A dramatic rise of interlinked global challenges is forcing business executives to navigate new levels of uncertainty. The war in Ukraine is producing alarming cascading effects across a world already impacted by COVID-19 and climate change. The risks of generations lost, as well as waves of food insecurity, energy shortages, unfolding debt crises, and social unrest are very real. In this context of uncertainty, more and more chief executive officers (CEOs) are stepping into broader leadership capacities, propelled by business necessity and by evolving societal expectations of their role. The UN Global Compact has compiled perspectives from CEOs across the globe, to provide policymakers, companies, and the public with practical insights into business leadership in today’s novel and dynamic operating environment. This report describes how today’s CEOs face complex challenges to their operations—and to their sustainability agenda.

Fifty global executives convened during the UN General Assembly’s week of high-level debates, to candidly share corporate approaches to converging global crises. This business-to-business discussion focused on complex dilemmas related to strengthening peace, justice, and strong institutions (Sustainable Development Goal 16). Discussion centered around three questions: 1. How are you managing increased pressure to take a stand on political and social issues? 2. How are you weighing the cost of doing something, versus the cost of doing nothing? 3. How can lobbying be part of an accountability framework regarding corporate actions in these areas? This document summarizes high-level take-aways.

2022 marks the 10-year anniversary of the Children’s Rights and Business Principles developed jointly by UNICEF, UN Global Compact and Save the Children in consultation with children, businesses, investors, governments, civil society, trade unions, national human rights institutions and United Nations entities. The joint report “Charting the Course: Embedding children’s rights in responsible business conduct” elaborates key achievements and main gaps that need to be addressed to accelerate impact for children through business action and policy decisions. The report lays the foundation for raising the bar towards making business fit for children.  

The UN Global Compact partnered with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on a Business Guide to urgently respond to Ukraine’s humanitarian crisis. The Guide provides concrete action for businesses to support the Secretary-General’s three-month Flash Appeal for people in Ukraine, and a Regional Refugee Response Plan for the situation outside, under the leadership of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

Developed by the United Nations Global Compact, UNICEF and Save the Children – the Children’s Rights and Business Principles are the first comprehensive set of principles to guide companies on the full range of actions they can take in the workplace, marketplace and community to respect and support children’s rights. While the business and human rights agenda has evolved significantly in recent years, a child rights perspective has not yet been explicitly addressed. (https://childrenandbusiness.org/)

To help SMEs gear up for their exciting journeys in sustainability, Global Compact Network Singapore is pleased to launch its inaugural SME Guide to Corporate Sustainability. The SME Guide shines a spotlight on latest sustainability trends and offers insights on how to adapt. It comes with a 6-step process to get started and useful tools and resources to support business transformation.

Uniting against Corruption: A Playbook on Anti-Corruption Collective Action was developed as part of the UN Global Compact multi-year project Scaling up Anti-Corruption Collective Action within Global Compact Local Networks. With the six-step approach and deep dives on key roles throughout the Collective Action process, the Playbook enables readers to make a clear diagnosis of their local corruption landscape, identify and engage stakeholders and apply the Collective Action methodology to address identified corruption challenges and mitigate potential business risks. Ultimately this Playbook aims to mainstream the understanding and uptake of Collective Action among Global Compact Local Networks, businesses and other relevant stakeholders.

The UN Global Compact’s Action Platform for Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions promotes business engagement on SDG 16, including through the SDG 16 Business Framework I Inspiring Transformational Governance. In order to inform the Framework and to explore the themes of peace, justice and strong institutions within a national and regional context, a series of 14 country consultations were held with representatives from business, Global Compact Local Networks, civil society, government and academia in attendance. The following synthesis of these discussions.

The UN Global Compact’s Action Platform for Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions promotes business engagement on SDG 16, including through the SDG 16 Business Framework I Inspiring Transformational Governance. In order to inform the Framework and to explore the themes of peace, justice and strong institutions within a national and regional context, a series of 14 country consultations were held with representatives from business, Global Compact Local Networks, civil society, government and academia in attendance. The following is a compilation of the reports from these workshops.

Executive Summary of the SDG 16 Business Framework: Inspiring Transformational Governance. The Framework provides companies with guidance on strengthening business culture, ethics and performance and supporting public institutions, laws and systems. It sets out the theory of transformational governance and how it is underpinned by the targets and tenets of SDG 16: peace, justice and strong institutions. It presents the what, why and, most importantly, how of transformational governance through guidance and examples for each target of SDG 16.

A new strategy that spells out our ambition to accelerate and scale the global collective impact of business by upholding the Ten Principles and delivering the SDGs through accountable companies and ecosystems that enable change.

Businesses are facing increasing demands from their stakeholders to be more transparent about their practices and exposure to risks related to their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance. Pushing against the trend for more transparency are the costs of data collection, requirements for assurance, exposure to legal jeopardy, and legitimate perceptions of reputational risk. This report navigates this ‘transparency dilemma’, to build a better understanding of the risk/return profile of transparency and thereby help companies to balance competing interests.