The Global Compact Summit brought together nearly 500 business and labor leaders from around the globe to encourage companies to take more responsibility for human rights, labor practices, and the environment. The U.N. backed proposal asks companies to support nine principles covering broad issues such as child labor, international human rights and discrimination. However, some have criticized the compact which they say has no mechanisms for enforcing its guidelines.
See "Group Outlines Women's Workplace Rights", The New York Times, June 23, 2004