UN Global Compact Leaders Summit: Nine of ten major companies say that their social responsibility is increasing

(Geneva, July 4th 2007): Companies' social responsibility is on the increase. This is asserted by nine out of ten major companies in the large-scale CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) survey covering Sweden's 500 largest companies, carried out by the Swedish business magazine Veckans Affärer and Save the Children, Sweden (see attachment). Consequently 68 percent of them intend to increase their investment in CSR.

The most important issue is the climate (81 percent work with this), followed by being a good employer (78 percent) and gender equality (51 percent), in addition one in three also work with charities in Sweden.

In almost half the companies the CEO is responsible for these issues. Currently, the most important driving force behind these issues is not customers (66 percent), but employees (68 percent). Media (21 percent) and the financial market (21 percent) lag a long way behind as forces for social responsibility.

Slightly more than 63 percent believe that their company can contribute to the fulfilment of the UN Millennium Development Goals, especially when it comes to poverty, education and gender equality. However confidence in politicians to solve these issues is low within business and industry at around 9 percent.

Swedish youth is even more negative. When Save the Children Sweden recently asked 1500 young people aged 15-25 at the Internet community “Lunarstorm” if they believe that all children in the world will go to school in 2015, a vast majority, 61 percent, answered no.

“The survey confirms that, in principle, CSR issues are pursued by all stakeholders in business and industry”, says Charlotte Petri Gornitzka, the Secretary-General of Save the Children Sweden, who is participating at the Global Compact Leaders Summit.

“This means that they are currently being integrated into core activities at the same time as investment in social responsibility is increasing. The results of the survey show that we have now finally moved from charity to business benefit with social responsibility. At the same time we are pleasantly surprised about the companies' high level of belief that their CSR activities do actually contribute to the UN Millennium Goals, for example that all children will be able to attend school by 2015”.

The importance of education
Education is children’s chance for a better future. It can empower children to rebuild their societies. Education can protect children during a conflict, help communities heal afterwards, and build peace and prosperity. No country has achieved sustained economic growth without attaining near universal primary education. Today 77 million children are out of school. 39 million of them live in conflict affected fragile states (CAFS).

“According to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, every child has the right to education,” says Mr. Barry Clarke, Chair of the International Save the Children Alliance, also participating at the Summit in Geneva. “Apart from bringing knowledge, education also gives children a sense of normality and hope for the future. In conflict affected fragile states, education contributes to the creation of stable societies, peace and economic development.”

“The Millennium Development Goals are promises made by all world leaders and should be achieved in 2015. Today, we’re half way there, and still the goals are far away. Therefore, we are calling on governments, international agencies and companies to work together to guarantee primary schooling for all children.”

Reminder
In conjunction with the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit in Geneva on 5-6 July, the International Save the Children Alliance is inviting delegates and the media to an informal gathering to discuss effective and strategic global partnerships between business and INGOs. It will be an opportunity to hear about Save the Children’s experience in this field and to meet other delegates to the summit, before the official welcome reception hosted by the President of Switzerland.

The event will include short presentations by Mr. Barry Clarke, Chair of International Save the Children Alliance, Ms. Cathy Heseltine, Vice President, Marketing and Category EMEA at Starbucks and Mr. Dave Williams, CEO of Impact DTG, a consultancy specializing in innovative partnerships between the private and INGO sectors.

When: 4 July at 5.30 – 7.00 pm
Where: St. Gervais at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel de Rhone, Quai Turrettini 1, Geneva
5 minutes walk from the venue of the official Global Compact Leaders Summit welcome reception

For more information, please contact:
Petra Hallebrant, PR- and Press Officer, Save the Children Sweden, petra.hallebrant@rb.se or + 46 70 19 00 777.