TIMELINE 

October 2008

  • Meeting between Executive Directors of the UNGC and St James Ethics Centre
  • St James Ethics Centre attendance by invitation to Annual Local Australian Network  Conference in Bonn, Germany as Australian representative.

December 2008

  • Call for support from Australian UNGC signatories for an Australian Network and Focal Point (via email)
  • Letter re Universal Declaration of Human Rights 60th (UDHR60) anniversary and establishment of UNGC Australian Focal Point to top 100 CEOs and CSR practitioners in Australia
  •  St James Ethics Centre participation in UNGC Micro-Enterprise Working Group

January 2009

  • St James Ethics Centre  participation as Australian Focal Point at the Asia-Pacific Regional Network  of the UN Global Compact – Bangkok (UNESCAP)

February 2009

  • Memorandum of Understanding signed for Australian Focal Point – Rosemary Sainty, Head Responsible Business Practice, St James Ethics Centre 
  • Minister Nick Sherry speech endorsing the UNGC at national ACCSR event
  • Meeting with companies that responded to UDHR60 letter and were keen to join UNGC
  • Establish Local Australian Network  webpages to grow Australian resources, register interest and provide a gateway to UNGC

March 2009

  • Establishment of an internship at St James Ethics Centre to organise and update database of signatories and contacts. Research and connect with local operations of UN Global signatories.
  • Inaugural Local Newsletter to UNGC signatories.

April 2009

  • Consultation sessions on Monday 27 April in Sydney and Wednesday 29 April in Melbourne with the Australian Focal point, Rosemary Sainty and the Head, Policy & Legal, Special Assistant to the Executive Director at the UN Global Compact Office, Ursula Wynhoven – to discuss structure, governance and activities for the Australian Network. Involve related UN initiatives.
  • Pair with presentations: ‘Introducing the UNGC’ and testimonials from existing signatories.
  • Plan establishment of Interim Working Group: as a forerunner to a representative steering committee to formulate fees, roles and resourcing issues.

May 2009

  • Formal launch of the Australian Focal Point and Australian Network by the Executive Director, UN Global Compact,  Georg Kell, at the 10th National Business Leaders Forum on Sustainable Development, in Parliament House Canberra, on 28 May 2009. 

June 2009

  • Annual Local Network Conference, Istanbul - Welcoming of new Australian Network. Australian Network Representative addresses conference.

July 2009

  • Formation of volunteer Working Group of signatories to develop proposals for Network governance,structure and activities.
  • Australian GRI Focal Point workshops offered to Australian UN Global Compact signatories.

October 2009

  • Webinar training sessions on the Global Compact commence.
  • UN Intern begins to build Australian case studies on Network website.

November 2009

  • Australian representatives and Focal Point attend the Regional Global Compact annual event (hosted by UNESCAP in Bangkok)  to develop regional strategy for Global Compact Networks of Asia-Pacific. 

January - May 2010

  • Preparation by Focal Point and Working Group on documents to establish Network structure.

June 2010

  • Inaugural annual meeting of the Australian Network, to vote on Working Group governance and activities proposal and elect a steering committee.
  • Australian Delegation attends UN Global Compact 10th Anniversary and Leaders Summit in New York.

August 2010

  • Welcome events for Australian UNGC signatories and feedback from Australian delegates to the Global Compact 10th Anniversary and Leaders Summit. Dovetailing events with UN NGO/DPI Global Conference (Melbourne) and Responsible Investment Conference (Principles of Responsible Investment- Speaker) 

September 2010

  • Commencement of Network activty program: thought leadership events - John Elkington (Sydney-Westpac host), Sir Mark Moody Stuart (Melbourne- ANZ host)

December 2010

  • Commencement Business and Human Rights Working Group

 June 2011

  • On 30 June 2011 Rosemary Sainty’s contract at St James Ethics Centre and role as Head, Secretariat Global Compact Network Australia (GCNA) came to an end. From 1 July 2011 please continue to forward any Secretariat GCNA enquiries to St James Ethics Centre at secretariat@unglobalcompact.org.au or phone the Centre directly on 02 9299 9566.

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