Africa Regional Hub

We are shaping a sustainable future. You need to be a part of it.

Long-term business success matters - and so do your workers, communities and the planet. The UN Global Compact helps you do business right for all.

The UN Global Compact

The UN Global Compact is the world's largest corporate sustainability initiative, with over 20,000 participating companies, 5 Regional Hubs, 61 Country Networks covering 78 countries. The initiative drives businesses to integrate the Ten Principles in human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption into their core strategies, thus fostering a more sustainable and inclusive global economy.

The Global Compact in Africa

In 2023, the Africa Regional Hub started operations in Abuja, the capital city of Nigeria. The Hub is led by the Africa Head, Dr. Herve Lado.


Its main function is to represent the initiative in the region, encouraging companies throughout Africa to raise their ambitions in terms of sustainability and scale their positive impact through strategic alliances.


The UN Global Compact's first Local Network in Africa started direct operations in Ghana. Now, there are 10 Global Compact's Country Networks and 4 expansion countries, with about 1000 participants in 45 countries in the region.

The Global Compact and the United Nations System

The United Nations Global Compact was launched in 2000 by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan with an explicit mandate to "promote United Nations values ​​and responsible business practices within the United Nations system and among the global business community". 


The Ten Principles of the Global Compact derive from the main Conventions and Declarations of the United Nations, which have been recognized and endorsed in numerous Resolutions of the General Assembly of the United Nations, among which is the biennial resolution "Towards global partnership: a principle-based approach to enhancing cooperation between the United Nations and all relevant partners". The United Nations Global Compact is also referenced in intergovernmental, agreed frameworks that are critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda, such as the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. 

Today, the United Nations Global Compact calls on companies to raise their ambition and scale their positive impact. The initiative is specially prepared to help companies at any stage of their path towards sustainability -from beginners to the most advanced leaders-, which means that we must speak the language of companies, while still representing the values ​​and principles of the United Nations.


The Global Compact is officially chaired by the Secretary General of the United Nations,  António Guterres, in his role as Chairman of the Board. Assistant Secretary General Sanda Ojiambo leads the Global Compact from her role as CEO. 


For more information on how the Global Compact works within the UN system and its governance system, click  here. 

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