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Endorsing the Global Sullivan Principles of Corporate Social Responsibility and encouraging companies, domestic and international, to adopt these Principles.
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WHEREAS, Reverend Leon H. Sullivan, Founder and Chairman of Opportunities Industrialization Centers of America, initiated the Sullivan Principles in 1977; and
WHEREAS, The Sullivan Principles have been recognized as one of the most effective efforts to end discrimination in the South African workplace; and
WHEREAS, Twenty-three years later, Reverend Sullivan is continuing his important work and is setting new goals by introducing the Global Sullivan Principles of Corporate Social Responsibility; and
WHEREAS, The Global Sullivan Principles encourage companies, worldwide, to respect the law and apply the Principles with integrity consistent with the legitimate role of business; and
WHEREAS, The Philadelphia City Council commends Reverend Sullivan for his contribution to protecting and strengthening human rights and dignity in this country and around the globe, and unanimously approves in concept the Global Sullivan Principles as follows:
1) Support for universal human rights and, particularly, those of our employees, the communities within which we operate, and parties with whom we do business.
2) Equal opportunity for our employees at all levels of the company with respect to issues such as color, race, gender, age, ethnicity, or religious beliefs, and operation without unacceptable worker treatment such as the exploitation of children, physical punishment, female abuse, involuntary servitude, or other forms of abuse.
3) Respect for our employees' voluntary freedom of association.
4) Compensation for our employees that enable them to at least meet their basic needs and provision of the opportunity to improve their skill and capability in order to raise their social and economic opportunities.
5) Provision of a safe and healthy workplace; protection of human health and the environment, and promotion of sustainable development.
6) Promotion of fair competition, including respect for intellectual and other property rights, and refusal from offering, paying or accepting bribes.
7) Collaboration with governments and communities in which we do business to improve the quality of life in those communities, and their educational, cultural, economic and social well-being, and to seek to provide training and opportunities for workers from disadvantaged backgrounds.
8) Promotion of the application of these Principles by companies with which we do business.
9) Universal implementation of these Principles and provision of information which demonstrates, publicly, our commitment to them; and
WHEREAS, The application of these Principles will help lead to greater tolerance and understanding and advance the culture of peace; now therefore
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That the Council of the City of Philadelphia hereby formally endorses the Global Sullivan Principles of Corporate Social Responsibility and encourages companies, domestic and international, to adopt these Principles.
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