2025 OVERVIEW
This report reflects GCNSA comprehensive progress during 2024 and highlights the Strategy and Plans for 2025.
Programmes Overview 2025:
Overview and Strategic Context
This report presents a comprehensive account of the progress achieved and impact delivered by the Global Compact Network South Africa (GCNSA) throughout the 2025 financial year.
The Network continued to deepen its delivery of sustainability programmes across a broad spectrum of priorities, while advancing its position as a leading voice in responsible business practice and thought leadership.
Membership and Network Growth
Growth within the large company segment remained measured during 2025, with 24 new participants admitted, predominantly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The Network closed the year with a total of 128 participants. Encouragingly, early indicators for 2026 suggest a more pronounced uptake among large corporations.
GCNSA’s sustainability portfolio has been intentionally structured to be inclusive, offering tailored value propositions for enterprises of all sizes. Notwithstanding the enhanced resources directed toward SMEs, 16 members were delisted during the reporting period due to non-compliance with mandatory reporting obligations. The annual Communication on Progress (COP) remains a cornerstone of the UN Global Compact’s integrity framework, and its submission is a prerequisite for continued participation. Reporting support and guidance are readily available through GCNSA, and all SME participants are strongly encouraged to utilise these resources to maintain their standing within the Network.
Programmatic Offerings
Financial Performance
GCNSA’s audited financial statements for 2025 are included in full within this report. Annual revenue amounted to R13.9 million against total expenditure of R10.1 million, representing a modest decline from the prior year’s revenue of R14.4 million and expenditure of R11.3 million.
The Network’s primary income stream continues to be annual participation fees. The financial outlook for 2026 is more favourable, with early indicators pointing to revenue growth.
Strategic Programmes and Initiatives
SME Readiness Tool
The SME Readiness Tool and its associated portal remain fully operational. The platform enables SMEs to assess their sustainability maturity and identify gaps in their current practices. Access to the Tool is open to all SMEs, and large companies are encouraged to extend visibility of this resource to their supply chains as part of broader ESG and sustainability due diligence efforts.
Sustainability Data Centre
The development of GCNSA’s Sustainability Data Centre — a digital benchmarking platform enabling participants to assess their ESG performance at company, industry, and national levels — has been completed. Communication on Progress data is currently being integrated as the inaugural data source, with an official launch to participants scheduled for 2026.
Member-Driven Committees
GCNSA significantly expanded its Member-Driven Committees (MDCs) during 2025, with over 40 companies now participating. The Committees serve as structured forums for identifying and disseminating best practices, as well as platforms for initiating collective action on priority sustainability issues.
Active committees currently address: Gender Equality; Business and Human Rights; Youth and SDG Innovation; SME and Sustainable Supply Chains; and the Sustainability Data Centre. All Network members are encouraged to participate in the Committee most aligned with their strategic priorities.
