From Vision to Action: A Policy Blueprint

Join Us at UNGA80 : Co-Creating Africa’s Next Chapter for the SDGs

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that depression and anxiety cost the global economy over 12 billion working days and US$1 trillion annually in lost productivity. Against this backdrop, stakeholders across sectors are increasingly recognizing the urgent need to prioritize employee wellbeing in the workplace. On July 30, 2025, the Global Compact Network Tanzania together with ImpactAfya Limited partnered with the You366 Corporate Wellness Foundation to host the second edition of the Corporate Wellness Conference in Dares Salaam. Under the theme "Holistic Approach to 366 Productivity," the event brought together over 50 professionals from various sectors to discuss strategies for promoting wellness in the workplace. One of the key highlights of the conference was a dynamic "fireside chat" session featuring Ms. Marsha Macatta-Yambi, the Executive Director of the Global Compact Network Tanzania, and Ms. Bhakti Shah, Managing Director of ImpactAfya Ltd. Together, they shared the origin story of the You 366 Corporate Wellness Foundation, the objectives of the conference and the key insights on the growing need to embed wellness into organizational culture. During the session Ms. Marsha highlighted the growing global awareness around the critical relationship between workplace wellness and productivity. According to her, “Responsible leadership values employees as key assets, recognizing that supporting their physical, mental, emotional, and professional wellbeing boosts productivity, loyalty, and innovation. Evidence highlights this: WHO reports $1 trillion is lost annually due to mental health-related productivity issues; Gallup (2023) links high employee engagement to 21% higher profitability and 41% lower absenteeism; yet, despite 78% of leaders in Deloitte’s 2024 report viewing wellbeing as critical, only 34% believe their organizations are effectively addressing it.” A recurring message at the conference was that in today’s evolving global business landscape, responsible and transformative leadership is not just a desirable trait; it is an essential driver of long-term organizational resilience, inclusive growth, and sustainable development. This is particularly critical in the context of growing demands for Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance, shifting workforce expectations, and mounting environmental and social challenges. Responsible leaders, those who act ethically, are accountable, and prioritize the long-term interests of all stakeholders, which is central to creating thriving workplaces and sustainable business models. The Managing Director, ImpactAfya Limited, Bhakti Shah, emphasized this message, stating that “sustainability is not an add-on; it is embedded in the DNA of responsible leadership. Leaders today are expected to go beyond profit and actively shape a regenerative economy that respects planetary boundaries and uplifts human dignity.” On her part, the Executive Director, Global Compact Network Tanzania, Marsha Macatta-Yambi, emphasised the significant role being played by a youthful workforce spearheading change in the workplace. According to her, “The business landscape is changing. Gen Z and Millennials – who will make up 72% of the global workforce by 2029 (PwC), demand purpose-driven leadership. Investors are increasingly tying capital to ESG performance. Regulators are tightening sustainability disclosures. The message is clear: Responsible leadership is no longer optional.” The conference concluded with impactful keynote addresses from Professor Kaushik Ramaiya (CEO, Shree Hindu Mandal Hospital) and Imelda Lutebinga (Vice Chair, Association of Tanzania Employers).

Roundtable 25 September 2025, 2-4pm, New York City The current rising tariffs also call on the capacity of African countries to produce locally and trade goods and services among themselves. As the AfCFTA gains traction, new opportunities are emerging for Africa. This session will bring together African business leaders, government officials and representatives of African regional institutions attending UNGA to explore how trade, value chains, and investment can build sustainable economies, and how the UN Global Compact’s Africa Strategy can help harness this transformation. Explore the immense potential within regional value chains and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Discover how sustainable business models are creating unprecedented private sector opportunities, even amid global uncertainty. During this informative session, you will be equipped with key insights on: Shared understanding of Africa’s evolving development narrative post-aid Insights and case examples of successful public-private responses to aid reduction Identification of opportunities for investment, innovation, and collaboration under AfCFTA. Africa's transforming from aid-dependent to investment-led, trade-driven growth. This is your invitation to join the continent's dynamic future. For more detailed information on each session, please consult the full agenda here:

