Businesses to launch UN's Global Compact<\/p>\n
Leony Aurora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Business entities in Indonesia will launch Global Compact -- a
\nUnited Nations' (UN) initiative that calls for heightened
\nawareness of human rights, and the environment among
\nentrepreneurs -- in Jakarta on Saturday.<\/p>\n
The launch is sponsored by the Indonesian Employers
\nAssociation (Apindo) and the International Labor Organization
\n(ILO).<\/p>\n
Global Compact promotes nine principles concerning human
\nrights, labor, and the environment.<\/p>\n
In terms of labor, businesses are asked to uphold freedom of
\nassociation and recognize the right to collective bargaining.
\nAll forms of forced labor, child labor, and discrimination in
\nrespect to employment and occupation should be eliminated,
\naccording to the compact.<\/p>\n
\"Global Compact will improve Indonesia's standing before the
\ninternational business community,\" said secretary-general of
\nApindo Djimanto.<\/p>\n
This, in turn, might attract more investment and better
\neconomic relationships, he added.<\/p>\n
Commitment to the compact was voluntary and not legally
\nbinding, said Djimanto. The implementation of the principles
\nwould be according to the ability of each company.<\/p>\n
A Global Compact team will be established, comprising of
\nrepresentatives of UN organizations on labor, human rights,
\nenvironment, and development. Representatives of Apindo, which
\nhas about 19,000 members across the country, will also be
\nincluded.<\/p>\n
The team would monitor companies, which had stated their
\ncommitment to the pact, and provide guidance on the
\nimplementation of programs, said Djimanto.<\/p>\n
Committed companies, labor organizations and non-governmental
\norganizations could post their activities on the UN Global
\nCompact website, which would serve as an exchange forum.<\/p>\n
Global Compact was initiated in January 1999 by UN
\nSecretary-General Kofi Annan. So far, some 1,272 companies and
\norganizations from 46 countries have signed up.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has been trying to attract more foreign direct
\ninvestments, which since the monetary crisis in 1997 have
\nrecorded a negative balance yearly.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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