On 8th February 2016, in line with the UNEP – United Nations Environment Programme initiative "UNEP Inquiry - Design a Sustainable Financial System" and the launch of the Working Group "Green Finance Study Group" co-chaired by Britain and China in the context of G-20; following up on what was signed at the Paris Agreement, the launch of the 2030 Agenda, and the growing focus on environmental and climatic risks that afflict the financial world as well as the real economy, Italy launched the "National Dialogue on Sustainable Finance" at a national level.
In Prague on 5th and 6th of May there was a meeting of the Local European Networks (LNs) of the United Nations Global Compact in which the Global Compact Network Italy Foundation (GCNI Foundation) participated with a delegation. The meeting resulted in an interesting and profitable opportunity to discuss and reflect together about actions and projects shared across Europe.
On 15th March "The Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Conference: a new era for business?", conference was held in Milan, an event which was sponsored in partnership with Assolombarda, CSR Manager Network, the Global Compact Network Italy Foundation and the Sodalitas Foundation.
2015 was a pivotal year for sustainable development. The new Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted in September by the United Nations, which aims to address the current economic, social and environmental challenges that are an obstacle to a green and inclusive economic growth for both the current and future generations. The agenda includes, among other things, 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets to be achieved by 2030. It ended in December with the cd. Paris Agreement, the twenty-first meeting among the parties within the United Nations Framework Conference on Climate Change (COP 21). The agreement provides for a very ambitious goal: to keep the increase of the planet’s global temperature far below 2 ° C, ideally pursuing the goal of + 1.5 ° C.
The Italian association of CSR and sustainability professionals produced the position paper "Quality and sustainability in public procurement" in view of the transposition into Italian law of 23/24/25 2014 EU Directives on concessions and procurement of Public Administration and "special sector" contracting
On March 8th, the "Anti-Corruption" Working Group’s 2016 work program was launched, which will focus on four main themes, previously identified by the Group as "potential areas of corporate risk". The first meeting of the year took place in Milan and focused on the topic of Anti-corruption management systems in firms.
As part of the last meeting of the Global Compact Network Italy Foundation Board, held on February 23rd, the applications for membership submitted to the Foundation by Acque S.p.A. (joining the Foundation as a "Participant") and VIU - Venice International University (joining as a "Founding Member") were evaluated and accepted.
The Foundation welcomes the new member organizations!
The UN Global Compact Leaders Summit 2016 (22-23 June 2016, New York) will provide a dynamic stage to jump-start business action everywhere on the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs address the most important economic, social, environmental and governance challenges of our time, providing a clear and compelling direction for the future. Agreed by all UN Member States, these new global goals are set to be a major driver of the markets of tomorrow and can unleash a wave of sustainable products, services and business innovations.
On 4th May, the “GLOBAL COMPACT 2030: Looking into the future of Corporate Sustainability” conference will be held in Prague (at the National Gallery - Trade Fair Palace) promoted by the Global Compact Network Czech Republic one year after it was established. The initiative will mainly focus on the following themes: - The Power of Social Innovations; - Business and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); - Importance of Gender Equality in Business; - Climate Action.
Last February, Global Compact headquarters announced the launch of a multi-year Local Network SDG Action Plan – the centerpiece being a “Pioneers” Programme aimed to spur action and inspire business to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) locally. The overall Action Plan is designed to assist the Global Compact’s 80-plus Local Networks in developing and executing relevant SDG implementation strategies and link these, where possible, with national plans of action.
Following the XXI Conference of the Parties (COP21), held in Paris from 30th November to 11th December 2015 and which concluded with the approval of 196 States (195 States + the European Union) for a new universal and binding agreement on climate to limit global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius, the Global Compact Network Italy Foundation organized the Meeting “COP21: And Then What?” for the benefit of both its adherents and non-adherents. This meeting was held on 17th December at the headquarters of Atlantia S.p.A. in Rome. The event was an important opportunity to study the outcomes of the Climate Summit in Paris and to discuss future scenarios.
After the welcome speech by Simonetta Giordani, Sustainability and Institutional Relations Manager – Atlantia S.p.A., the following experts on the topics spoke: Marco Frey, President - Global Compact Network Italy Foundation; Andrea Barbabella, Head of Energy, Strategy and Reporting - Foundation for Sustainable Development; Andrea Valcalda, Head of Sustainability - Enel S.p.A.; and Pierre Monnier, Climate Project Manager - Global Compact Network France.
