The Global Compact is a UN institution that was recently formed under the chairmanship of the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The ultimate objective of the Compact’s work is the promotion of good citizenship through a set of activities related to labor, human rights, the environment, fighting corruption and others. Mr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh has been elected as the Vice-Chair of the Global Compact Board, and has recently been assigned with the creation of national Global Compact centers in Arab countries and a regional Arab center under the sponsorship of the Secretary-General of the Arab League.
Al-Thawra met with Mr. Abu-Ghazaleh during his stay in Damascus while he was working on creating a Compact center in Syria, in order to learn more about the Global Compact, its aims and missions.
First, what is the Global Compact and what are its objectives?
The idea of the Compact emanated from the need for a partnership between all elements of the state including government, the business sector and civil society, in order to fulfill principles that serve society.
The state has ultimate responsibility in this regards, and works in serving the community within its capabilities and diligence, yet the state needs the participation of those who benefit from its policy, because while it is a patron of its citizens, these people can provide a positive role in order to create a national partnership that promotes good citizenship.
We ask that persons fulfill their duties as good citizens and towards the state and adhere to laws and regulations.
What does this imply?
There are principles that the world has agreed upon, and the UN principles are noble in their objectives, yet the problem is that up till now, every party has been working on its own. If we try to consolidate the efforts of these parties, we’ll see that we will get better results.
So the idea of the Compact embodies this. Leading this project is the UN Secretary-General and so he represents the UN in all its governments, along with civil society institutions, labor organizations and so on. These entities are to work together as one institution in order to fulfill these aforementioned principles. It is because of this that I am interested in this subject and we’re now trying to apply these standards to the Arab world.
Yet there are some people who see non-productive actions emanating from the UN?
I always emphasize, even from the platform of the UN itself, that there are unfair decisions which are inconsistent with the aims of the UN because of the faulty system representative in the Security Council, because the formation of the Security Council itself is faulty. Hence the error doesn’t lie in the UN principles.
The issue is that the Security Council gives its permanent members the right to use the veto and this is discriminatory and dictatorial. So the problem lies with the Security Council itself and not the UN, and this must be distinguished. The Security Council’s despotism prevails over its justice and I say this without hesitation. But the other principles beyond politics which do not lie within the authority of the Security Council have a lot of good achieved by the UN.
The strength of the Global Compact is that it is chaired by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, which gives it legitimacy and credibility in making decisions as a representative of the world’s governments. This is a new type of formula as there aren’t other institutions out there that are chaired by the UN Secretary-General personally.
The advantage of the Compact is that it doesn’t possess any type of pressure or domination in the decision-making process, and no one can impose the wrong decisions. Rather, it is a voluntary organization which is its strength; this means that it adheres to the morals, principles and value that society desires.
Who are the partners in the Compact?
The Global Compact is a voluntary initiative to enhance corporate citizenship. It is open to every company that abides by the Compact. Today, there are hundreds of companies from all over the world, in addition to international labor organizations and others, who are part of the Global Compact. I’m happy to be supervising this project in the Arab region, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
We are working together to establish centers in Arab nations and an Arab regional center under the sponsorship of the Secretary-General of the Arab League. We are working for the aim of development and creating a more enduring and comprehensive global economy, after receiving the blessings of the local authorities.
What are the requirements of membership?
There are clear and specific requirements such as a commitment that the percentage of female employees in a company or institution is no less than 30%, in order to activate what is considered the dormant half of society in many countries. There is also the ISO 26000 standard for examination of social responsibility of companies.
According to the information you have, do companies commit to social issues?
I think that the majority of companies in the world today do indeed exhibit a social commitment because they feel that this type of commitment gives them a significant dimension in their work, and reflects back on the volume of their activities and the proliferation of their products and their services.
We at the Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organization (TAGorg) felt this was definitely the case, and as such we had great returns come in as a result of what we spent in this field. So the consumer today has become aware and tells the companies that serves the community and its causes that you did so and so, and therefore, you are worthy of my trust. Of course, the social role of a company differs from one society to the next, and one case to the other, as the company may serve the issues of education, or the role of women in society or governance.
What about the Compact’s goals in fighting corruption?
This is an extremely important issue and there must be balance in the way it is fought. So for example, when considering the issue of bribes, both those who take them and those who give these bribes must be looked into. This applies both to companies in our country or in advanced nations and in Africa for example, most companies that support corruption are Western ones.
What are the obstacles facing the Global Compact project?
The obstacles are those that are encountered by any project. One of the important questions that we must ask of ourselves is: Will we succeed in marketing this project and how? As Vice-Chair of the UN Secretary-General, I am interested in making this project succeed, particularly in our region, and if we fail then we only have ourselves to blame. If we succeed however, and God willing we shall, then we move on to the next question of the specifics relating to implementation. It should be highlighted that this project is being coordinated with the UNDP which will help us in choosing the team that will supervise its execution. This team should be competent and experienced, in addition to being impartial, as it isn’t reasonable to expect that someone who pollutes the environment will honestly defend it.
How did you find cooperation in Syria?
I think it was better than expected. Whether in Syria or other countries, we constantly coordinate with the local authorities because they have the foremost knowledge of the country’s interest.
How do you view the future of intellectual property (IP) protection in Syria, especially after the issuing of the new law on this subject?
Firstly, it must be noted that Syria was one of the first countries in the region to lead the field of IP protection. In 1946, the Syrian government issued the first law in this regards. The law that was in effect prior to the release of the latest law, was in large part very acceptable, even after comparing it with international standards in this field.
At TAGorg you have various activities, and are considered pioneers in numerous fields. How do you view the Syrian market, and do you have plans to expand in it?
We consider the Syrian market among the most active and believe that it is approaching a period of great openness. As a result of our faith in the significance of this market, we have recently purchased a large building to be our new headquarters here since the first building –thank God- can no longer absorb our employees due to the increased business in numerous sectors.
We’ve been here since 1992. So when we say that the Syrian market looks promising, it is because we have monitored the progress in various economic and developmental activities.
As Vice-Chair to the UN Secretary-General and as a businessman, what does Syria represent to you?
Firstly, Syria is the land of my mother and uncles. Ever since I was young, my mother taught me to love Syria and its people. Second, Syria to me is an ancient country with its civilization that is deeply enrooted in history. I think that is enough reason to love it warmly and deeply.