Global Compact Business Forum in Latin America Convenes to Advance Corporate Sustainability in the Region - Nov 20, 2011.
(Mexico City) - More than 200 representatives from business, investor groups and Local Networks gathered at the Mexican Stock Exchange (BMV: BOLSA) to attend the Latin America and CaribbeanGlobal Compact Business Forum.
The Forum was organized by the Regional Center for the Support of the Global Compact in Latin America and Caribbean, with the support of Fundación Carolina and the Mexican Stock Exchange.
The event
convened 30 panelists representing business, the Global Compact and other UN
organizations,LAC Regional Center,
the UN Principles for Responsible
Investment (PRI) initiative, and Mexican Government, media and
academia representatives. The Forum was led by Fernando Chico Pardo, Member of
the Global Compact Board and CEO of ASUR, whose efforts resulted in the first
regional engagement that provides a financial perspective to corporate
sustainability as a strategy toward advancing the Global Compact.
A primary
goal of the Forum was to facilitate implementation of the Global Compact in the
region through dialogue and sharing of best practices by Global Compact
participants. The Forum also sought to enhance integration of the Global
Compact’s ten principles into the business strategies and operations of
companies, through topics such as responsible investing, corporate governance,
sustainable development and Rio+20.
A number of
keynote speakers delivered remarks on advancing corporate sustainability
throughout Latin America. Juan Rafael Elvira Quesada, Mexican Secretary of
Environment and Natural Resources, highlighted the need for Governments and the
private sector to work together in order to develop a green economy in the
context of sustainable development and poverty eradication. Luis Téllez Kuenzler,
President of Bolsa Mexicana de Valores (Mexican
Stock Exchange), previewed the December release of a group of companies that
will comprise the first Mexican sustainability index. The index will provide
the Mexican market with a fund to invest in sustainable companies starting in
2012.
Rob Lake,
PRI Director of Strategic Development, noted the growth of responsible
investment as a mainstream trend around the world, while Soren Petersen, UN
Global Compact Head of Local Networks and Partnerships, stressed the role of
stock exchanges in promoting environmental, social and governance (ESG)
reporting by companies. Petersen also outlined the Regional Center’s efforts to
further the Global Compact’s agenda by directly supporting Local Networks and
corporate sustainability across the region.
Also
presented at the Forum was a collection of eight best practices from Global
Compact participants on human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption.
These practices were selected by a Committee composed of representatives from
Andi, Telefónica, and Mexican and Paraguayan Local Networks that reviewed 31
proposals from 19 companies in seven countries.
For more
information about the Latin America and Caribbean Global Compact Business Forum
please visitwww.centroregionalpmal.org.
A meeting report will be released shortly.
Source: www.csr-news.net
Nov 19, 2011.