The Global Leadership Network (GLN) was created to advance excellence in corporate citizenship by aligning practices to business strategies, strengths and performance. Alignment is the most effective strategy to ensure viable and sustained excellence in corporate citizenship because it delivers financial value and broader value to society. Without strategic alignment, corporate responsibility efforts are usually marginalized and can become damaging to the long-term viability of the business.

Most of the world's leading companies are demonstrating that this approach supports financial performance. Rather than relying exclusively on impacts and outcomes, GLN emphasizes strategic aspects of citizenship that drive business strategy and performance. While prioritizing strategy setting, GLN recognizes the importance of measuring effectiveness and provides network members with metrics and benchmarking tools.

The companies that founded GLN have invested in the development of a broad platform for corporate citizenship performance to bring together other companies that share a vision and commitment to excellence. These companies are also interested in using a common tool and learning process that will identify current progress and the path to greater success and performance in the future.