SCALING AND ACCELERATING THE COLLECTIVE BUSINESS IMPACT
The way we do business has fundamentally changed. Sustainability is no longer just an option, but a competitive necessity. It’s a key driver of operational efficiency and innovation. In fact, companies that operate sustainably are more profitable and resilient, generate better brand value, have greater access to capital, and are more responsive to employees, customers and society.
The United Nations Global Compact helps you cut through the complexity by enabling your company to build trust and transparency, achieve your sustainability objectives and help shape the world’s sustainability agenda – guiding you to scale and accelerate your impact.
The UN Global Compact
A Principles-Based Approach to Doing Business
The UN Global Compact is unparalleled in its ability to unite companies with every stakeholder group working to advance sustainable development, including Governments, civil society, investors, academia and the United Nations. Together, through bold actions and collaboration between all sectors of society, we can end extreme poverty and hunger, fight inequalities and address climate change, ensuring no one is left behind.
20,000+
companies
3000
non-business signatories
160+
countries
62+
local networks
Launched in 2000 as a special initiative of the UN Secretary-General, the UN Global Compact provides a framework for developing a more sustainable and responsible business. Today, the UN Global Compact is the largest corporate sustainability initiative in the world, with over 10,000 companies and 3,000 non-business signatories based in over 160 countries, and more than 60 Local Networks. It is a call to companies everywhere to align their operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption.
Our mission is to mobilize a global movement of sustainable companies and stakeholders to create the world we want. With easy access to authoritative guidance, training, tools and support, along with global reach and multi-stakeholder connections, the UN Global Compact enables businesses to achieve their sustainability objectives.
Benefits of Participating in the Global Compact Network South Africa
To Demonstrate
To demonstrate responsible citizenship.
To Improve
To improve your enterprise through better risk management.
To Collaborate
For innovative collaboration and partnerships on Sustainable Development Goals.
To Engage
For South African companies to engage with companies in the Continent on responsible business and engage in global conversations on sustainability.
To Benefit
To benefit from the UNGC common standards for governance and sustainability.
To Expand
To expand markets and grow the economy through responsible competitiveness.
Participants of the UN Global Compact benefit from:
Increased financial performance
Improved corporate governance
Increased employee engagement
Higher ESG scores leading to higher margins, market valuation, creditworthiness
Positive Investor perceptions of company
Joining the UN Global Compact – What You Will Gain
The UN Global Compact can help your company in three meaningful ways.
01. Build Trust and Transparency
As a Participant of the UN Global Compact, your company can publicly share its commitments and report on progress through the largest platform of corporate sustainability leaders and practitioners from all sectors. With the UN Global Compact, you have access to:
- A platform to communicate your commitment and progress
- A customized company profile on the UN Global Compact website
- A media toolkit to communicate your commitment
- Global and local opportunities at flagship events, conferences and webinars, including speaking opportunities and signing ceremonies for new joiners
02. Achieve Your Sustainability Objectives
The UN Global Compact enables you to advance your knowledge and expertise to meet your sustainability objectives and achieve long-term growth. We offer you guidance, training, tools and support such as:
- Extensive digital resource library
- Self-assessment and benchmarking
- Tailored roadmaps and content curation
- Access to the UN Global Compact help desk
- Access to capacity building programs
- Local activations to drive impact
- Unlimited access to the UN Global Compact Academy learning platform
- Dedicated Participant Engagement manager
03. Help Shape the World’s Sustainability Agenda
Perhaps the most significant benefit of the UN Global Compact is to affect real change and deliver value to our participating companies. Through global and local connections, your company can help define leadership and provide inspiration to a broader audience. The UN Global Compact offers you:
- Participation in issue specific working groups for leading companies (Action Platforms)
- Global Leadership Programmes — Expert Network & Global Compact LEAD
- Peer-to-peer networking opportunities and unparalleled opportunities to meet industry leaders, UN and Government officials
- Access to global and local partnerships to scale the impact of your projects
81%
of companies attribute progress on their sustainability work to participating in the Global Compact.
