IUCN's Statement on the UN Global Compact

Gland, 25 July, 2000 (IUCN) - IUCN - The World Conservation Union greatly welcomes the invitation to join the UN Global Compact and commends UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, for launching this initiative to strengthen mutually beneficial relationships between markets and society in the context of globalisation. IUCN supports the nine principles of the Global Compact in the areas of environment, labour and human rights, derived from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Rio Declaration, and the fundamental principles adopted at the World Economic and Social Summit in 1997 and reaffirmed by the ILO in 1999. IUCN wishes to offer its longstanding experience in fostering global dialogue.

IUCN is the only environmental organization at the international level, which combines government and NGO membership. Created in 1948, IUCN's Mission is to influence, encourage, and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable. IUCN is the world's largest conservation-related organization, bringing together 77 States, 130 government agencies, 752 NGOs and some 10,000 scientists and experts from 181 countries in a unique worldwide partnership. Within the framework of its global, regional and country programmes, and in support of global conservation-related conventions, IUCN is promoting sustainability and has helped over 75 countries to prepare and implement national conservation and biodiversity strategies. IUCN is a global organization with 1000 staff located in 42 countries. Its headquarters are in Gland, Switzerland. In December 1999 the Union obtained Observer Status at the United Nations General Assembly.

Since its creation, more than 50 years ago, IUCN has provided a forum for worldwide discussion on conservation among its members and partners - grassroots, governmental, intergovernmental, academic, research, corporate organizations. IUCN recognizes that to be successful in its Mission, it must continue to expand its efforts to develop productive relationships with the full range of organizations and interests including those whose actions may affect the integrity and diversity of nature.

At IUCN's World Conservation Congress in 1996 (the General Assembly of the Union), members adopted a Resolution calling on IUCN to continue its relationships with the private sector. The Resolution noted:

"...that private sector organizations carry out activities and make decisions that have a major impact on the use of the world's natural resources and are responsible for most of the fixed capital investment affecting environmental protection and sustainable development;

...that the lower income countries should develop their industry so as to escape from acute poverty and achieve sustainability, but this development should not be of the kind that blights the environment and imposes heavy social costs in many areas of the high income countries;

...that in some countries the private sector is an active partner in the preparation of strategies for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development;

...that there are a number of key international business organizations which represent major economic sectors of importance to sustainable development, such as travel/tourism, banking and natural resource extraction;

...that the goal of sustainable development will therefore not be achieved without the active and constructive involvement of the business community and an increased dialogue between the business community, governments and government agencies, and the environmental movement;

...that new technology will be needed to achieve new industrial growth which does not bring environmental disaster, and that a major part of the research and investment for this will have to come from the business community..."

Based on this call for action from its members, IUCN attributes great value to working with the private sector and is delighted to support the UN Global Compact Initiative.

For additional information please contact Josué Anselmo, Head of Communication at: joa@iucn.org; Tel. +41 22 999 001; Fax. +41-22 999 00 29.

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