Dear Participants of the UN Global Compact,

As we begin 2026, one truth stands out: in a world of heightened scrutiny and shifting expectations, responsible business is resilient business. Sustainability fuels innovation, strengthens risk management and reinforces investor confidence, demonstrating that corporate commitments are not soft promises but durable drivers of long-term value. When companies stay the course through political cycles, economic turbulence and public pressure, they provide the continuity that underpins trust, stable societies and well-functioning markets.

The choices made in the near term will determine whether the world moves toward shared prosperity, a stable climate and an economy that works for all. At a moment defined by geopolitical tension, economic uncertainty and eroding public trust, principled business leadership is no longer optional; it is an essential stabilizing force.

2025 carried particular significance. The United Nations marked its 80th anniversary, and the UN Global Compact marked 25 years since its founding. Together, these milestones reaffirmed our core mission: mobilizing the private sector behind universal principles and grounding long-term economic progress in values that endure, even as conditions change.

That mission was tested in 2025. After more than half the world’s population went to the polls, political landscapes shifted rapidly. Companies navigated evolving regulatory environments, persistent inflation and widening inequalities, while a stagnating global economy strained households and markets alike. At the same time, severe climate events—from prolonged heatwaves to destructive floods—unfolded during one of the hottest years on record, underscoring the urgency of climate action and adaptation as progress on the Sustainable Development Goals continued to stall.

Yet across our network, companies demonstrated strong and consistent leadership. At the global climate conference in Belém, business leaders advanced concrete commitments to environmental stewardship. At the UN-led forum on anti-corruption in Doha, the private sector played a constructive role in strengthening international integrity frameworks. Through engagement at the B20 in Johannesburg and the Second World Summit for Social Development also in Doha, business leaders reinforced a clear message: responsible conduct is fundamental to resilient, long-term growth. At the national level, our Country Networks deepened collaboration with Governments, contributing to more predictable and enabling policy environments.

Within the UN Global Compact, we continued to expand our global footprint. In 2025, we launched a new Central Asia Network and established Country Networks in Iceland and Guatemala. Today, our more than 60 Country Networks and five regional hubs work closely with over 20,000 participating companies across more than 160 countries, anchoring global ambition in local action.

Together, these efforts strengthened the full cycle from transparency to delivery. Our renewed Communication on Progress (CoP) established a clear, credible disclosure framework. The Private Sector Forum, hosted by the UN Secretary-General, aligned CEOs and Governments around shared priorities and practical pathways for implementation. Through Forward Faster, that alignment was translated into action—accelerating progress on climate, gender equality, living wages, water resilience and sustainable finance, with more than 1,600 companies actively advancing commitments.

Finding clarity in a complex world

Our latest CEO Study sends a clear signal: despite political, economic and technological pressures, CEOs are not retreating from sustainability. On the contrary, most report that the business case for investing in sustainability is stronger than it was five years ago. Across sectors, companies are focusing their efforts where sustainability is embedded in strategy and linked to measurable returns—from reducing operational costs to strengthening supply-chain resilience.

Climate and water have become increasingly material issues as the rapid expansion of AI and data-centre infrastructure intensifies pressure on energy systems and water availability. As a result, even companies not traditionally viewed as climate-focused are accelerating investments in renewables, efficiency and resilience. At the same time, our Gen AI for the Global Goals report highlights the potential for generative AI to accelerate sustainability solutions—provided it is deployed responsibly.

Many of the most proactive companies are also driving collective action across value chains, recognizing that resilient supply networks and predictable access to resources are now fundamental to business continuity and growth. In today’s environment, responsible business is not simply the right choice. It is the strategic choice.

A strategy for a decisive half-decade

This year marks the start of our 2026–2030 strategy, guided by a clear ambition: to mobilize business to turn sustainable commitment into action at the scale the world demands. Over the next five years, our work will focus on three mutually reinforcing priorities.

First, we will equip companies to act by providing practical tools, digital learning and peer support—working with partners to scale tailored learning journeys that embed the Ten Principles and accelerate measurable progress.

Second, we will catalyze collective action by convening business-led, multi-stakeholder coalitions to address systemic barriers and drive coordinated progress across climate and nature, decent work, gender equality and sustainable finance.

Third, we will advance the business case by demonstrating how responsible business leadership delivers both societal impact and long-term business value, supported by stronger data, CEO insights and real-world examples.

These priorities will guide our engagement throughout 2026—from the UN General Assembly and our Leaders Summit to the Private Sector Forum, Unstoppable Africa and key global processes such as the UN Climate Conference and the UN Water Conference—supported by strengthened Country Networks that anchor action locally and help create the enabling conditions companies need to succeed.

Progress depends on partnership. Governments cannot deliver the SDGs alone. Global Cooperation cannot succeed without private-sector engagement. And business cannot thrive without stable, inclusive and sustainable societies.

My call to you is clear: recommit to the Ten Principles. Deepen your engagement with the UN Global Compact. Invest in strategies that are science-aligned, socially responsible and economically sound. Let’s work together to ensure that the years ahead become the turning point they must be.

Thank you for your leadership, your partnership and your continued commitment to a fairer, greener and more resilient world. Together, we can shape a stronger future.

Sanda Ojiambo