The United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) aims to bring businesses together with UN agencies, labor organizations, civic organizations, and governments to address critical issues affecting much of the world’s population.

The purpose of the UNGC is to expand prosperity and peace through the creation of sound business, trade, and investment practices. To achieve this, participating businesses are asked to align their practices with principles in the areas of human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption.

Cisco has supported the UNGC since 2001. Our commitment to the organization is reflected in the integration of the UNGC principles into our own codes of conduct, our commitment to the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition, our human resources policies, and our environmental programs, to name a few examples.

Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact

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.

Labor Standards
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 labor; Principle 5: the effective abolition of child labor; 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.