UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 29 (Xinhuanet) -- Nearly 800 international business leaders and representatives of government and civil society will assemble in Shanghai, China, on Wednesday for the summit of the UN-backed Global Compact initiative.

    At the two-day summit business leaders from around the world will demonstrate how they are implementing the Global Compact's 10universal principles in the areas of the environment, labor standards, human rights and anti-corruption, the UN office for the initiative said in a statement.

    Business executives will be joined by leaders of international civil society and labor organizations who are also participating in the Global Compact -- a voluntary corporate citizenship initiative that includes more than 2,400 companies from over 80 countries.

    The participants will share practices and initiatives on the implementation of the Global Compact's principles, and discuss pressing global issues. The summit will also lay the foundation for the Global Compact to grow significantly in the rapidly advancing economies of East Asia.

    Launched by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in July 2000, the Global Compact has grown to become the world's largest corporate responsibility initiative in the world. Enditem