An extensive knowledge base was developed by the Secretariat to support the Commission's work. This included a review of the work of previous Commissions, surveys of relevant literature and research, a compilation of policy ideas and experiences, the preparation of a number of substantive papers and gathering of data on trends in the social dimension of globalization. There were also technical consultations with other international organizations, including the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), UNDP, UNCTAD, the World Bank, the WTO, and the IMF.
Knowledge Networks, involving policy practitioners, technical experts, academics and other actors, were established to tap expertise on the following subjects:
- Values and goals in the context of globalization
- Local markets and policies in the global context
- Policies for inclusion at the national level: making the benefits of globalization reach more people
- Cross-border networks of production and technology: promoting development and decent work
- International migration: labour mobility as part of the global policy agenda.
- International governance for inclusive globalization
- Globalization and culture.
Gender and employment were addressed as cross-cutting themes.
Meetings of the Knowledge Networks
A series of meetings was organized by the Secretariat to draw on the expertise of these Knowledge Networks. These helped to identify the issues that needed to be addressed, reviewed different policy approaches that could be taken and highlighted options for consideration by the Commission:
- Globalization and Exclusion
Geneva, 16-17 September, 2002- International Migration
Geneva, 18–19 September, 2002- Cross-border Networks of Production and Technology
Geneva, 19-20 September, 2002- Values and Globalization
Electronic conference, 24-30 September, 2002- Local Markets and Policies in Global Context
Geneva, 7-8 November, 2002- Regulatory Frameworks in the Global Economy
Geneva, 21–22 November, 2002- Governance for Better Globalization
New York, 22 November, 2002- Making Globalization work: expanding the benefits to working families and the poor
Washington, 2-3 December, 2002 (in cooperation with The Brookings Institution and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace)- Trading for Fairer Globalization
Geneva, 6 December, 2002- International Migration
Geneva, 16-17 December, 2002.- Globalization, Culture and Social Change
Geneva, 30-31 January, 2003 (in cooperation with UNRISD)- Corporate Social Responsibility
Geneva, 14-15 February, 2003- Globalization and Labour Market Adjustment in Developing Countries
London, 8 April, 2003 (in cooperation with DFID)