Mehiläinen has joined the world's largest corporate sustainability initiative, the UN Global Compact, which promotes and develops the ecological, social and economic responsibility of companies and communities. The UN initiative, launched in 2000, challenges companies worldwide to promote favourable working conditions, respect human rights, protect the environment and prevent bribery in their business operations.
- We have long been working in accordance with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and have respected the Global Compact principles in our activities. We now wanted to join the signatory companies to emphasise the importance of corporate responsibility for sustainable development. In joining the UN Global Compact, we will continue our corporate responsibility work on a stronger footing, says Marina Lampinen, Director of Public Affairs and Corporate Responsibility at Mehiläinen.
The UN Global Compact uses the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The signatory organisations undertake to adopt, support and implement the fundamental values concerning human rights, principles of working life, the environment and anti-corruption in their spheres of influence.
- As Mehiläinen's international growth continues, we feel that our commitment to the Global Corporate Sustainability Initiative was even more important and will send a clear signal of responsibility to our international partners, Lampinen continues.
The UN Global Compact provides a framework for corporate responsibility that is recognised all over the world. Its principles are in line with the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, the UN Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, and the UN Convention against Corruption. More than 15,000 companies and more than 3,000 other organisations from all sectors and continents, in more than 160 countries, are committed to the Corporate Sustainability Initiative.
The Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact
Human Rights
Principle 1: Businesses should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights; and
Principle 2: make sure that they are not complicit in human rights abuses.
Labour
Principle 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; and
Principle 6: the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation.
Environment
Principle 7: Businesses should support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges;
Principle 8: undertake initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility; and
Principle 9: encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies.
Anti-Corruption
Principle 10: Businesses should work against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery.
More information about the UN Global Compact: https://www.unglobalcompact.org