After continued support from International Alert, the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) [8] in Pakistan has joined the UN Global Compact (UNGC) [9].
We have been working with the UNGC Pakistan Network [10] since 2012 as part of our Plural Business Partnerships for Peace in Pakistan [11], which promotes the role that economics and business can play in supporting peace in the country. This project is being supported by the European Union.
The UNGC requires its members to support ten core business values in order to ‘help ensure that markets, commerce, technology and finance advance in ways that benefit economies and societies everywhere.’ These values cover human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption. With over 10,000 corporate participants and other stakeholders from over 130 countries, it is the largest voluntary corporate responsibility initiative in the world.
According to the UNGC Pakistan Network’s Secretary, Mr Fasihul Karim Siddiqi, LUMS joining the UNGC will be a giant step forward in efforts to promote more responsible business in Pakistan.
We hope the commitment of a premier academic institution such as LUMS will also help to strengthen serious engagement on conflict-sensitive, responsible and sustainable business among other business schools in the country.
Read the press release by the UNGC Pakistan Network here. [12]
Photo © Aurangzeb Haneef