Learn how to harness Corporate Social Responsibility to
accelerate your company's growth and profitability

The conference will be hosted by the Ethical Corporation and will take place on June 7-8 2005 in Hotel "Astoria", St. Petersburg, Russia.

The United Nations Global Compact in New York and UNDP in Moscow offices is working closely with Ethical Corporation on this conference.

The event will focus on how companies in Eurasia can practically work on improving their social, environmental and corporate governance practices and how they can contribute through collective action to the Millennium Development Goals. The meeting will be bi-lingual (English/Russian).

ACCA* AccountAbility * World Bank * BP * SUAL Holding * Sakhalin Energy * Intel * Goldman Sachs * KPMG * CJSC ARM Group Enterprises * RSPP * Deloitte * International Finance Corporation * Eurasia Foundation * UN Global Compact * Standard & Poor's * UNDP * Russian Managers Association * Global Reporting Initiative * International Labour Organisation * OECD * WWF-Russia * National Association of Independent Directors * Investor Protection Association * European Business Club in the Russian Federation * European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and many more

Business wisdom from over 50 world class national, regional and multi-national organisations. Find out how the Global Compact can inspire you to:

• Be the best: Create productive partnerships that add shareholder value to your company and keep it ahead of the competition.

• Boost performance and maximise profits: Learn how innovative companies exploit sustainable development strategies – and achieve outstanding business paybacks.

• Improve productivity: Develop best practice on labour policies and human rights policies, spell out your codes of conduct – and deliver excellent results.

• Overcome major challenges: Use key performance indicators to tackle Eurasia’s environmental issues. Successful HIV/AIDS programs. Tackling bribery and corruption.

• Innovative approaches for immediate improvements
• Better risk management
• How to generate extra value for your business
• Increased public approval for your work
• Easier fi nancing
• Keys to success
• Win-win projects for everyone concerned ...and much more!

Here are just some of the VITAL issues we'll cover:

*How to improve corporate governance standards

* The real difference between corporate responsibility and philanthropy

* Role and aims of Eurasian Governments for corporate responsibility

* How companies can profit from being more ethical

* The role of multi-lateral institutions in encouraging corporate responsibility * Non-financial reporting

* Internal communications and training

* Partnerships with NGOs and Governments

* Tackling bribery and corruption

* How to measure your progress on the 10 Global Compact’s principles

About the organisers

Ethical Corporation – main organiser

Ethical Corporation is an independent conference organiser and publisher focusing on how large companies can improve their social, environmental and corporate governance performance. Ethical Corporation publishes the leading global strategy and news magazine on worldwide corporate responsibility issues and holds conferences and training workshops all over the world on the same subjects. More information on Ethical Corporation, including subscription options and free email newsletters, is available at:

www.ethicalcorp.com

The Global Compact

Hundreds of companies have become participants in the Global Compact, which is rapidly evolving into the first global forum designed to address critical issues related to globalisation. Announced by United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in January 1999,and formally launched at the United Nations Headquarters in July 2000, the Compact calls on companies to embrace ten universal principles in the areas of human rights, labour standards, environment and the anticorruption. It brings companies together with United Nations organizations, international labour organizations, NGOs and other parties to foster partnerships and to build a more inclusive and equitable global marketplace. It aims, in the words of Secretary General Kofi Annan, to contribute to the emergence of “shared values and principles, which give a human face to the global market ”.

The Global Compact is a voluntary corporate citizenship initiative with two objectives:

* Mainstream the ten principles in business activities around the world

* Catalyse collective actions in support of Millennium Development goals

To achieve these objectives, the Global Compact offers facilitation and engagement through several mechanisms: Policy Dialogues, Learning, Local Structures and Projects.

www.unglobalcompact.org

The Opportunity with the Global Compact

Why Companies Participate Business leaders see many opportunities through engagement in the Global Compact. Reasons include:

•Demonstrating a position of leadership with regard to responsible citizenship

•Sharing experiences and learning with like minded companies and organizations

•Building relationships with other companies, government bodies, labour, NGOs and international organizations

•Partnership with United Nations agencies, including the International Labour Organization, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Environmental Programme and the United Nations Development Programme

•Maximizing business opportunities by broadening the corporate vision to include the social dimension and by implementing responsible management policies and practices

The Ten Principles of the Global Compact

The Global Compact asks companies to embrace, support and enact, within their sphere of influence, a set of core values in the areas of human rights, labour standards and the environment. This means that a company needs to bring about positive change only in those areas that are relevant to its business operations. The principles are as follows:

Human Rights

1.Businesses should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights; and
2.make sure they are not complicit in human rights abuses.

Labour Standards

3.Businesses should uphold the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining;
4.the elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labour;
5.the effective abolition of child labour; and
6.eliminate discrimination in respect of employment and occupation.

Environment

7.Businesses should support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges;
8.undertake initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility; and
9.encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies; and

Anticorruption

10. Businesses should work against all forms of corruption, including extortion and bribery.

The conference will cover how companies can use the 10 principles of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan’s Global Compact initiative to guide them in integrating ethical concerns into their day-to-day business practices.

UNDP Russia – supportive partner

UNDP is the UN's global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. They are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and a wide range of partners.

www.undp.ru

Want to know more?

If you have any questions not covered on these conference pages, please call the conference hotline on +44 (0)20 7375 7563 and we'll be happy to answer any your queries or take your registration over the phone.