In rethinking financing for fragile economies, particularly in Africa and other emerging markets, the United Nations Global Compact hosted a roundtable titled ‘Reframing Risks and Rewards in Fragile Contexts”, at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) in Seville, Spain. The roundtable was held on 2 July, 2025 and brought together stakeholders to seek bold innovative pathways that help address the pressing realities faced by these fragile economies which are often failed by traditional financing models. Chaired by Naomi Nwokolo, Executive Director at UN Global Compact Network Nigeria, the roundtable featured voices for whom fragility is not a theory but a lived reality and professional challenge. Opening remarks were delivered by Sanda Ojiambo, Assistant Secretary-General and CEO/Executive Director of the UN Global Compact. The High-level Executive Roundtable featured a line-up of visionary panellists, including Senator Hope Uzodimma, CON, Executive Governor of Imo State; Patrick Akhidenor, Chief Risk Officer, First Bank of Nigeria Ltd., representing Olusegun Alebiosu MD/CEO FirstBank Group; Teresa Guardans, Co-Founder, Oryx Impact; Krisztina Tora, Managing Director, GSG Impact; and Hassatou Diop N'Sele N’Sele, Vice President/CFO of the African Development Bank, and other impactful speakers joined from the Green Climate Fund, Small Foundation, and Sida. The platform opened opportunities for collaborative action for capital mobilization to support the goal of rethinking finance to serve the most fragile and vulnerable communities. This collaboration from the various stakeholders is critical; governments, the private sector, finance institutions, nonprofits and the local communities must work together if a new model is to be successful and sustainable. Key takeaways from the discussion include: The current financial system isn’t made for the world we’re in – Most existing financing instruments are engineered to minimize risk, rather than to engage with the nuanced and layered complexities of today’s world. Yet fragility, marked by economic shocks, climate disruptions, and geopolitical volatility, is no longer an exception; it is fast becoming the prevailing context across many emerging economies. If the global financial architecture fails to evolve in response to this new reality, it risks reinforcing exclusion. Resilience is a return, not an expense - A recurring theme throughout the dialogue was a bold and necessary challenge to the prevailing perception that resilience-focused investments—whether in climate adaptation, local governance, or peacebuilding—are "too risky," "too slow," or unlikely to yield measurable returns. This outdated view continues to limit the flow of capital to the very places where it is most urgently needed. Africa is not the problem—it’s the solution - There was a collective rejection of the outdated narrative that paints Africa as a charity case. The truth is, Africa is a goldmine of innovation, talent, and leadership. But ideas alone aren’t enough. What is needed is trust, access, and catalytic capital. Youth must move from beneficiaries to financiers of the future - Africa is home to the youngest population in the world, yet youth continue to be overlooked in formal financial systems. Funding models must evolve to reduce barriers for youth-led solutions—not just through grants, but through ownership, equity, and co-creation. Ecosystems are everything - Resilience is not built by capital alone. It takes local infrastructure, technical expertise, smart policy, and a culture of trust. This means that systems change is essential. We must stop looking for silver-bullet interventions and start investing in the enabling environments that allow communities to build, adapt, and thrive. In fragile economies across Africa and the Global South, the stakes are incredibly high, and the system is not built for them. The traditional models of finance that have long governed how and where money moves are proving inadequate in the face of today’s most pressing realities: climate breakdown, political volatility, growing youth unemployment, and widening inequality. Fragility is no longer a footnote in development—it’s a defining context for the next era of global resilience. The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) held from 30 June to 3 July, 2025, in Seville, Spain. It follows the 2002 Monterrey Consensus, the 2008 Doha Declaration and the 2015 Addis Ababa Action Agenda.

The United Nations estimates that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 will require between $3 trillion and $5 trillion annually. In Africa alone, the financing gap is an additional $194 billion each year – about 7% of the continent’s GDP. Against this backdrop, the Global Compact Network Kenya (GCNK), in partnership with the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), FSD Africa Investments (FSDAI) and the East Africa Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (EAVCA), convened relevant stakeholders for a roundtable to foster high-level, impactful conversations around pressing themes, such as accelerating sustainable finance for emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs) through local capital mobilisation and integrated sustainability-related factors. During the high-level roundtable, which took place on July 22nd, 2025, at the Villa Rosa Kempinski in Nairobi, Kenya, attendees resolved that the urgency to accelerate sustainable finance has never been greater, especially against the background of global and regional challenges such as the escalating impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss as well as growing inequality and shrinking international aid. Speaking at the event, the Executive Director of Global Compact Network Kenya (GCNK), Judy Njino, emphasized the role that the private sector and investment community have to play and underscored the importance of unlocking local capital to drive impact at scale. "Only 35 per cent of SDG targets are on track or show moderate progress. Nearly half are moving too slowly or making only marginal progress, while 18 per cent have regressed. The gap between our sustainable development aspirations and financing to meet them has continued to widen. With official development assistance declining and fiscal space constrained, the private sector & investor community have an opportunity to step up as an engine for inclusive & sustainable economic growth. We must ensure that businesses, especially local ones, are ready, aligned, and equipped to absorb this capital," she said. Meanwhile, David Atkin, Chief Executive Officer of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), emphasized that the PRI believes an economically efficient and sustainable global financial system is essential for long-term value creation. As such, a system rewards responsible, long-term investment while delivering lasting benefits to society and the environment. Critical takeaways from the roundtable include; a broad agreement on the need to foster collaboration between businesses, investors, and development actors; the need to shift toward practical, real-world financial solutions that address issues on the ground; and acknowledgement of the growing demand for financial instruments such as green bonds and impact investments that offer competitive returns while directly supporting SDG-related projects.

