The world's governments are overwhelmed with climate change, war and unrest, the global financial crisis and poverty but there is a promising invention in Global Action Networks (GANs). GANs mobilize resources, bridge divides and promote the long-term deep change and innovation work that is needed to address the global challenges.

Over the past two decades it has become widely recognized that housing issues have to be placed in a broader framework recognizing that civil society in the form of Community Based Organizations (CBOs) and their allies are increasingly networking and emerging as strong players that cannot easily be overlooked.This book brings together different perspectives on multi-scalar approaches within the housing field and on grassroots’ engagement with formal agencies including local government, higher levels of government and international agencies. By moving away from romanticizing local self-initiatives, it focuses on understanding the emerging potential once local initiatives are interlinked and scaled-up to transnational networks.

Here’s a book for every teen who wants to get involved in service and social change. Featuring profiles of real “Difference Makers” and practical tools readers can use to support causes they are passionate about, The Teen Guide to Global Action provides everything youth need to make a difference at the local, national, or global level. From suggestions for reducing hunger and poverty and protecting human rights to environmental projects and efforts to promote peace, this book provides know-how teens can use to make the world a better place. There’s also a healthy dose of inspiration. Whether it’s reading about Zach Hunter, who started an organization devoted to ending modern-day slavery, or Janine Licare, who is helping protect Costa Rican rain forests, teens reading these and dozens of other stories will realize they don’t have to wait to become an adult to change the world. Upbeat, practical, and highly motivating, The Teen Guide to Global Action is a go-to source teens can use to put their volunteer spirit into practice and make an impact in their world.

Regular physical activity is proven to help prevent and treat noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease stroke diabetes and breast and colon cancer. It also helps to prevent hypertension overweight and obesity and can improve mental health quality of life and well-being. In addition to the multiple health benefits of physical activity societies that are more active can generate additional returns on investment including a reduced use of fossil fuels cleaner air and less congested safer roads. These outcomes are interconnected with achieving the shared goals political priorities and ambition of the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030. The new WHO global action plan to promote physical activity responds to the requests by countries for updated guidance and a framework of effective and feasible policy actions to increase physical activity at all levels. It also responds to requests for global leadership and stronger regional and national coordination and the need for a whole-of-society response to achieve a paradigm shift in both supporting and valuing all people being regularly active according to ability and across the life course. The action plan was developed through a worldwide consultation process involving governments and key stakeholders across multiple sectors including health sports transport urban design civil society academia and the private sector.

Global thinking principle -- Anthropocene as context principle -- Transformation engagement principle -- Integration principle -- Transboundary engagement principle -- GLOCAL principle -- Cross-silos principle -- Time being of the essence principle -- Yin-yang principle -- Bricolage methods principle -- World savvy principle -- Skin in the game principle -- Theory of transformation principle -- Transformation fidelity principles : evaluating transformation -- Transformational alignment principle : transforming evaluation to evaluate transformation.

The UN Global Compact complements other corporate citizenship initiatives by promoting dialogue on the relationship between business and society. At the same time it is the only truly global corporate citizenship initiative. It is not an auditable standard; indeed, it is not a standard or a code in the way that these are normally viewed. It is a set of principles through which business and the United Nations can work in partnership for global social development. For some businesses it is a simplified codification of their existing policies and management practices, but for many engagement represents a challenge and an opportunity to raise their game by aligning profitability with the common good. As the only genuinely global corporate citizenship initiative, the Global Compact draws its moral authority from the UN Secretary-General and its moral and political legitimacy from the UN as the only global political body. It can be viewed as a series of nested networks involving the Secretary-General's Office, the ILO, UNEP, UNHCHR, UNDP and UNIDO, business, NGOs and labour. It can variously be described as an international learning network, as a social network of people and organizations engaged in a global conversation, as a global public policy network, and as a multi-stakeholder dialogue. It is all of these things, but more than anything its greatest success has been in providing a convening platform for a growing global conversation about social development among a variety of actors. However the Global Compact is viewed, it is time to reflect on the first tentative steps of an initiative born in the aftermath of the Cold War, in the "triumph of global economic liberalism" and mass demonstrations against "globalisation". In its first few years, the world has experienced 9/11 and the Iraq War, not forgetting the forty or so civil wars that are ongoing at this time. Whatever is written about the UN Global Compact or its success will be tentative. But there can be some serious reflection on its aims and origins; some telling of stories of engagement; and discussion on how this initiative has quickly become an important reference point in the dialogue on global and corporate governance.

The significance of business-led corporate responsibility coalitions is indisputable. The WBCSD has 200 member companies with combined annual revenues of US$7 _trillion_; the UN Global Compact has almost 8,000 corporate members, over two-thirds of them from developing countries. It is estimated that there are more than 110 national and international generalist business-led CR coalitions. But there is now urgent need for informed and balanced analysis of their achievements, their progress and their potential. Why did these coalitions start and grow? What have been their impacts? Where are they heading now? Where should they be going? What is the future? In a period of austerity, the business and public sector must decide whether funding these coalitions is a priority. To meet current crises, there will have to be a great deal more business involvement; but efforts of individual corporations will not be sufficient. There is also a need for far more collective action among companies and more collaborative action between different sectors of society. Business-led CR coalitions with their decades of convening experience could play an important role in this process - if they are fit for purpose going forward. Authors David Grayson and Jane Nelson have been actively involved in such coalitions for decades. In Corporate Responsibility Coalitions they first explore the past, present and future of these coalitions: the emergence of new models of collective corporate action over the past four decades; the current state of play, and the increasing number, diversity and complexity in terms of how they not only network with each other but also engage in a much broader universe of institutions that are promoting responsible business practices. In addition, the book provides in-depth profiles of the most strategic, effective and long-standing coalitions, including: Business for Social Responsibility; Business in the Community; CSR Europe; Instituto Ethos; International Business Leaders Forum; the UN Global Compact; and the WBCSD. This book will be required reading for key supporters and potential partners of such coalitions in companies, governments, international development agencies, foundations, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions and think-tanks. It also aims to inspire a future generation of leaders to be more aware of the role of business as a partner in driving more inclusive, green and responsible growth, and to help them develop new types of leadership skills so that they can be effective in finding multi-stakeholder solutions to complex and systemic challenges.