The path to resilience, growth and sustainability by 2030.

UN Global Compact and Accenture present the 12th study of CEOs worldwide.

CEOs face a highly challenging global context, with the vast majority (93%) experiencing 10 or more simultaneous challenges for their businesses and 87% warning that current levels of adversity will limit achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) , according to the largest study of CEOs on sustainability ever conducted by the UN Global Compact and Accenture. While CEOs are increasingly concerned about these headwinds, nearly all (98%) agree that sustainability is central to their role, a sentiment that has grown 15 percentage points in the last 10 years. of the study.

 

The 12th UN Global Compact and Accenture CEO Study is based on the views of more than 2,600 CEOs from 128 countries, 18 industries and more than 130 in-depth interviews, making it the largest sample of senior executives, including the largest group of CEOs from the Global South, since its inception in 2007. In the study, CEOs warn of the impact of converging challenges for business and society, from faltering multilateralism and socioeconomic instability to disruptions of the supply chain and the immediate effects of climate change. 

 

"In a world characterized by conflict, energy shortages, rising inflation and the threat of recession, this year's study shows that CEOs do not believe the world is as resilient to crises as we had hoped. Businesses continue to be hit by multiple adversities and challenges.As a result, on a wide range of issues, from climate change to rising social and economic inequalities, business action is currently falling short of ambition and the pace needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030," said Sanda Ojiambo, Under-Secretary-General, CEO and Executive Director of the United Nations Global Compact.

As these challenges mount, CEOs around the world are pointing to issues traditionally considered outside the business sphere—such as climate change or sociopolitical conflicts—as concerns in driving value and impact for all stakeholders. . With just eight years to go to deliver the SDGs, almost half (43%) of CEOs say their sustainability efforts have been hampered by the geopolitical environment, and that number is even higher for those in developing countries (51%). Examining the net zero targets set by the world's largest companies, Accenture also found that almost all will miss their own targets unless they double the pace of reducing carbon emissions by 2030.

 

However, some CEOs continue to make a big positive impact, bringing value to stakeholders and competitive advantages in their sectors, reshaping the future of sustainable development through innovation and collaboration. Two-thirds of CEOs (66%) say their companies are engaging in long-term strategic partnerships to increase resilience. These leaders are reconfiguring underlying supply chains, reskilling their workforce, reassessing their relationship with natural resources, and reimagining planetary boundaries through technological advances that span physical, digital, and biological solutions.

 

" Failing to deliver on the promise of the SDGs is a real concern but, at the same time, a huge opportunity for companies that reinvent their businesses and harness sustainability as one of the key forces of change in the next decade," said Peter Lacy . , Global Head of Sustainability Services and Chief Responsibility Officer at Accenture. "CEOs are clearly concerned with resilience, but one leader's resilience is another leader's opportunity for growth. New waves of technology investment and breakthrough innovation can bring the SDGs back within reach, but only if leaders turn to sustainability for resilience to help create new markets, products and services that can correct the current trajectory and drive growth in times of disruption ."

 

CEOs also identify a clear need to focus on technology to find solutions that address global challenges and drive growth. Leading CEOs are already integrating sustainability into their companies through launching new sustainability-focused products and services (63%), improving sustainability data collection in their value chains (55%), and investing in sources of renewable energy (49%). Almost half (49%) are transitioning to circular business models, and 40% are increasing R&D funding for sustainable innovation .

 

In their interviews, the CEOs identify key initiatives to increase business resilience, from setting science-based climate goals and investing in the diversity of their workforce to engaging in cross-industry partnerships on technology solutions, improving the visibility of the supply chain and promoting greater biodiversity. In addition, CEOs continue to call for governments to commit to policy changes1 that prioritize long-term measurable goals such as standardized ESG reporting frameworks, a global carbon market, and incentives for sustainable business models.


"Despite the setbacks, there is room for hope. CEOs surveyed increasingly recognize that they can build credibility and brand value by committing to the Ten Principles and Sustainable Development Goals across their operations, not just because it's the right thing to do, but also because it makes business sense," Ojiambo added.

▶ Access the full study here.

