What is the UN Global Compact?

The United Nations Global Compact is a voluntary corporate citizenship initiative proposed by UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, in 1999 at the World Economic Forum.

Through the power of collective action, the Global Compact seeks to promote responsible corporate citizenship so that business can be part of the solution to the challenges of globalisation. In this way, Epson, and companies like us, can help realise Kofi Annan's vision of a more sustainable and inclusive global economy.

Epson and our commitment to the UN Global Compact

Since 2004 when we joined, we've been committed to the following 10 Global Compact principles:

Human Rights

Principle 1 - Businesses should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights

Principle 2 - Businesses should make sure that they are not complicit in human rights abuses

Labour standards

Principle 3 - Businesses should uphold the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining

Principle 4 - Businesses should eliminate all forms of forced and compulsory labour

Principle 5 - Businesses should uphold the effective abolition of child labour

Principle 6 - Businesses should eliminate descrimination in respect of employment and occupation

Environment

Principle 7 - Businesses should support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges

Principle 8 - Businesses should undertake initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility

Principle 9 - Businesses encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies

Anti-Corruption

Principle 10 - Businesses should work against all forms of corruption, including extortion and bribery.