL Foundation on January 14, 2016, New Delhi

Conference on CSR- Gaining New Frontiers, with Protsahan India between February 12-13, 2016, Nagpur

Lecture series on "Ethics and Transparency" with Central Vigilance Commission in Dyal Singh college, Kamla Nehru college and Bhagat Singh college on 27.10.2015, 28.10.2015 and 29.10.2015 respectively in collaboration with REC Ltd.

Centre of Excellence's website launch on the International Anti-corruption Day on December 9, 2015, New Delhi

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Research report on 'Decentralised approaches to rural electrification' with Inesa Advisory Services Pvt Ltd

Research report on 'Solar water pumps for conserving energy and water' with Inesa Advisory Services Pvt Ltd

Outcome Report of India's Premier Business Event on Women's Empowerment- "Equality Means Business: Women's Empowerment Principles in Practice"

Benchmarking Survey Report on Policies and Practices for Ensuring Transparent Corporate Governance

UPCOMING events UPCOMING publications

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The monthly knowledge sharing and networking meeting for the month of April was organised by Global Compact Network India in collaboration with

thJindal Steel and Power Limited on 28 April, 2015 at Jindal Centre, Gurgaon on the theme of 'CSR and Sustainable Community Initiatives in Health & Education'. The meeting included a presentation on the theme by Col. Prakash Tewari, Group Vice President CSR and Education, Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL) on the various initiatives being undertaken by JSPL in taking forward its health and education initiatives in various regions in India.

The second presentation at the meeting was delivered by Dr. Sunil Anand, Director, Project ECHO India, on the innovative ECHO project in India. Project ECHO (Extension for Community

Healthcare Outcomes) is a lifelong learning and guided practice model, initiated by Dr. Sanjeev Arora, M.D., a liver disease doctor in New Mexico, USA that revolutionises medical education and exponentially increases workforce capacity to provide best-practice specialty care and reduce health disparities. The project is a collaborative model of medical education and care management that empowers clinicians

everywhere to provide better care to more people, right where they live. The heart of the ECHO model™ is its hub-and-spoke knowledge-sharing networks, led by expert teams who use multi-point video conferencing to conduct virtual clinics with community medical care providers. In this way, primary care doctors, nurses, and other clinicians learn to provide excellent specialty care to patients in their own communities.

Monthly Knowledge Sharing and Networking Meeting on‘CSR and Sustainable Community Initiatives in Health & Education'

'Strengthening Transparency and Ethics in Business'The monthly knowledge sharing and networking meeting for the month of July was organised by Global Compact Network India in collaboration with Fluor Daniel India

thPrivate Limited on 30 July 2015 at Fluor Daniel India Private Limited on the theme 'Strengthening Transparency and Ethics in Business'. The meeting included a presentation on the theme by Arun Kumar Jain, Managing Director, Fluor Daniel India Private Limited in which he talked about the issue of corruption and measures to curb it. He also discussed on the efforts taken by Fluor Daniel in this domain and the anti-corruption management system framework of the company.The second presentation at the meeting was delivered by Pankaj Aggarwal, Vice Chairman, Transparency International India in which he talked about the Integrity Pact, an agreement between the government agency offering a contract and the companies bidding for it, as a tool for preventing corruption in public contracting.

The meeting ended with closing remarks and vote of thanks by Sandeep Kumar, Director- Industry Interface, Compliance and Ethics Liaison in which he quoted “Do our bit to make India corruption free”. The meeting resulted in some positive outcomes and way forward in the area of anti-corruption and bribery.

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Cases & Practices of Nine Local Networks in Asia

Our Recent PublicationsWhy Join Global Compact Network India

Today when the most progressive companies are focusing on CSR,Global Compact is the right platform to demonstrate nationally andinternationally the commitment to CSR and ethical working of thecompanies. voluntary guidelines on CSR by Ministry of CorporateAffairs lay emphasis on almost the same core issues as advocated byUNGC. Department of Public Enterprises has also issued guidelineson CSR for CPSEs which make a reference to UNGC.

