Kofi Annan calls on Japanese companies for leadership in citizenship

Date: 25 Feb 2004

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has told a group of senior business leaders in Japan that business has a key role to play in addressing the world's problems.

Japanese companies, he said, are demonstrating ever stronger leadership in the field of corporate citizenship, and are well placed to enjoy the benefits of 'responsible competitiveness'.

13 Japanese companies had so far signed up to the Global Compact, which aims to create a global ethical framework by embracing universal principles - in the areas of human rights, labour standards and the environment. This was not yet enough to reflect the weight of multinational corporations based in the country.

"Today, I call on all Japanese companies and business groups to support the Global Compact by committing themselves explicitly to its principles.

"Through the active engagement of Japanese companies and other stakeholders, I am optimistic that the Global Compact will provide a useful platform to advance corporate citizenship and help produce a more sustainable and inclusive world economy, so that globalization's benefits can be shared by everyone, including the world's poor."

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