Complicity in Human Rights abuses:  "Many agree that 'complicity' is a difficult concept to appreciate and categorize, and understanding complicity in order to avoid complicity in human rights violations, represents an important challenge for business. (...) The participation of the company need not actually cause the abuse. Rather, the company’s assistance or encouragement has to be to a degree that, without such participation, the abuses most probably would not have occurred to the same extent or in the same way.” Source: UN Global Compact.

Corporate Governance refers to all of the principles aimed at safeguarding shareholder interests. These principles are intended to guarantee transparency and a healthy balance of management and control, while maintaining decision-making capabilities and efficiency at the highest level of a company.

CSR (corporate social responsibility) has many definitions. The World Bank defines CSR as “the commitment of business to contribute to sustainable economic development, working with employees, their families, the local community and society at large to improve their quality of life, in ways that are both good for business and good for development”. Consequently CSR goes far beyond philanthropy and good deeds.

ESG is the abbreviation for "environmental, social and (corporate) governance", the three main areas of concern that have developed as the central factors in managing the sustainability and ethical performance of an organisation.

Global Compact Launched at the UN headquarters, New York, in July 2000, the Global Compact is a voluntary corporate citizenship initiative with a vision of a more sustainable and inclusive global economy. It has two objectives: to encourage the adoption of its “ten principles“ in business activities around the world, and to help achieve the UN’s human and labour rights goals. www.unglobalcompact.org

Human Rights On 10 December 1948, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a "common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations", which states in art. 1: "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood".

Stakeholder: Individuals in, or representatives of, a group who have for various reasons an interest in a company such as the Adecco Group. This includes people who are directly or indirectly affected by the Company, or can influence it. Consequently, stakholder relationship management is an essential backbone of CSR.