Five tools to advance gender equality

By Ber Cohen • March 1, 2023
Gender equality is good for business! It has been shown that having women in leadership positions in companies has a positive effect on financial results. However, the World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report 2022 estimates that it will take women more than 151 years to achieve full economic and participatory empowerment, and 132 years to close the gap. world genre. This is an unacceptable timeline that robs our marketplace of the benefits that gender equity creates in the workplace. On International Women's Month and International Women's Day, from the United Nations Global Compact we encourage you to scale up your work towards gender equality. We share 5 tools that companies can use to accelerate progress for gender equality in the workplace, the market and society: 1. Learning Route on gender equality The Learning Path is intended to help you understand what it means to take action for gender equality. In a fast and entertaining way, it offers you frameworks and tools to gain internal acceptance, add male alliances, set ambitious goals and defend gender equality from activism. At the same time, it includes outstanding success stories from various companies worldwide so that you can learn through examples. The content is virtual, open, free and in Spanish. Share it with your team, vendors, customers, and more! 2. Sign the Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Established by the United Nations Global Compact in partnership with UN Women, the Women's Empowerment Principles (or WEPs) are a set of guidelines for businesses on promoting gender equality and empowerment. empowerment of women. Join more than 7,000 CEOs from the world's most influential companies who have signed WEPs and have committed to promoting gender equality in their companies. Learn more about the implementation of WEPs in Latin America through this cycle of open training sessions in Spanish. 3. Join the meetings of the UN Commission on the Legal and Social Status of Women (March 6 to 17, 2023) Every year, the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CCJSM) organizes a ten-day session where business, academia, governments and civil society come together to discuss critical issues related to gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. This year at the CCJSM meeting, the United Nations Global Compact is convening business leaders from around the world to explore how the private sector can accelerate gender equality and unlock leadership, technological change and innovation to address the biggest challenges in the world. It is not too late to participate. 4. Start your due diligence for gender equality The Women's Empowerment Principles Gap Analysis Tool ( WEP Tool ) helps your company identify strengths, gaps and opportunities to improve its gender equality performance. Developed in consultation with more than 170 companies, it is a free, easy and confidential online tool that will help you evaluate your company's policies and programs and improve your approach to diversity, equity and inclusion. 5. Join the more than 1,400 companies participating in Target Gender Equality Target Gender Equality is an accelerator program of the UN Global Compact that includes capacity building workshops, peer learning and dialogue with experts facilitated in Spanish to promote the implementation of strategies and initiatives for gender equality in companies. Over nine months, this guided training supports the development of ambitious goals for women's representation and leadership in the workplace. It will equip your company with the resources to set its own ambitious and realistic corporate goals for gender equality. More importantly, it will give you a roadmap to meet these goals through actionable plans. * Exclusive program for companies participating in the UN Global Compact.

7 Peruvian companies receive training on human rights.

By Ber Cohen • February 2, 2023
The new Accelerator Program "Business & Human Rights" begins. 

Annual Letter 2023 - CEO UN Global Compact

By Ber Cohen • January 24, 2023
Sanda Ojiambo, Deputy Secretary of the UN, CEO and Executive Director of the Global Compact, makes a clear call to companies at the beginning of 2023: " There are many challenges that we face as 2023 begins. There is no doubt that we live in a fragile and fractured world. The war in Ukraine, the energy and food crisis, climate change, extreme weather events, threats to democracy , the ongoing pandemic, and many other headwinds, including inflation, currency fluctuations, and the risk of recession, hamper our efforts to build a more sustainable world. These are global challenges that we must face together. We must work together to turn the tide back and we can get back on track for progress. The solutions are within everyone's reach if we take advantage of the opportunities that are presented to us to continue contributing to the construction of a more sustainable and inclusive world . " ▶️ Continue reading the annual letter or its translations by clicking here.

COP 27: Climate action comes to the fore.

By Ber Cohen • December 12, 2022
Within the framework of our line of work on climate ambition, from the UN Global Compact, on December 12, 2022, the regional event "COP 27: Climate action takes the lead" was held with more than 140 attendees from all over the world. Latin America. The 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 2022 (COP 27) that took place in November in Sharm-El-Sheikh, Egypt, culminated in a historic agreement that included the creation of a fund for Loss and damage financing for countries particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. In this activity, the implications of the conclusions of the Conference in terms of public policy and for the private sector were addressed by experts from the United Nations system and the UN Global Compact who were present at the work sessions in Egypt. . Likewise, we have the testimony of representatives of two companies in the region who shared with us first-hand their experiences in Sharm-El-Sheikh and how they lived the deliberation sessions. The event was attended by: Natalia Fontanet: Climate Ambition Accelerator Coordinator, UN Global Compact (Argentina) Lucas Ribeiro: Climate Ambition Accelerator Lead, UN Global Compact (Global) María Eugenia Di Paola: Environment and Sustainable Development Coordinator – UNDP (Argentina) Jorge López – Doriga: Global Director of Communication and Sustainability – Grupo Aje (Peru) Juan Fernando Patiño Díez: Project leader Jaguar Connection – ISA (Colombia) Marcelo López: Associate Consultant, UN Global Compact (Argentina) >>> Relive the exclusive event for UN Global Compact participants by clicking here . *Regional virtual event developed in collaboration with the UN Global Compact in Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Central America, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and Paraguay.

The Global Compact presents its business sustainability route in Peru.

By Ber Cohen • May 25, 2022
The world's largest sustainability initiative is committed to integrating climate action and human rights into business strategies.