The meeting was convened by the UN Secretary-General to signal the commitment of world business to promote the universal values of the Compact, which include the ILO Declaration's fundamental principles and rights at work. Along with heads of the relevant UN agencies, participants in the open discussion format included representatives of more than 40 multinational companies, as well as the International Organization of Employers, the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, and other business and civil society organizations. The text of the intervention of the Director-General during the open discussion follows.
Engagement takes time, it's complex, and it's difficult.
Trust-building does not happen from one day to the next. So we had better assume that it lies ahead of us. This is the essence of what we think this meeting is all about. Let me briefly describe the areas in which this public-private partnership could express itself in terms of the ILO, and how we could help in whatever you want to do. We are talking about voluntary private initiatives , and that does not leave the responsibility of governments aside.