Communities can only function if all of their members are prepared to accept responsibility. This applies to governments and companies as well as individual citizens. The role of governments is to develop internationally binding agreements - for example, on global priorities for sustainable development or the protection of human rights - and to ensure their implementation. Globally operating companies are called upon to provide active support. They must actively accept responsibility within their sphere of influence and thus contribute to the global implementation of sustainable solutions. Henkel has embraced this challenge in daily practice for many years. As a visible sign of its commitment, in July 2003 the Company declared its participation in the United Nations' Global Compact.

Henkel sees the United Nations’ Global Compact as a network in which the partners can share experiences, discuss methods of promoting sustainable development, and learn from each other. Since joining the Global Compact in July 2003, Henkel has reported in the Global Compact Learning Forum in addition to its annual progress reports. For example, Henkel submitted a project example on a public private partnership project carried out jointly with the German Society for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) illustrating the fulfillment of the Global Compact principles. On a national level, Henkel participates in the German Global Compact network. The members of this network initiate joint projects and engage in intensive exchanges.

Together with more than 400 heads of global companies, Ulrich Lehner, Chairman of the Management Board of Henkel KGaA, discussed the future of the Global Compact at a summit meeting in New York in June 2004. United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan chaired the meeting. Together with representatives of international organizations and governments, the company heads discussed the concrete role of the principles of the Global Compact in an age of globalization and in view of growing international tensions.

At the end of the summit, the participants issued a statement declaring that businesses should work against all forms of corruption, including extortion and bribery. This statement forms the 10th principle of the Global Compact. For years, in its Code of Conduct, Henkel has forbidden its employees from offering, granting or accepting any unethical incentives or rewards and from exerting improper influence.

The spirit of the Global Compact is already embedded in Henkel´s vision and values. The associated corporate value reads: Henkel is dedicated to sustainability and corporate social responsibility. The corporate ethic derived from this commitment is defined in worldwide standards and a Code of Conduct, with which all employees must comply. For Henkel, participation in the Global Compact was another step in the process of emphasizing the importance of high standards in its worldwide activities. As a part of this process, it informed its employees and communicated its participation to the public, its business partners and its shareholders.