UN chief Ban Ki-moon told the opening of a U.N. summit of corporate leaders, politicians and advocacy groups that companies appear to be cleaning up their act in some areas but there was much room for improvement, especially on global warming.

The meeting was to review progress in the Global Compact, a U.N. initiative to involve businesses in world problems. More than 4,000 business leaders and campaign organizations in 116 countries have joined since 2000.

Among other things, Ban said, “We need to work much harder on … climate change.”

Ironically, a survey has found UK businesses critical of government for not pushing them harder.

Most were content with the draft Climate Change Bill proposing a legally binding target of a 60 per cent reduction in emissions by 2050, and a 26-to-32 per cent cut by 2020. But the poll by Pricewaterhouse Coopers found they want a stable long-term framework for environmental policy that matches the driving force behind economic policy.