Learning to Talk: Corporate Citizenship and the Development of the UN Global Compact

The UN Global Compact complements corporate citizenship initiatives by promoting dialogue on the relationship between business and society. At the same time it is the only truly global corporate citizenship initiative.

As the only genuinely global corporate citizenship initiative, the Global Compact draws its moral authority from the UN Secretary-General and its moral and political legitimacy from the UN as the only global political body. 

However the Global Compact is viewed, it is time to reflect on the first tentative steps of an initiative born in the aftermath of the Cold War, in the 'triumph of global economic liberalism' and mass demonstrations against 'globalisation'.