Links to Big Business May Hurt U.N.'s Reputation, Investigation Finds

GENEVA -- U.N. ethics investigators say the United Nations risks harming its reputation with efforts to engage big business.

A report by the U.N.'s Joint Inspection Unit says a decade-old program to improve links between the global body and the private sector lacks a clear mandate, adequate entry criteria and effective oversight.

Investigators conclude that the so-called "Global Compact" created by former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 2001 shows "unclear results and unmitigated risks."

The report published Monday said some companies might use membership of the group to bolster their own image without living up to its environmental, labor and corruption standards.

Click here for Fox News' earlier report on the Global Compact criticism.