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Ban Ki-Moon: "What began as a simple call to action has become a global force for good"The Global Compact International Yearbook is with more than 400,000 readers one of the worlds leading CSR publications. In the new edition Leonardo DiCaprio speaks about business and sustainability. Declares DiCaprio: "We need to change our thinking and our sense of urgency ." Leonardo DiCaprio may be one of the world's top movie stars, but he would rather be defined and respected more for his work as a committed environmentalist. Over the years, he has personally funded as well as helped to raise tens of millions of dollars for a variety of green-related causes. He believes that his greatest legacy will be the progress he has helped make toward safeguarding the planet against the ravages of global warming, pollution, and species protection. Other issues areThe state of CSR and 15th anniversary of the UN initiative When the UN Global Compact was founded 15 years ago, globalization was just starting and so was the concept of corporate social responsibility. In fact, many early approaches were about fair global trade. Kofi Annan then came to the point, saying if we fail to make globalization work for all, then it will ultimately not work for anyone. Fifteen years later, this belief of Annan's is still urgent. But the framework of the UN Global Compact and CSR comprises much more than globalization. It is about complex - sometimes too complicated - issues such as the depletion of planetary resources, global warming, and the understanding that we will have to change our lifestyles to make this one Earth habitable for all.Private Inves tment and Sustainable DevelopmentPrivate-sector actors have an inherent interest in seeing sustainable developmentsucceed. As companies, markets, and economies become more global and interdependent, businesses and investors are becoming increasingly aware of the overlap between public and private interests. They realize that their ability toprosper and grow depends on the existence of a prosperous and sustainable society. Conversely,they see that social and income inequality, as well as environmental damage, arealready having negative material impacts on supply chains, capital flows, andemployee productivity. In this chapter, we highlight the role of private capital infinancing the post-2015 sustainability agenda.Voluntary Sustainability StandardsIn today's globalized world, national standards quickly reach their limits. Therefore,sustainable development needs the support of further partners. One concept isvoluntary sustainability standards (VSS), which have progressed rapidly over the lastdecades. Some are governmental initiatives but most are set up by partners from civilsociety and responsible business. The standards are voluntary by definition, but oncesuch a standard is adopted, compliance becomes compulsory, turning the standardinto a kind of "soft law." Considering the present global situation, VSS are among thebest options we have to foster sustainable development. The following chapter offersprofound insights into the evolution and different types of VSS. Implementation bybusinesses and implications for governance issues are also discussed.About the Yearbook:The Global Compact International Yearbook is a product of macondo publishing in support of the UN Global Compact and the advancement of corporate sustainability globally. The aim of the Global Compact International Yearbook is to create a global overview of the achievements of the UN Global Compact. As an independent publication, it offers proactive and in-depth information on key sustainability issues to stakeholders and promotes unique and comprehensive knowledge exchange and learning in the spirit of the Global Compact principles. The publication helps to advance transparency, promotes the sharing of best-practices, and, perhaps most significantly, gives a strong voice to the regional and global actors that are at t
