OREANDA-NEWS. April 28, 2012. The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Andrei Galaev, Sakhalin Energy CEO and Chairman of UNGC Network Russia Steering Committee, as a member of the United Nations Global Compact Board, reported the press-centre of Sakhalin Energy.

It is the first time a representative from Russia has been elected to join this strategic body of the United Nations Global Compact.

“I welcome you to this joint effort to strengthen and guide the United Nations Global Compact”, wrote the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in his letter to Andrei Galaev.

The Global Compact is now the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative for business and civil society striving to promote responsible corporate citizenship and sustainable development. It groups over 7,000 business participants from over 130 countries. A representative of Russia, being elected as member of the Board, is the evidence of the international importance and potential of Russian business in sustainable development and social corporate responsibility.

The main role of the Board is to provide overall strategic and policy advice and oversee the implementation of the initiative’s integrity measures. It also makes key recommendations to the Global Compact Office, participants and other stakeholders on Global Compact-related matters. The Board is chaired by the UN Secretary-General. It has 32 members, including 20 representatives of business, who are the leaders of BASF, Sinopec, ONGC, Petrobras, Unilever and other companies.