Dear Colleague:

On behalf of Ambassador Andrew Young and the Board of Directors for the Leon H. Sullivan Foundation, I would like to welcome you to the Global Sullivan Principles' (GSP) Web site. Please spend several minutes to familiarize yourself with the goals and program of the GSP.

If you have been an endorser in the past, I would like to invite you to continue to endorse the Global Sullivan Principles and to complete the GSP endorser's Registration Form. If your company or organization has not endorsed the GSP previously, I urge you to consider doing so.

Endorsement of the Principles is completely voluntary and there is no cost or reporting requirement.

As you may be aware, the GSP has a legacy that spans nearly 30 years. It was in 1977 that my late father, Reverend Leon H. Sullivan, first articulated the Sullivan Principles. These principles helped to erode discrimination and inequality in the workplace in South Africa. Given their effectiveness, the Sullivan Principles have an honored place in the victorious struggle against apartheid and South Africa’s extraordinary transition to a non-racial democracy.

In the aftermath of South Africa’s transition, many people asked Reverend Sullivan to develop a global set of principles for people throughout the world who need and want greater opportunities in their jobs and communities, and in the pursuit of sustainable development. After three years of intensive consultation with a group of committed corporate leaders, Reverend Sullivan and UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, launched the GSP at the UN on November 2, 1999.

The objective of the GSP is not to duplicate any existing code of conduct. In fact, many of these codes are producing valuable results as it concerns the environment, anti-corruption and the exploitation of child labor. GSP was designed as an overarching set of principles that will meet the needs of companies large and small. The principles are intended to balance global demands for human rights and social justice while, at the same time, not impeding the ability of companies to generate the revenues and profits expected by their shareholders.

It was my father's vision not only to do away with injustices such as child labor, sweat shops, and the piracy of intellectual property but also to build a world community of companies committed to improving the quality of life in the neighborhoods and countries in which they are located.

With Reverend Sullivan's passing, we at the Leon H. Sullivan Foundation have been engaged in a thorough review and assessment on how best to take the GSP forward. Our work has been inspired by several factors. Reverend Sullivan saw the GSP as one of his cardinal achievements. As he said, "Of all I have done—including my work in the civil rights movement, promoting employment opportunities for minorities, working to develop Sub-Saharan Africa, and helping to bring down apartheid—I hope the Global Sullivan Principles for multinational firms in Africa, Cuba, China, Mexico and throughout the world will one day become my most important and lasting contribution."

On this site you will find the Endorser Registration Form and materials that explain the benefits of participating in the GSP program. I also urge you to spend several minutes viewing the video which includes a unique explanation by Reverend Sullivan of the origins and reasons why your company should participate in this most vital initiative.

I share my father’s view that the GSP is a living set of principles. Your input, as well as that of other endorsers, will improve the principles over time so that together we will enhance the quality of life for as many people as possible throughout the world. Our fundamental goal is to advance the culture of peace, tolerance and understanding globally. I hope you will join us in that effort.

If you have any questions about GSP, or need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact the GSP’s Senior Associate, M. Karna L. Cohen.

Sincerely,

Hope Masters
Special Advisor to the Board
President, Emeritus
Leon H. Sullivan Foundation

 

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