Compact gets research base

An international research unit will be set up to support the work of the United Nations Global Compact.  

The Research Center for the Global Compact, being established by the UN in New York with the US-based Neil D. Levin Graduate Institute of International Relations and Commerce, is intended mainly to provide ‘additional analytical capacity’ to the Global Compact Office.

This work will include analysis of the ‘communications on progress’ submitted annually by Compact signatory companies. The reports outline companies’ measures to comply with the Compact’s ten principles.  

The centre will form relationships with researchers and academic institutions worldwide, and will also be the secretariat for the UN’s recently created Principles for Responsible Management Education project (EP9, issue 4, p7), which urges business schools to make greater efforts to advance CSR principles.

Manuel Escudero, an academic who has filled various roles at the Global Compact Office since 2005, will be the executive director.

The Neil D. Levin Graduate Institute of International Relations and Commerce was founded by New York State to encourage co-operation between organizations ‘across divisions of nationality, ethnicity, religion and languages’.