from the Perspective of Global Businesses

Geneva Seminar13-14 December 2010HRI

IOs in a Global EconomyObjective:To enhance the capacity of business

representatives to understand how the United Nations and other major international organizations in Geneva operate, and

How they can adapt the knowledge and tools for effective engagement in the policy

deliberations and for the identification of partnering opportunities

for the advancement of global business strategies that are mutually rewarding.

The United Nations SystemGeneral Assembly – 192 member statesSecurity Council – 5 permanent members and

10 members elected for 2-year terms by the UNGA

Economic and Social Council – 54 members elected for 3-year terms by the UNGA

International Court of JusticeSecretariat(Trusteeship Council)

UN Secretariat44,000 Staff16 peacekeeping operationsBudget 2010-2011 of $5.048 billion

(excluding peacekeeping)Main points of contact for business:

Department of Economic and Social AffairsOffice for the Coordination of Humanitarian

Affairs

UN General AssemblyThe main deliberative body of the UNRecommendations on any matter within the

scope of the UN CharterPeace and securityPolitical cooperationInternational lawHuman rightsInternational collaboration on economic, social,

cultural, education and health issues

UN General AssemblyPolicies and programmes of the UN

SecretariatGoals for development activitiesApprove the UN and peacekeeping budgetsCall for world conferences on major issuesAdmit new Member StatesAppoint the Secretary-General upon the

recommendation of the Security Council

UN General AssemblyMeets throughout the year with main session

fromEarly September to mid-December

Special high-level summits added to opening of the General Assembly in SeptemberFood security 2008Climate change 2009MDGs 2010NCDs 2011

Other special and emergency sessions

Subsidiary Bodies of the UNGASix main committeesHuman Rights Council Other sessional committeesStanding committees and ad hoc bodiesOther subsidiary organs

UN Programmes and FundsUN Development Programme (also

coordinates UN presence in the field)Conference on Trade and Development

International Trade Centre (UNCTAD/WTO)UN Drug Control ProgrammeUN Environment ProgrammeUNICEFUN Population Fund

UN Programmes and Funds cont.

UN High Commissioner for RefugeesWorld Food ProgrammeUN-HabitatUN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine

Refugees in the Near EastNewest: UN Women

Other UN Entities of NoteOffice of the High Commissioner for Human

RightsUNAIDSUN Office for Project ServicesUN Fund for International PartnershipsUN Democracy FundResearch, trainining institutes, UNU, etc.

UN Economic and Social CouncilPromoting higher standards of living, full

employment and economic and social progress

Identifying solutions to international economic, social and health problems

Facilitating international cultural and educational cooperation

Encouraging universal respect for human rights and freedoms

ECOSOC MeetingsCoordinates economic and social work of the

UN and the specialized agencies and bodiesSubstantive session every July in rotation

between Geneva and New YorkHigh-level segment followed by segments on

operational activities, coordination, humanitarian and general categories

Annual NGO Forums on theme of the high-level segment

Other sessions in February, May and OctoberSpecial high-level meeting in April

ECOSOC CommissionsFunctional commissions including

Sustainable DevelopmentSocial DevelopmentStatistical Commission

Regional commissionsEconomic Commission for Europe in GenevaOthers for Africa, Latin American and the

Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific and Western Asia

Other bodies (e.g. UN Forum on Forests)

Specialized Agencies withSeparate Budgets and GovernanceInternational Labour Organization (ILO)Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural

Organization (UNESCO)World Health Organization(WHO)UN Industrial Development Organization

(UNIDO)

International Trade and Financial InstitutionsWorld Trade OrganizationWorld Bank GroupInternational Monetary FundRegional development banksBank for International SettlementsFinancial Stability BoardOther specialized financial institutions

Other International OrganizationsWorld Intellectual Property OrganizationInternational Telecommunication UnionUniversal Postal UnionWorld Meteorological OrganizationInternational Fund for Agricultural

DevelopmentUN World Tourism OrganizationInternational Civil Aviation OrganizationInternational Maritime Organization

ECOSOC Role in NGO Accreditation ECOSOC Committee for NGOsAccess to meetings of ECOSOC and its

commissionsUN world conferences and summits

With parallel NGO forumsInformal, interactive hearings by the UNGA

since 2005Online consultations on special topics

ECOSOC Resolution 1996/31 for NGO Consultative StatusResponse to experience of NGO participation

in Rio Conference of 1992Opened up UN consultative status to national

NGOsMajor increase in the number of NGOs since

then (from 772 in 1992 to 3,287 in 2010)Impetus for UN funding and partnering with

NGOs

Private Sector EngagementICC since 1946 WBCSD since 1992 Global Compact since 2000Over 200 « Track II » partnerships since

2002

2009 Revised UN-Business GuidelinesGreater coherence in selection criteria for formal

partnership agreementsEmbracing convergence between UN objectives and core

business operations, including profit-making Formalizing the evaluation of impacts on UN objectives of

partnerships with the private sector Adaptation to new economic realities, Alignment with country development agendas,Outreach to small and medium enterprises and companies

from low-income countries, and Capacity building for UN agencies to manage such

partnerships.

UN Global CompactWorld’s largest corporate citizenship and

sustainability initiativeOver 8000 participants (5300 businesses)

Ten Global Compact principlesUN Inter-Agency Team to support the UNGC

OHCHR, ILO, UNEP, UNODC, UNDP, UNIDO and UNWomen (UNIFEM)

The Role of the UN Inter-Agency Team to Support the Global CompactCoherence between UN and business

activitiesComplementarity of initiativesCollaboration among the key UN agenciesMaximum effectivenessInternalizing the Global Compact principlesGuiding role on integrity and activities of the

10 principles

UN System Private Sector Focal PointsAnnual MeetingsApril 2010 Agenda covered:Business and the MDGsDisasters and emergenciesIntegrity and brand of the UNPractical experiencesNew: www.un-business.org

MDG Summit – Inclusive Business Dialogue, 21 Sept. 2010Business Action for AfricaBusiness Call to ActionThe Global CompactHarvard Kennedy School CSR InitiativeICCInternational Business Leaders ForumUNDPUN Office of PartnershipsWorld Business Council on Sustainable

Development

MDG SummitInclusive Business Recommendations the need for experimentation and room to innovate; the imperative for understanding low-income consumers; the necessity for collaboration; the importance of the right government policies and

regulations to incentivize companies to further invest; the need for practical tools and resources to support

inclusive business development; the importance of leadership; the necessity for striking a balance between short and long-

term business goals, and overcoming infrastructure challenges through innovative

partnerships.

UNDP Partnership BureauPromoting Inclusive Market Development

Policy and institutional infrastructurePro-poor value chain integrationPro-poor goods and servicesEntrepreneurship developmentCorporate social responsibility

Research on Growing Inclusive MarketsBusiness Call to Action