First Meeting of South-East Europe Global Compact Networks Convened

(Thessaloniki, 3 February) – The Global Compact Network Hellas (Greece) organized the First Regional Meeting of the South-East Europe Global Compact Networks. Representatives of seven networks attended the event: Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, Romania and Serbia.

In several plenary sessions, participants analyzed and discussed a range of human rights and anti-corruption issues relevant to the local context. Company representatives presented their policies and good practices on these issues. One session focused on opportunities associated with the upcoming UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20).

Following the plenaries, local network representatives met for a knowledge-sharing session, discussing their organizational structure, information on their membership as well as the challenges that they face. The network representatives also explored how they could better communicate and collaborate. 

Outcomes of the dialogue between south-east Europe Local Network representatives include:

• to exchange existing tools and resources on corporate sustainability;
• to share lists of members, in an effort to identify those that participate in multiple neworks and explore opportunities for shared activities;
• to convene webinars once or twice per year to exchange experiences and knowledge on current issues and developments. The first webinar will be held in the spring 2012; and
• to meet annually, each year in a different country. The next annual meeting will take place in Belgrade during the European GC Network Meeting in October 2012. 

Contact

Walid Nagi
Regional Network Manager – MENA and Europe
nagi@un.org