(New York, 31 July 2006) - The Global Compact presents the July 2006 issue of the Compact Quarterly, an electronic publication featuring articles, interviews and news on corporate responsibility.

The July 2006 issue spotlights Africa. Despite continued serious challenges to human development in the region, there are encouraging events occurring across the continent. A rise in democracy and increases in foreign investment, however modest, are beginning to change the landscape for business, creating more opportunities for both small entrepreneurs and large companies.

Articles in this Compact Quarterly address the role that responsible business can play in Africa's development - creating employment and income, providing technical skills and social benefits, strengthening management, and bringing market-based solutions to pressing social and environmental problems. The issue's articles illustrate that with appropriate values and proactive planning in place, business can thrive in even the most challenging conditions. Contributions include:

• "Guinea Finds Hope in Alumina Refinery" by Tami Hultman, Co-founder, AllAfrica Global Media

• "More Action Needed by Business in South Africa on Poverty" by Futhi Mtoba, Chairman, Deloitte Southern Africa

• "Time for a New African Story to Be Told" by Paul Walsh, Chief Executive Officer, Diageo plc

• "African News Editors on Business and Governance" by S. Egbochuku, Businessday Nigeria, and F. Haffajee, Mail & Guardian

• "Unique Approach to GC Meeting in Ghana" by Joyce Aryee, Chief Executive Officer, Ghana Chamber of Mines

• Case studies on De Beers' Approach to HIV/AIDS and the innovative business approach of SEKEM

Also included in the issue are interviews with leading experts in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption (Mary Robinson, Fred Higgs, Guy Ryder, Habiba Al Marashi and Huguette Labelle) to assess how much impact business has had - and, more importantly, can have - in addressing serious challenges facing society. While their areas are quite distinct, the experts all revealed a common insight: progress has been made, but not nearly enough. Additionally, case studies, local network news, new corporate responsibility tools, and much more can be found in the July issue.

Read this issue of the Compact Quarterly: www.enewsbuilder.net/globalcompact

For more information on the Global Compact, please visit: www.unglobalcompact.org

United Nations Global Compact

United Nations Global Compact

As the world's largest corporate sustainability initiative, the United Nations Global Compact is a call to companies everywhere to align their operations and strategies with Ten Principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. Our ambition is to accelerate and scale the global collective impact of business by upholding the Ten Principles and delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through accountable companies and ecosystems that enable change. With the UN Global Compact, committed companies achieve sustainable value by delivering measurable impact to the world’s most pressing challenges. 

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