Sir John Holmes, who recently assumed his post at the United Nations, said the organization is in the beginning of a new era with a new determination to act as an effective and accountable organization that delivers tangible results. He said today's UN is committed to moving beyond rhetoric and to getting results.

Holmes reminded the participants of the role of the United Nations, which is to provide humanitarian assistance and emergency relief to people in crisis around the world. Ultimately, the mission is to save lives and relieve suffering.

Holmes provided an overview of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which serves as the neutral broker for all UN humanitarian agencies and NGO partners around the world. He described the scale of the organization's work in dealing with crises such as the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the continuing impact of the war in Congo.

According to Holmes, there is no such thing as a local crisis or disaster in a global economy with instant communications. As a result, corporate social responsibility becomes a global commitment, "because the corporate backyard is now the whole world."

Holmes reported a significant upsurge in corporate involvement in humanitarian relief in recent years. "It puts a human face on the company and supports global corporate citizenship."

For more information about how companies can learn more about providing humanitarian relief, Holmes urged participants to visit the OCHA Web site at http://ochaonline2.un.org/businesscontributions.