geo commits to UN Global Compact

We believe that we should help drive the way that organisations operate now and into the future when it comes to Corporate Social Responsibility & sustainability.

In order to promote this, geo has committed to the UN Global Compact corporate responsibility initiative and its principles in the areas of human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption.

The UN Global Compact is the world’s large corporate sustainability initiative, run by the United Nations. It is a call to companies to align strategies and operations with universal principles on human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption, whilst taking actions that advance societal goals.

geo’s CEO, Patrick Caiger-Smith has signed a Letter of Commitment addressed to the UN Secretary-General committing geo to implementing the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact, to take action in support of the Sustainable Development Goals and to submit an annual Communication on Progress (COP). The Ten Principles are:

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 on the UN Global Compact can be found on the UN Global Compact website.