The Un Ited Nations Global Compact
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THE UN ITED NATIONS INTRODUCTION TO GLOBAL COMPACT - HENNING LARSEN ARCHITECTS STATEMENT OF CONTINUED SUPPORT COMMUNICATION STATUS ON OUR SUPPORT FOR THE UN GLOBAL COMPACT HUMAN RIGHTS ON PROGRESS LABOR RIGHTS ENVIRONMENT AUGUST 2011 ANTI CORRUPTION AWARENESS CALENDAR UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT GOALS COLOPHON INTRODUCTION TO HENNING LARSEN ARCHITECTS Page 2 INTRODUCTION TO Henning Larsen Architects attaches HENNING LARSEN ARCHITECTS great importance to having a diverse staff of employees and provides equal STATEMENT OF CONTINUED SUPPORT employment opportunities for all applicants. As of 1 September 2011, the STATUS ON OUR SUPPORT FOR staff represents 17 different THE UN GLOBAL COMPACT nationalities of which 38 percent are HUMAN RIGHTS women. To promote a better under- standing across cultures, Henning LABOR RIGHTS Larsen Architects seeks to attract interns and employees from different ENVIRONMENT countries. A diverse staff brings inspira- ANTI CORRUPTION tion, innovation and local knowledge Henning Larsen Architects is an international architecture company. Our goal is to create vibrant, sus- into the projects. AWARENESS CALENDAR tainable projects that reach beyond themselves and become of durable value to the user and to the society and culture that they are built into. The company was founded by Henning Larsen in 1959 and UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT GOALS today has offices in Denmark, Iceland, Saudi-Arabia and Syria. Henning Larsen Architects employs approx.157 people. COLOPHON The projects of Henning Larsen are characterised by a high degree of social responsibility – not only in relation to materials and production but also as regards good, social spaces encouraging intimacy and community. We shape, challenge and change the physical surroundings – from masterplans, urban spaces and buildings to interior design, components and strategic design – with the overall objective of providing the user with a strong, visionary and thoroughly framed design adapted to the specific context. Henning Larsen Architects attaches great importance to designing environmentally friendly and integrated, energy-efficient solutions. Our ideas are developed in close collaboration with the client, users and partners in order to achieve long-lasting buildings and a beneficial life-cycle economy. This value-based approach is the key to our design of numerous building projects around the world - from complex masterplans to successful architectural landmarks. STATEMENT OF CONTINUED SUPPORT Page 3 INTRODUCTION TO Henning Larsen Architects continues to support the United Nations Global Compact and encourage HENNING LARSEN ARCHITECTS our network to participate and implement its principles. STATEMENT OF CONTINUED SUPPORT When we joined the United Nations Global Compact three years ago, we put our efforts in promoting sustainability in the planning, design and operation of our building projects. We STATUS ON OUR SUPPORT FOR addressed the environmental principles of the UN Global Compact by focusing on three aspects: how THE UN GLOBAL COMPACT we operate our business, how we approach the design process and by initiating or supporting various HUMAN RIGHTS outreach programs. This priority reflects the building sector´s considerable environmental impact - and hence its significant influence in this field and ability to help come up with a solution. LABOR RIGHTS Green building is a result of collaboration. We need ambitious clients, forward thinking legislators, a ENVIRONMENT motivated industry and innovative designers to create environmentally responsible and resource-ef- ANTI CORRUPTION ficient projects. To promote a construction sector which can achieve this and one which understands how sustainability can create long term societal and economic value, we have recently intensified our AWARENESS CALENDAR collaboration and dialogue with our network. UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT GOALS We advocate holistic sustainable planning and building design and assist policy makers and standard setting organizations in establishing legal frameworks and quantity norms for COLOPHON mainstreaming green building design. We encourage our colleagues to put joint efforts in changing the sector by sharing and exchanging experience in sustainable strategies, working methodologies and digital tools. While maintaining our focus on sustainability, we have also started to turn our attention to other aspects in our global projects. Building projects abroad are challenging due to the distance in itself, but even more so in countries with different ethical standards, cultural values, spiritual concepts or political systems. A tangible place to start is the promotion of continual improvement of occupational