La deuxième édition du programme Fondements de la Durabilité d’Entreprise (FDE), qui s’est déroulée de mars à juillet 2025, s’est conclue avec succès. Le programme a mis en avant les perspectives africaines en matière de durabilité d’entreprise et a favorisé l’alignement des stratégies commerciales avec les normes mondiales de durabilité. Conçu pour renforcer les capacités des dirigeants d’entreprises africaines et de leurs équipes, le programme a offert des outils pratiques sur l’intégration des principes environnementaux, sociaux et de gouvernance (ESG) dans les opérations et processus décisionnels clés. Entièrement dispensé en français, le programme a proposé six sessions interactives de 2,5 heures chacune, animées par les réseaux locaux du Pacte mondial des Nations Unies en Afrique du Nord, Afrique de l’Ouest, Afrique centrale et Océan Indien. Chaque session mettait en lumière les priorités spécifiques de chaque région, assurant ainsi une contextualisation des meilleures pratiques internationales dans la diversité des environnements économiques africains. Le programme de cette année a couvert six thématiques essentielles pour la durabilité des entreprises sur le continent : la durabilité en tant que levier stratégique en Afrique; les droits humains et le travail décent; l’égalité des genres; l’adaptation des entreprises au changement climatique; le reporting en matière de durabilité; et le suivi des progrès. Ces thématiques traduisent à la fois les priorités mondiales et les enjeux sociaux et environnementaux propres aux entreprises africaines, en encourageant des solutions adaptées qui relient les standards globaux aux réalités locales. Si les normes internationales offrent un cadre fondamental pour guider les pratiques responsables, leur mise en œuvre concrète en Afrique reste un défi. Le Pacte mondial des Nations Unies, en collaboration avec les Réseaux Locaux du Hub régional Afrique et ses partenaires, s’est engagé à combler cet écart en promouvant la sensibilisation, l’apprentissage entre pairs et la mise à disposition d’outils pratiques permettant aux entreprises d’intégrer la durabilité dans leurs opérations. S’adressant à des entreprises de différentes tailles et secteurs, l’édition 2025 du programme FDE a réuni plus de 500 participants issus des quatre sous-régions. En complément des sessions virtuelles organisées via la plateforme UN Global Compact Academy, la sixième et dernière session s’est tenue en présentiel dans cinq pays : Côte d’Ivoire, Île Maurice, Maroc, République Démocratique du Congo et Tunisie. Ces sessions ont été organisées avec le soutien du Ministère de l’Europe et des Affaires étrangères (France), en partenariat avec plusieurs institutions locales dont : Business Mauritius; Association Tunisienne des Investisseurs en Capital (ATIC); Confédération Générale des Entreprises de Côte d’Ivoire (CGECI); Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie Franco-Congolaise; Conseil Bancaire et Financier; Fédération des Entreprises du Congo (FEC); Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie de Côte d’Ivoire; Confédération Générale des Entreprises du Maroc (CGEM). Le programme s’est inscrit dans un contexte mondial marqué par des défis environnementaux et sociaux pressants, allant du changement climatique à la perte de biodiversité, en passant par la pollution, la raréfaction des ressources et les inégalités croissantes. Ces enjeux interconnectés représentent des risques majeurs pour le développement durable à l’échelle mondiale, notamment en Afrique, où leurs impacts sont particulièrement visibles. Les entreprises ont ainsi un rôle clé à jouer pour contribuer à l’atteinte des Objectifs de développement durable (ODD), en adoptant des pratiques responsables créatrices de valeur pour la société et l’environnement. “Cette deuxième édition du programme Fondements de la durabilité d’entreprise a constitué un moment fort de notre engagement collectif en faveur d’une croissance responsable et durable sur le continent africain. Ce qui m’a profondément marqué, c’est la richesse et la diversité des perspectives partagées par les entreprises participantes, des PME locales aux grandes entreprises, toutes guidées par une volonté authentique de faire évoluer leurs pratiques. Au-delà du renforcement des compétences techniques en matière de durabilité, le programme a permis de créer un espace unique d’apprentissage et de dialogue entre les acteurs économiques africains. Grâce à la mobilisation remarquable des Réseaux Locaux du Pacte mondial en Afrique et de nos partenaires institutionnels, nous avons pu proposer un programme à la fois ancré dans les réalités africaines et aligné avec les standards internationaux. Cette initiative démontre que lorsque l’on conjugue expertise locale, collaboration régionale et ambition globale, il devient possible d’accélérer la transition vers des modèles économiques plus inclusifs, plus résilients et plus durables.” Salma Boudina, Lead du Programme FDE . Des programmes tels que le FDE offrent aux entreprises les connaissances, les outils et le réseau nécessaires pour élaborer des stratégies de durabilité efficaces. Le Pacte mondial des Nations Unies continue d’accompagner les entreprises africaines dans leur transition vers des économies plus inclusives, résilientes et durables, en renforçant les capacités locales et en favorisant le dialogue à travers le continent.

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