New York: United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Dr Henrik O. Madsen, Group President & Chief Executive Officer of DNV GL, as a new board member to the UN Global Compact Board, the world’s largest voluntary corporate sustainability initiative.
In his letter of appointment, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomes Dr Madsen to “this joint effort to strengthen and guide the United Nations Global Compact”, and says that he is looking forward to working with him “through the Board towards our shared vision of a sustainable and inclusive global economy.”
More than 8,500 companies in over 160 countries participate in the UN Global Compact, along with additional stakeholders. Participating firms align their operations with universally agreed principles of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption, and strive for business development that benefits economies and societies. The Board is a cornerstone of the governance framework of UN Global Compact, helping to shape its strategy and policy.
Dr Madsen says: “I am delighted to join the UN Global Compact and look forward to working with the other board members to advance its mission, and to support progress of the private sector’s critical role in securing a safe and sustainable future for society as a whole.”
With 35 years’ experience, Dr Madsen has extensive knowledge and insight of safe and sustainable business, research and innovation. He began his career in DNV GL, at the time DNV, in Oslo in 1982 as Chief Scientist in Structural Reliability Analysis. Over the years, Dr Madsen has headed all DNV’s major Business Areas and the Research Division. In May 2006, Dr Madsen was appointed CEO of DNV and then, following the merger of DNV and GL (Germanischer Lloyd) in September 2013, he became President and CEO of the new combined company DNV GL. Appointed by the Government of Norway, Dr Madsen also serves as Chairman of the Board of The Research Council of Norway. He holds a PhD in civil and structural engineering from the Technical University of Denmark, where he also serves as adjunct Professor.
Click here for images of Henrik O. Madsen.
About the UN Global Compact Board
The UN Global Compact Board, appointed and chaired by the United Nations Secretary-General, is designed as a multi-stakeholder body, providing on-going strategic and policy advice for the initiative as a whole and making recommendations to the Global Compact Office, participants and other stakeholders. It comprises four constituency groups — business, civil society, labour and the United Nations.
Board members are champions willing and able to advance the Global Compact’s mission, acting in a personal, honorary and unpaid capacity.
About the UN Global Compact
The UN Global Compact is a strategic policy initiative for businesses that are committed to aligning their operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. By doing so, business, as a primary driver of globalization, can help ensure that markets, commerce, technology and finance advance in ways that benefit economies and societies everywhere.
Endorsed by chief executives, the Global Compact is a practical framework for the development, implementation, and disclosure of sustainability policies and practices, offering participants a wide spectrum of workstreams, management tools and resources — all designed to help advance sustainable business models and markets. The United Global Compact works toward the vision of a sustainable and inclusive global economy which delivers lasting benefits to people, communities, and markets.
About DNV GL
Driven by the purpose of safeguarding life, property and the environment, DNV GL enables organizations to advance the safety, efficiency and sustainability of their business. DNV GL provides classification and technical assurance along with software and independent expert advisory services to the maritime, oil and gas, and energy industries. The company also provides certification services to customers across a wide range of industries.
Combining leading technical and operational expertise, risk methodology and in-depth industry knowledge, DNV GL empowers customers’ decisions and actions with trust and confidence. The company continuously invests in research and collaborative innovation to provide customers and society with operational and technological foresight. With its origins stretching back to 1864, the reach today is global. Operating in more than 100 countries, its 16,000 professionals are dedicated to helping customers become safer, smarter and greener.