CSR Manager Network renews in 2016 its cultural and educational path dedicated to SMEs on issues of sustainability.
The domestic sector which accounts for over 90% of the actors is extremely diverse. Corporate sustainability can be a strategic tool for positioning and penetration of new markets and jobs.
Even large companies are demanding more at their supply chains to review their processes and products but most of these issues are often, and wrongly, considered concepts next only to "big" industry or multinationals.
The Global Compact and the UN-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) are calling for companies to submit examples of how they engage in dialogue with investors on anti-corruption issues. Case studies will be featured in an upcoming publication by PRI and the Global Compact on “Investor-Corporate Engagement on Anti-Corruption” to be released later this year.
Last December, the Global Compact Network Italy Foundation’s Board of Directors approved the guidelines for 2016. First of all, in the light of the data shared at the last European Local Networks’ Forum of the UN Global Compact (UNGC), the GCNI Foundation will, as from now, commit to increasing the participation of Italian companies both globally and locally in the initiative. The objective will be pursued: by promoting new subscriptions to the initiative; by offering support to Italian business and non-business participants in order to prevent them from being de-listed for being non-compliant with the requirements of annual reporting imposed by the UNGC on all members; and by defining new ways of engagement specifically for SMEs.
The UN Global Compact Leaders Summit 2016 (22-23 June 2016, New York) will provide a dynamic stage to jump-start business action everywhere on the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs address the most important economic, social, environmental and governance challenges of our time, providing a clear and compelling direction for the future. Agreed by all UN Member States, these new global goals are set to be a major driver of the markets of tomorrow and can unleash a wave of sustainable products, services and business innovations.
On 10 December 2015, the Economic and Financial Committee of the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on the evolving strategic engagement of the UN in multi-stakeholder partnerships, including with the private sector.
The resolution, under General Assembly agenda item 27 (Towards global partnerships: A principle-based approach to enhanced cooperation between the United Nations and all relevant partners), reiterates the UN Global Compact’s broad mandate, which is to “to advance United Nations values and responsible business practices within the United Nations system and among the global business community”. In the same occasion, UN Member States encouraged the private sector to enhance its involvement in combatting climate change.
The Enel Group obtained a new prestigious award in the field of sustainable development just days before the upcoming COP21 in Paris – the international conference on climate change. The multinational electric utility company received the highest rating in the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), a prestigious index that provides the financial community with a system to measure, manage and share their performance in terms of greenhouse gas emission reduction.
The Group’s 2016-2019 strategic plan supports its commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, with a 7.7 billion Euro investment in renewable energy, thereby increasing the Group’s clean power capacity by 6.8 gigawatts. The figures could continue to grow – up to a total of 9 billion Euros during 2016-2019, adding up to an additional 7.7 GW – with the integration of Enel and EGP.
The next meeting of the Global Compact Network Italy Foundation’s “Reporting” Working Group will be held in web mode by the end of the year. The meeting will focus on “How to use the results of the materiality analysis for strategic-management purposes”.
The meeting will be the last of a series of three seminars, which began in July, and aims to study the process leading to the development of materiality analysis and the possible uses of the results obtained. From the start, this course of study has been enriched by the participation of external experts speaking on issues of interest. At this last meeting there will be a new panel of speakers who will guide the participants in analysis activities and who will take part in a debate with all the people present.
Further information will soon be available about this event.
The Green Economy Italian Companies became a decisive and qualifying part of the national economy. This message emerged during the States General of the Green Economy, concluded on the 4th of November in Rimini, during the initiative Ecomondo-Key Energy-Cooperambiente.
In addition to Gian Luca Galletti, Minister for the Environment, more than 70 speakers participated, among which many international experts, and more than 2800 registrations to the venue. Moreover we take into account all the followers of the live streaming.
On 29th October the training day on the fight against corruption in firms was held at the headquarters of Siemens in Milan which was organized by the Global Compact Network Italy Foundation and delivered by Ernst&Young experts on the subject.
The event enjoyed an extensive and lively participation of Network members, having been extended to participants outside the "Anti-Corruption" Working Group.
The day began with a welcome message from Siemens and then continued with the main "lecture" and debate among the participants.
The latest meeting of the Global Compact Network Italy Foundation’s "Business & Human Rights" Working Group (GCNI Foundation) was held on 12th November at the Maire Tecnimont headquarters in Milan.
The day was divided into two parts: