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

As a special initiative of the Secretary General of the United Nations, the UN Global Compact (also sometimes referred to as the Global Compact) is a call for companies around the world to align their operations and strategies with Ten Principles in the areas of human rights, labor rights, environment and anti-corruption.

With more than 17,000 business and 3,000 non-business participants based in more than 160 countries, the UN Global Compact is the world's largest corporate sustainability initiative - a Global Compact uniting business for a better world.

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 Local Networks in 10 countries with about 1000 participants across 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 Susta i nable 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. Deputy 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.

africa@unglobalcompact.org