"I call on you - individually through your firms, and collectively through your business associations - to embrace, support and enact a set of core values in the areas of human rights, labour standards, and environmental practices".

(Kofi Annan, UN Secretary General, World Economic Forum, 31 January 1999, Davos)

The UN Global Compact's ten principles in the areas of human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption enjoy universal consensus and are derived from:

• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• The International Labour Organization's Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work
• The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development
• The United Nations Convention Against Corruption

The UN 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, the environment and anti-corruption:

Human Rights
	Principle 1 Businesses should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights; and 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; and Principle 6 the elimination of 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; and Principle 9 encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies.
Anti-Corruption
	Principle 10 Businesses should work against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery.