The CIPD has formally committed to aligning its operations with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption.  As a United Nations Global Compact participant, the CIPD will also report on progress made in the area of sustainability. 

With more than 17,000 participants across more than 160 countries, the Global Compact is the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative. Its strategy is to drive business awareness and action in support of achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

Participants of the UN Global Compact commit to ten universal principles, on human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption:

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.

The principles are all reflected in the CIPD’s own business principles and sustainability action plans.