There are four categories of members in the networks:

1. Corporate Members (Companies / Corporations)

2. SME Members (Small & Medium Enterprises)

3. Institutional Members a) Non-Profit Making Societies b) Trusts c) Educational and Research Institutes d) Govt. Departments

4. NGO Members a) Civil Society b) Non-Government or Labour Organisations

Global Ethical Framework

Induction, Training and Communication of Progress

Integrated Networking Platform

Priority Access to Practice Forums

Public Policy Support to the National Government

Publications, Communication and Global Good Practices

Participation in the Governance of the Network

Collective Action Project on Anti-Corruption and Green Economy

Representation in National and International Forums

Opportunity to participate in the local chapter activities at state and regional levels

1 Corporate Members 25,000 25,000 2,50,000 Upto Rs. 500 Crores in the preceding year

2 Above Rs. 500 Crores 50,000 50,000 5,00,000

3 SME Members 10,000 10,000 1,00,000

4 Institutional Members 10,000 10,000 1,00,000

5 NGO Members 10,000 10,000 1,00,000

Key Benefits of Joining Global Compact Network India

Membership FeesMembership Category Entrance

Fees (in Rs.) Annual

Fees (in Rs.)

Lifetime Membership

(in Rs.)

14.5 percent Service Tax will be additional.

NEW MEMBERS

Fluor Daniel India Private Limited Corporate Lifetime

University

Sarthak Educational Trust NGO Annual

IL&FS Rail Limited Corporate Annual

ICCo India NGO Lifetime

Sigma Research and Consulting Pvt Ltd SME Annual

Sonalika Social Development Society NGO Annual

Dilasa Janvikas Pratishthan NGO Lifetime

Sericulture Research & Development Council SME Annual

Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Institutional Annual

ONGC-Tripura Power Company Limited Corporate Annual

Xavier Bhubneswar Institutional Lifetime

Global Compact Network India was formed in November 2003 and was registered as a non-profit society to function as the Indian local network of the UN Global Compact programme. It is the first local network in the world to be established with full legal recognition. Global Compact Network India (GCNI) is a country level platform for businesses, civil organizations, public sector and aids in aligning stakeholders’ practices towards the Ten Universally Accepted Principles of UNGC in the areas of Human Rights, Labour, Environment and Anti – corruption. At present, the India network ranks among the top 3, out of the 101 local networks in the world, and has emerged as the largest corporate citizenship and social responsibility organization in the country with a pan India membership of 184 organisations, who have strengthened their commitment to the UN's Global Compact Principles by becoming proud signatories of the local network, GCNI.

For further information, please visit www.globalcompact.in

About Global Compact Network India

Global Compact Network India OfficeScope Complex,Core 5, 6th Floor (ONGC) Office, 7 Institutional AreaLodhi Road, New Delhi Email: [email protected]

DisclaimerThe portion of the report comprising Collective Action Project (CAP) events has been vetted by the CAP Team.This publication is intended strictly for learning purposes. The inclusion of company names and/or examples does not constitute an endorsement of the individual companies by the Global Compact Network India Office. The material in this publication may be quoted and used provided there is proper attribution.

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The UN Global Compact asks companies to embrace, support and enact, within their sphere of influence, a set of core values in the areas of human rights, labour standards, the environment and anti-corruption:Human RightsPrinciple 1: Businesses should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights; andPrinciple 2: make sure that they are not complicit in human rights abuses.LabourPrinciple 3: Businesses should uphold the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining;Principle 4: the elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labour;Principle 5: the effective abolition of child labour; andPrinciple 6: the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation.EnvironmentPrinciple 7: Businesses should support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges;Principle 8: undertake initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility; andPrinciple 9: encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies.Anti-CorruptionPrinciple 10: Businesses should work against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery.

The Ten Principles of the United Nations Global Compact

During the past four months, 11 organisations have joined GCNI showcasing their commitment towards the Ten Universal Principles of the Global Compact. GCNI welcomes its new members and looks forward to having a long term partnership in the future. These members are:

nutshell – gcni tri-annual newsletter april 2015 – july 2015

Government & Nonprofit