A/HRC/12/27 page 11 H. Global public values 24. Since the earliest forms of labour regulation, and in the evolving sphere of corporate governance, corporate codes, initiatives by non-governmental organizations and intergovernmental guidelines have proliferated, often recognizing concerns of justice, equity and solidarity. In his recent report (A/HRC/11/13), the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises observed that the same types of governance gaps and failures that produced the current economic crisis also constituted the permissive environment for corporate wrongdoing in relation to human rights, necessitating similar responses for both the crisis and corporate wrongdoing. Governments should adopt policies that induce greater corporate social responsibility, and companies should adopt strategies reflecting the inescapable fact that their own long-term prospects are tightly coupled with the well-being of society as a whole. He concluded that strengthening the international human rights regime against corporate-related abuse would contribute to, and gain from, the universally desired transition towards a more inclusive and sustainable world economy. 25. The United Nations Millennium Declaration considered the fundamental interlinked values of freedom, equality, solidarity, tolerance, respect for nature and shared responsibility to be essential to international relations in the twenty-first century. Solidarity can be regarded as an essential component of fairness, justice, equity and equality. III. INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY AND ERADICATION OF POVERTY A. Solidarity as a response to poverty 26. Poverty is the root cause of many of the world’s problems. In the face of multiple crises and some of the more adverse effects of globalization, a fundamental change in approach and the infusion of values of fraternity, humanism and solidarity are needed more than ever. At its outset, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that it is a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society should strive to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance. 27. Collectively, the Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals, the Doha Ministerial Declaration of 2001, the International Conference on Financing for Development and the World Summit on Sustainable Development are considered to represent a global compact for poverty reduction, building on the shared responsibilities of the international community.7 Respondents to the questionnaire emphasized that solidarity should be a key principle of national efforts to combat poverty. It has become an indispensable component in efforts to eradicate global poverty, because poverty affects the enjoyment of basic human rights. Solidarity and cooperation are vital to combating hunger and avoidable child deaths. 7 E/CN.4/Sub.2/2004/15, para. 3.1.