Vodafone Ukraine suspends participation in UN Global Compact
Mobile network operator Vodafone Ukraine has announced its withdrawal from the UN Global Compact network in protest against inaction towards Ukraine and Ukrainians and the double standards effective in the organization, the company said on Friday.
"Vodafone Ukraine has always been and is a socially responsible business, it is recognized as the most transparent Ukrainian company. We share the principles of the Global Compact and live by them every day as we work desperately to provide a vital connection. However, we clearly understand that the development of the Global Compact platform does not look possible until the basic principles of security are restored in Ukraine. And we do not consider it possible to remain among the initiatives of an organization that itself does not demonstrate due responsibility and avoids using its levers of influence for the sake of sustainable development," the operator said on Facebook.
At the same time, the UN calls for development in line with the Sustainable Development Goals provide, first of all, basic security issues: for life, health, environmental and energy security.
"These basic principles are completely destroyed in Ukraine today, and millions of people suffer because of this. And the organization declaring these lofty principles turned out to be unable to implement them in the situation with Ukraine. Unfortunately, during the war we saw many examples of the UN's shortsightedness towards to the problems of Ukrainians. We are outraged by the inaction and unwillingness to call a spade a spade at a time when Ukrainians have been opposing Russian aggression for 15 months, which is committing military, economic, environmental crimes and terrorizing the civilian population," the company said in the press release.
The company said they are ready to reconsider the decision to withdraw if the situation changes.
"We hope that the structures that should perform important global functions for the sake of sustainable development will soon become as effective as possible. In the meantime, we call on other Ukrainian companies that are members of the UN Global Compact to temporarily leave the platform in protest against inaction on the situation in our country," the press service of the operator said.