Global Compact Network Spain Celebrates 10th Anniversary

(Madrid/Barcelona, 27 November 2014) – Global Compact Network Spain celebrated its 10th anniversary with two days of events in Madrid and Barcelona.  Several hundred participants from companies, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), civil society organizations and academia looked back at the network’s decade of work to advance corporate sustainability while growing to become one of the Global Compact’s largest Local Networks – and to begin plotting a path for the future.

Spanish Secretary of State for Employment Engracia Hidalgo, congratulated the Local Network for its work to embed corporate sustainability in the country and highlighted the recently adopted Spanish Strategy of Corporate Social Responsibility. “[It] allows our country to have a framework that serves all CSR performance in a coordinated way and follows all the organizations with common basic criteria," she said.

Global Vision, Local Impact
UN Global Compact Executive Director Georg Kell shared his optimism for the growth of the network and the broader initiative, but called on participants to do even more to scale corporate sustainability. "The UN Global Compact is a global movement, but we need to increase significantly the number of participants to mainstream corporate change worldwide that is capable of improving supply chains, internal politics and business decisions," Kell said. "We are at an inflection point where companies have to understand that sustainable development of society is essential for their own long-term success."

President of Global Compact Network Spain Angel Pes echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the key role the network plays within the global organization and its strength in SME engagement:  "[The network] has positioned itself as the world's biggest Local Network, has received the support of big business and has reached SMEs in the country, developing a large international role."

Hundreds gathered to celebrate Global Compact Network Spain's decade of work to advance corporate sustainability.

As part of the occasion, more than 100 organizations were recognized for their participation in the network over the past 10 years. In addition, a thematic blog, Ten Principios, was introduced prior to the event as an online forum for signatories and supporters to mark the network’s major milestone.

• See the agenda
• Visit the Ten Principios blog
• Learn more about Global Compact Network Spain

Contacts

Tiina Mylly
Regional Networks Manager – Europe
UN Global Compact
mylly@unglobalcompact.org

Vanesa Rodríguez
Communications Manager
Global Compact Network Spain
vanesarodriguez@pactomundial.org