Expert Guest
Claire Kells
Senior Manager for Participant Engagement at the UN Global Compact (the United Nations’ corporate sustainability initiative)
Claire Kells is the Senior Manager for Participant Engagement at the UN Global Compact, the United Nations’ corporate sustainability initiative. Claire is responsible for helping companies achieve their sustainability objectives by guiding them in their engagement with the Global Compact, with a particular focus on North America. Throughout her years at the UN Global Compact, Claire has led elements of business operations and worked to bring the voice of responsible business to major international conferences including the Paris Climate Agreement and the Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development.
Throughout her career, Claire has worked with mission-driven organizations to fund and deliver impact. She holds a Masters of International Affairs from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University and a BA from UC Berkeley.
Outside of work, Claire is devoted to soaking up the art & culture of New York City as well as the natural beauty of the Finger Lakes and Adirondacks in upstate New York. She finds her “flow state” learning new skills and building mastery in handmade crafts and textiles.
Introduction
Our fifth installment of Master Talks from our Executive Education in Sustainable Fashion series, Simon Collins speaks with Claire Kells - Senior Manager for Participant Engagement at the UN Global Compact about the important work being done at the United Nations. As the world's largest corporate sustainability initiative, Claire shares how they are encouraging businesses worldwide to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies, and to report on their implementation. Claire discusses the important roles both governments and corporations can play and how the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all and how we can all become involved.
Main Topic
The United Nations Global Compact is a voluntary initiative based on CEO commitments to implement universal sustainability principles and to undertake. The Global Compact
By committing to sustainability, business can take shared responsibility for achieving a better world
Corporate sustainability starts with a company’s value system and a principles-based approach to doing business.
A call to companies to align strategies and operations with universal principles on human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption, and take actions that advance societal goals
“ Every sector of society needs to take action, government, individuals, companies, civil society, Everyone needs to do there part”
Reference
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Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action (United Nations) https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/Industry%20Charter%20%20Fashion%20and%20Climate%20Action%20-%2022102018.pdf
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UN Global Compact website: www.unglobalcompact.org
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UNGC website in Chinese: http://cn.unglobalcompact.org/
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Artistic Milliners: http://www.artisticmilliners.com/index.php
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Bolt Threads: https://boltthreads.com/
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Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2018/12/milestone-fashion-industry-charter-for-climate-action-launched/
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“Stella McCartney Announces UN Charter for Sustainable Fashion” Business of Fashion Community Voices:
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“150 Brands Have Joined Emmanuel Macron’s “Fashion Pact” to Make the Fashion Industry More Sustainable”:
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Future Learn Free MOOC: Fashion’s Future & the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
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H&M made its former sustainability chief its CEO
REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS
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Is it possible to reach the UN sustainable development goal without governments support?
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What are the most significant sustainable development goals for companies to focus on?
