Why Partner – and How

For businesses to succeed, they require access to energy, good governance and sustainable economic development, among other fundamental factors. These same underlying needs overlap with public sector priorities underpinning peace, security and poverty reduction. Companies can do a great deal to address these common interests and create long-term value.

Adopting responsible business practices and committing to sustainability in their own operations is the first step. But tackling some of the toughest global challenges can’t be achieved by one company or sector alone. Working in partnership can often lead to greater impact. With its reach and unique capabilities, business can be a powerful source of innovation and implementation power. The business community can work alongside the public sector to develop more integrated solutions to global challenges.

How to partner: learn how we can help

Finding Partners

The UN Global Compact provides opportunities for collaboration among UN, business and civil society stakeholders. We help you find and work together with stakeholders with common interests and comparative advantages.

Partnering with the UN enables your business to benefit from the credibility, know-how, experience and global reach of many UN specialized Agencies, Funds and Programmes. Partnering with the UN also helps you advance a key UN Global Compact objective: taking action in support of UN issues and goals. Learn more on how the UN Global Compact works with the United Nations System.

Partnering with business can help the UN innovate and improve operations. The UN also benefits from sector-specific knowledge from businesses of all sizes. Companies also may offer new management techniques that can help the UN improve efficiency and scale up solutions to global development challenges. Business partnerships can also help create growth and new market opportunities.

Partnering with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) can help increase the credibility and relevance of your sustainability initiatives. CSOs often bring profound knowledge of global development challenges and can leverage strong relationships with influential local stakeholders.

Find Partners

The Impact of Partnerships

Partnering with diverse types of organizations can help you generate innovative solutions and have an impact far beyond what you can accomplish alone.

Many of the UN Global Compact’s success stories come from the effective partnerships we’ve helped participants establish. For example, partnerships helped make platforms, such as Caring for Climate, the CEO Water Mandate, the Women’s Empowerment Principles and Business for Peace, into models for translating global frameworks into local action across sectors. These partnerships demonstrate the great potential of working together to drive innovation and impact, advance the sustainable development agenda and address other major global challenges.