SALİM KADIBEŞEGİL

In an article I wrote for Turkish Corporate Management Association in 2008 headlined “What if Turkey’s constitution was Global Compact declaration”
General elections over (yet?)
New parliament will be open for business in October…

One of the top priorities will be as openly discussed by all parties a new “constitution”.

The signals of conflict over “what kind of a constitution we want” and “this constitution will be appropriate for us” has already began.
My 2008 article had a section like this:
In 1999, when former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan announced “Global Compact” declaration, it became part of Turkey’s agenda as well world’s. Global Compact describes the meeting point of “business life with mankind”. Where ever we live in the world, managing earth’s limited resources sustainably and leaving a habitable world behind for future generations were targeted.

Global Compact lays its foundation on 10 principles and with over 15,000 stakeholders employing thousands of people and a trillion dollar business volume, it is being recognized as the leading civil movement on earth. For all mankind who have a passion for a higher life quality, it was developed with the main headlines of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption but depended on a voluntarily involvement model.
Now let’s think; if Global Compact declaration was not for business world but with few revisions on terminology used for governing countries and accepted as Turkey’s constitution…
I mean, if people who are governing Turkey had signed Global Compact which was declared by UN and adapted as country’s constitution…
How would Turkey revise its laws to support this constitution?

Would we have the correct measurement to solve fundamentals in the areas of right, law, justice; hunger, poverty, unjust distribution of income; education, health, food? What would be the reputation of Turkey who adapted these principles as a constitution amongst other countries?

The answer to all is hidden between the lines of Global Compact. Let’s read…

Global Compact
Human Rights

Businesses should:
Principle 1: Support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights; and
Principle 2: Make sure that they are not complicit in human rights abuses.

Labour Standards
Businesses should:
Principle 3: the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining;
Principle 4: the elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labour;
· Employees should do as they want with their labour. Should work by the law and able to resign. Shouldn’t put up with harassment and mobbing in workplace. Wages shall be paid up front.
Principle 5: the effective abolition of child labour; and
Principle 6: the elimination of discrimination in employment and occupation.

Environment
Businesses should:
Principle 7: support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges;
Principle 8: undertake initiatives to promote environmental responsibility; and
Principle 9: encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies.

Anti-Corruption
Principle 10: Businesses should work against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery.

What would countries save by transforming these targets for business life as “Government Performance” indicators?

So finally, would Turkey live up to standards of different, raised quality of life for its own people and reputable by adapting such a constitution?