Following Davos Conference on the 31st of January 1999, United Nation Secretary-General Kofi Annan challenged business leaders to join an international initiative the Global Compact that would bring companies together with UN agencies, labour and civil society to support nine principles in the areas of human rights, labour and the environment.
The Global Compact is a voluntary corporate citizenship initiative that seeks to advance responsible corporate citizenship so that business can be part of the solution to the challenges of globalisation. Today, hundreds of companies from all regions of the world, international labour and civil society organizations are engaged in the Global Compact.
By joining this initiative, EDP reinforces its commitment to achieve sustainability developing its activities according to Global Compact Principles and promoting their application.
Human Rights
Principle 1: Businesses should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights within their sphere of influence;
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
Principle 6: eliminate 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
Principle 9: encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies
Anti-Corruption
Principle 10: Business should work against all forms of corruption, including extortion and bribery.