________________
contexts. For instance, in March 2010, the UN Global Compact and UN Women(19) launched the Women's Empowerment Principles - Equality Means Business (WEPs). Informed by real-life business practices and input gathered from across the globe, the WEPs provide seven steps for business on how to empower women in the workplace, marketplace and community. Similar to the Women's Empowerment Principles, the UN Global Compact teamed up with UNICEF and Save the Children in June 2010 to provide guidance for business on Children's Rights.
The Children's Rights and Business Principles are the first comprehensive guidelines for companies on the range of actions they can take to respect and support children's rights. Currently, no such Principles exist to guide business on the full range of actions they can take. The Principles present business, civil society, trade unions, government, National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIS), academia, children, adolescents and other stakeholders with an unprecedented opportunity to join forces in an effort to enable the private sector to become a more positive force for children.
Whether in the workplace, marketplace or community, the Children's Rights & Business Principles will maximize the positive impacts and minimize the negative ramifications that their activities may have on children. The business community has enormous potential to impact children's lives - both positively and negatively and can make an important contribution towards the realization of child rights not only through its own practices and policies, but also by using its influence to change negative attitudes, policies and institutions.
While the culture of corporate responsibility has broadened considerably in recent years, a child rights perspective is often absent during discussions regarding the human rights responsibilities of business. The Children's Rights and Business Principles seek to fill this gap. By inviting businesses to support these principles, the Children's Rights and Business Principles Initiative provides businesses with an opportunity to become a more beneficial force for children, maximizing their positive impacts and minimizing the negative ramifications their operations, products and marketing practices may have on children. Children not only represent the future customer base, but they have the potential for becoming future employees, suppliers and leaders.
Aside from the moral imperative of protecting children, the Principles also make sound business sense - a good corporate reputation acts as a magnet to attract consumers, investors, employees, suppliers and other sound business partners.
440
