From Insight to Action: Why Leaders Gather at the 2026 Leaders Summit

How can business leaders navigate a world shaped by geopolitical uncertainty, evolving supply chains, rapid AI disruption and growing expectations for sustainability? How can they turn these interconnected challenges into opportunities for meaningful action? 

The annual Leaders Summit, taking place September 22-23 2026, is the flagship UN General Assembly event hosted by the United Nations Global Compact, bringing together a global community of companies, organizations and Governments to leverage frameworks, guidance and partnerships to turn shared principles into meaningful action. 

This year, the Leaders Summit explores six business sustainability tracks: Leadership & Integrity, Climate & Nature, Human Rights & Decent Work, Sustainable Finance & Capital, Collective Action & Systems Change and Policy, Procurement & Supply Chains. Together, these themes reflect the interconnected challenges and opportunities businesses face today. No company can navigate these challenges alone, and these issues cannot be addressed in silos. At the Leaders Summit, participants step outside their usual day-to-day demands to connect with peers across industries and geographies, learn from leading voices in business and sustainability and engage directly with the UN Global Compact and the wider United Nations community.

The Leaders Summit enables participants to “see around the corner” and better understand the trends, expectations and emerging issues shaping the future of sustainable business. For example, on Day 1, participants will learn from Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) CEO David Kennedy and Science Based Targets Network (SBTN) CEO Erin Billman about the private sector’s role in maintaining the 1.5° threshold through target-setting and the implementation of climate and nature-based solutions. Later that day, participants will learn how artificial intelligence can catalyze responsible business by monitoring human rights, detecting fraud and strengthening compliance processes from business leaders at Salesforce, EQS Group and the University of Tokyo. 

The Summit provides significant opportunities for greater impact through partnerships. At a time when business leaders are being asked to anticipate emerging risks and advantages, the Summit offers a chance to hear directly from the organizations shaping the sustainability agenda. Participants have access to those with complementary expertise, shared priorities and common challenges, providing opportunities for collaboration and collective action. 

Notably on Day 2, a breakout session titled “New Rules of Procurement: Driving Sustainable Transitions” brings together procurement professionals, SMEs, buyers and supply chain executives to discuss a new Sustainable Procurement Framework developed in collaboration with The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the International Labor Organization (ILO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and other partners. Key speakers include Laurent Sagarra, Vice President of Engagement at JDE Peet’s (subsidiary of Keurig Dr. Pepper) and Andrew Baer, Head of Sustainable Procurement at S&P Global. Participants will gain practical insights into how companies are embedding sustainability into procurement decisions, aligning finance and operations and leveraging AI for visibility and risk management. 

The Leaders Summit offers a unique opportunity to build relationships with fellow participants. Participants can exchange experiences across industries, regions and roles to translate commitments into business strategy. The Leaders Summit offers networking sessions such as the Morning Mix and Mingle, Regional Meetups and Dialogue Over Dinner that create opportunities for participants to compare approaches across markets, hear how peers are responding to similar challenges and build relationships.

Join business leaders from around the world at Leaders Summit 2026 and explore the future of sustainable business. Learn More and Register Today.