Our mandate
Placing children’s rights at the center of responsible business conduct.
In 2012, UNICEF launched Children's Rights and Business Principles alongside Save the Children and the UN Global Compact. These principles look at the impact businesses have on children and ways to address them.
UNICEF has engaged businesses in over 70 countries, collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders, including industry associations, investors, academia, civil society and other UN agencies.
By working closely with business experts, we have built a body of evidence around children’s rights in sectors including garments, mining, and food and beverage. The issues this evidence reveals are relevant to many more sectors.
With Government partners, we have developed practical tools and guidance for businesses and policymakers on how to integrate respect for children’s rights into day-to-day work. These tools support impact assessment, action in supply chains and workplaces, practices in marketing and advertising, and child safeguarding.
By integrating children's rights into existing business models, UNICEF aims to achieve scale and sustainability while doing what we do best – putting children first.
