Executive Quarterly Update: Q2 2026

I hope you're enjoying the summer and finding time to recharge. Even as many of you take time to step away, our community has continued building momentum through shared learning, collaboration, and collective action. This past quarter reflects our Network community’s spirit of collaboration, from new programming and resources to deeper connections and convenings.  

As we look ahead to a busy and exciting fall, I wanted to share a few updates on what we've been working on at the UN Global Compact Network USA and what's coming next.

​​​​Programming and practical implementation:

We're launching a new virtual conversation series focused on the issues shaping responsible business today. Our inaugural session, Leaders in Action: Turning Sustainability into Strategic Value, will bring together Ann Tracy, Chief Sustainability Officer at Colgate-Palmolive, and Steven Goldbach, Principal, Sustainability Leader at Deloitte US, for a 45-minute discussion on building the business case for sustainability. I hope you'll be able to join us.

Our core programming continues to support participants as they translate sustainability commitments into business practice. This quarter, 59 companies are participating across the Climate Ambition Accelerator, Business & Human Rights Accelerator, Sustainability Integration Program, and SDG Innovation Accelerator for Young Professionals, leveraging practical tools, guidance, and peer learning to strengthen sustainability strategy, governance, and implementation. In addition, 21 companies are engaging in our Circular Economy and Sustainability Strategy Peer Learning Groups, exchanging insights and best practices while strengthening connections across the Network USA community.

Participant activity and other exciting events:

• We convened participants in Washington, D.C. for discussions on the intersection of sports and sustainability and how smart stewardship of local waterways is vital to the strength of local economies.

• We also joined business leaders at the 1BusinessWorld New York Energy Innovation, examining how sustainability has matured into a core leadership discipline, shaping strategy and long-term value creation across the energy transition. Conversations like these provide valuable insights that help inform our programming and ensure it continues to reflect the priorities and needs of our participants.

Resources and tools to help your work:

• Our new SME Sustainability Roadmap Tool helps small and medium-sized enterprises establish and advance their sustainability journeys. Adapted for US companies and their value chain partners from Network Switzerland & Liechtenstein's SME Guidebook, it includes actionable guidance and a clear starting point for embedding sustainability into business practices.
• Thank you to everyone who participated in our GlobeScan survey on sustainability leadership across North America. Your perspectives will help shape important insights into how businesses are responding to today's challenges and opportunities, and I look forward to sharing the findings with you in the coming weeks.

As we look ahead, I'm especially excited about our Network USA Annual Summit, which will take place on Wednesday, September 24 during the UN General Assembly and NYC Climate Week. We also have a number of other exclusive events that week, including Driving the Future of Climate Action with Lucid Motors, the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit, and an invitation-only rooftop reception for CSOs, hosted in partnership with McPherson Strategies. Keep your eyes peeled as details evolve! As we continue expanding and exploring new opportunities for our community to come together, I look forward to building on the momentum we've created. The strength of Network USA has always been its participants, and I'm excited for what we'll accomplish together in the months ahead.

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Sincerely,

Amanda Gardiner

Executive Director

UN Global Compact Network USA