safety and health for workers on construction sites. By this initiative, management commitment is translated into active involvement of employees, contractors, clients and workers in the joint implementation of a safe and healthy occupational strategy. Mette Kynne Frandsen CEO and Partner, Henning Larsen Architects STATUS ON OUR SUPPORT FOR THE UN GLOBAL COMPACT Page 4 INTRODUCTION TO HENNING LARSEN ARCHITECTS STATEMENT OF CONTINUED SUPPORT STATUS ON OUR SUPPORT FOR THE UN GLOBAL COMPACT HUMAN RIGHTS LABOR RIGHTS ENVIRONMENT ANTI CORRUPTION In spring 2008, Henning Larsen Architects joined the United Nations Global Compact: the AWARENESS CALENDAR partnership between the UN and the international corporate world with the objective of promoting the social commitment of businesses. This is our second Communication on Progress in which we UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT GOALS address and continuously commit ourselves to all four areas of the Global Compact – Human Rights, Labor, Environment and Anti-Corruption. COLOPHON Our Communication on Progress is uploaded to the website of the United Nations Global Compact and will also be available on our website, intranet and be an integral part of how we introduce our company in the media. By this approach, we clearly communicate our ethical standards and values, and we hope that our efforts and results will be inspirational and raise awareness among employees, colleagues, partners and clients. Equally important are the many square meters that we have planned and designed. The majority of our projects are based on a green and energy-efficient design, and many of them have been awarded for their exemplary sustainability: As a pioneering project in green building, the Spiegel Headquarters in Hamburg, Germany, has received the Gold Medal Award by the German Sus- tainable Building Council, and six of our projects in Saudi Arabia will be LEED certified upon comple- tion. HUMAN RIGHTS Page 5 INTRODUCTION TO Principle 1 HENNING LARSEN ARCHITECTS Businesses should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights; and STATEMENT OF CONTINUED SUPPORT Principle 2 STATUS ON OUR SUPPORT FOR make sure that they are not complicit in human rights abuses. THE UN GLOBAL COMPACT HUMAN RIGHTS Our commitment Henning Larsen Architects supports the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and LABOR RIGHTS the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. ENVIRONMENT Actions taken ANTI CORRUPTION Henning Larsen Architects complies with Danish national legislation, which meets international con- ventions on Human Rights. We screen business opportunities, collaborators and suppliers to make AWARENESS CALENDAR sure that they comply with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT GOALS In addition to our commitment to prevent a negative impact on human rights, we actively support and promote the enjoyment of human rights - by the projects we choose to engage in, by the way we COLOPHON design and by our recruitment and employment policy, including internship programs. HUMAN RIGHTS Page 6 INTRODUCTION TO Responsible by Design HENNING LARSEN ARCHITECTS Our main business activity is in the design of cultural and educational buildings. These market segments can, by their category alone, be very supportive of human rights and development. Our STATEMENT OF CONTINUED SUPPORT designs embody a high degree of social responsibility – not only in relation to sustainability, the selection of materials and production but also as regards inclusive social spaces encouraging STATUS ON OUR SUPPORT FOR equality and community. THE UN GLOBAL COMPACT HUMAN RIGHTS LABOR RIGHTS ENVIRONMENT ANTI CORRUPTION AWARENESS CALENDAR UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT GOALS COLOPHON In Damascus, Syria, the Massar Children’s Discovery Center will offer the country a new young learners centre, empowering young Syrians to actively contribute to building their future. The Centre will apply a non formal learning philosophy. In Riyadh, the Female Branch of the Prince Naif Center for Health Science Research promotes equal opportunities for women to pursue education and professional careers and improves the national health programs. In Calabar, Nigeria, the Calabar International Conference Center will create local employment opportunities and stimulate sustainable growth and self-reliance. HUMAN RIGHTS Page 7 INTRODUCTION TO Substantive Equal Opportunities HENNING LARSEN ARCHITECTS Our recruitment and internship programs are based on an equal opportunities policy. Open positions are posted on our website in Danish and English and advertised in international media. Un- STATEMENT OF CONTINUED SUPPORT solicited applications are welcomed, and all applicants are evaluated and responded to. We encour- age talents from all countries to apply, especially countries in which