How the SME Program Fondements de la Durabilité d’Entreprise (FDE) Is Strengthening ESG Capacity in Francophone Africa’s Private Sector

The capacity of companies in Francophone Africa to integrate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles into their strategies and operations received a significant boost with the successful completion of the second edition of the Fondements de la Durabilité d’Entreprise (FDE)  Program, hosted by the Africa Hub of the UN Global Compact.

Building on strong demand for practical tools, simple methodological approaches, and peer-learning platforms, this second edition responded to the growing need for effective strategies that support the transition toward sustainable business models across French-speaking Africa. Out of the 54 African countries, 21 use French as an official language and represent one third of the African population. FDE represents a growing effort at the Global Compact to extend further the offerings to this audience, in a context where many companies are still at an initial stage of their sustainability journey, hence this foundational content. 

FDE content is built around key sustainability challenges in Africa, starting with a review of the state of sustainability in francophone countries, unpacking the concrete steps to designing a sustainability strategy, and nurturing debates on the implementation of gender equality, adaptation to climate change, enforcement of labour rights and decent work, and closing with progress tracking and sustainability reporting.

The 2025 edition brought together 560 business participants from 19 countries, with a notable presence of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Between March and July 2025, the program delivered six French-language sessions, five of which were held virtually. The final session took place in person across Morocco, Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire, Mauritius, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, creating opportunities for high-quality networking and deeper exchanges on the state of sustainability in Francophone markets. In the course of the program, FDE participants were also offered the opportunity to participate in the live sessions of the Global Compact’s global SME/Supply Chain program SPARK.

FDE leveraged strategic partnerships across the region—including the UN Global Compact Africa Hub; Country Networks in Mauritius, the DRC, Morocco, Côte d’Ivoire, and Tunisia; the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs through Country Network France; and major business associations across North, West, Central Africa and the Indian Ocean. 

Business associations that supported the endorsement of the program by the countries’ private sector communities include Business Mauritius, Conseil Bancaire et Financier de Tunisie (CBFT) and Association Tunisienne des Investisseurs en Capital (ATIC) in Tunisia, Confédération Générale des Entreprises de Côte d’Ivoire (CGECI) and Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie de Côte d’Ivoire in Côte d’Ivoire, Fédération des Entreprises du Congo (FEC) and Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie Franco-Congolaise in the DRC; and Confédération Générale des Entreprises du Maroc (CGEM) in Morocco. These collaborations enabled broad outreach and ensured that program content remained relevant to local realities.

Tangible Impacts and Measurable Progress

The program’s influence was not only widespread but also quantifiable. Key outcomes included:

• Significant increase in ESG knowledge: Participants’ average understanding of ESG principles rose from 5.2/10 to 7.4/10, +42%, indicating strong learning progress.
• Growth in UN Global Compact membership: Four companies joined the initiative by September 2025 as a direct result of their participation—two from Mauritius , one from Côte d’Ivoire and one from Gabon.
• Strengthened corporate ambition and commitments: Many companies expressed intentions to publicly communicate their ESG commitments, set measurable goals, and assess corporate responsibility risks.
• High levels of satisfaction:
• 93% reported being satisfied or very satisfied,
• 96% found the content relevant to their business challenges, and
• 98% would recommend the program to other companies.
• Demand for practical content: Sessions on tracking ESG progress with reporting and designing sustainability strategies received the highest ratings, underscoring participants’ appetite for actionable guidance.

Companies also identified key barriers that continue to slow the adoption of sustainability practices in the region. These include limited financial resources, the absence of user-friendly tools for monitoring ESG performance, and difficulties in prioritizing actions amid competing business pressures. These insights underscore the need for deeper and more tailored support to help organizations move from commitment to implementation.

Building on participant feedback and regional insights, several recommendations emerged to enhance the program’s effectiveness:

• Expand the number of in-person sessions to enrich peer learning and networking, leveraging strong local partnerships for cost-effective delivery.
• Adjust content complexity to accommodate both beginners and advanced practitioners in their ESG journeys.
• Provide hands-on tools for ESG risk assessment, performance tracking, and implementation to help companies move decisively from learning to action.
• Diversify case studies to better represent regional and sectoral contexts, and refine the climate change session to emphasize adaptation strategies relevant to African businesses.

These recommendations genuinely resonate with the Global Compact’s new global Strategy 2025-2030, especially two of its three objectives whereby we want to equip businesses to act and advance the business case. As the demand for ESG integration progresses across Francophone Africa, FDE is emerging as a key catalyst in strengthening corporate capacity and inspiring long-term, meaningful action.