Res. No. 1461
Title
Title
Resolution calling upon the Mayor of the City of New York to formally endorse the Global Sullivan Principles of corporate social responsibility, and to strongly encourage corporations and others doing business with the City to endorse and implement these principles.
Body
Body
By The Speaker (Council Member Vallone) and Council Members Perkins, Foster, Pinkett, Carrion, Clarke, Freed, Henry, Marshall, Michels, Nelson and Warden; also Council Members DiBrienza, Eldridge, Harrison, Koslowitz, Leffler, Linares, McCaffrey, Quinn, Rivera, Rodriguez, Sabini, Spigner and Eislans.
Whereas, The Global Sullivan Principles were developed by the Reverend Leon H. Sullivan, a former director of the General Motors Corporation, where he served twenty years; and
Whereas, Reverend Sullivan initiated the original principles in 1977 as a code of conduct for companies operating in South Africa; and
Whereas, The Global Sullivan Principles continue to be acknowledged as one of the most effective efforts to end discrimination in the workplace in the Republic of South Africa, and became a major platform on which others could speak out for equal rights against the system of apartheid; and
Whereas, The objectives of the Global Sullivan Principles are to support economic, social, and political justice by companies where they do business, thereby, attempting to improve the quality of life for communities, workers, and children, with dignity and equality; and
Whereas, The goals of peace, justice and equality, that are embodied in the Global Sullivan Principles should be formally undertaken by the City of New York; and
Whereas, The City of New York, renowned as the business capital of the world, is also a City where economic prosperity is disproportionately apparent in and around various communities; and
Whereas, The adoption of these principles would help companies to begin to change the culture of exclusion that exists in many of their organizations and to start the process of instituting more inclusive, equitable and just practices and policies; and
Whereas, Businesses such as Colgate-Palmolive, Ford Motor Company, Pfizer, Inc., Proctor & Gamble and many others have endorsed and/or implemented the principles; and
Whereas, Local governments such as the Detroit City Council and the City of Atlanta have adopted the principles; and
Whereas, The City of New York, given its diversity and resources should be at the forefront of this movement; now, therefore be it
Resolved, That the Mayor of the City of New York formally endorse the Global Sullivan Principles of corporate social responsibility, and to strongly encourage corporations and others doing business with the City to endorse and implement these principles.
LS # 3297
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