“At the UN, we recognize the role of the private sector in securing the stability of Sudan through ensuring livelihood and economic stabilization.” –  Khardiata Lo N’Diaye, Deputy Special Representative for Sudan, and United Nations Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan.

As an engine for recovery, economic growth, job creation and poverty alleviation, the private sector in Sudan has been playing a critical role in the economic development of the country as a provider of goods and services, a creator of jobs as well as a contributor to community development providing quality services and enhancing people’s wellbeing as a direct and indirect impact.
As parts of its efforts to increase engagement with the private sector, UNDP Sudan hosted the Haggar stakeholders’ forum to invite the business community to join the United Nations Global Compact and encourage over 40 companies to commit to its 10 principles and SDG Integration.
The UN Global Compact is the world's largest corporate sustainability framework with two objectives:

1. Take strategic actions to advance broader societal goals, such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals, with an emphasis on collaboration & innovation and
2. Do business responsibly by aligning their strategies and operations with the 10 Principles on human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption.

As a principle-based framework for businesses, the United Nations Global Compact is a non-binding United Nations pact to encourage businesses and firms worldwide to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies, and to report on their implementation.

The Ten Principles of the United Nations Global Compact:

Human Rights
Principle 1: Businesses should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights.
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.
Together, these principles provide a universal language for corporate responsibility and provide a framework to guide all businesses regardless of size, complexity or location.
UNDP is seeking more in-depth engagement and collaboration from the private sector on its work in Sudan and is currently developing a business advisory council to formulate more structured engagement with the private sector.

Click to learn more and join the UN Global Compact