Press Release: Global Compact Network Belgium Launches

On October 15, 2009 the Belgian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Yves Leterme, opened the Outreach Event during which the Global Compact Network Belgium (www.globalcompact.be) was officially launched.

The Global Compact is a program from the United Nations that encourages more responsible and sustainable business practices.

The companies that commit themselves to this program create a greater transparency on their practices relating to human rights, labor conditions, environmental impact and integrity. The UN Global Compact unites more than 6700 organizations globally, of which 5200 are businesses from 130 countries. Participation is entirely voluntary and implies that businesses openly report on their progress relating to Corporate Social Responsibility on a regular basis.

In Belgium, there has been  no formal network for Global Compact. This has now been remedied, in close collaboration between the Belgian government and local Global Compact signatories. Through the Belgian network, enterprises and organizations can now reap the benefits from being part of a  global network and organization based  on the 10 principles of the UN Global Compact (see www.unglobalcompact.org).

You can find the speech of Minister for Foreign Affairs Yves Leterme, on the web site of the Belgian Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Co-operation:
http://www.diplomatie.be/en/press/homedetails.asp?TEXTID=98414

For more information, contact the Global Compact Belgium Network:

Karla Basselier, Focal Point
Phone +32 2 501 3037
karla.basselier@globalcompact.be

Stephan Vanhaverbeke, Chairman
Phone +32 9 324 1616
stephan.vanhaverbeke@globalcompact.be