UN Global Compact Leaders Summit 2024 Highlights Need for Urgent Action on SDGs

New York, United States of America

The UN Global Compact Leaders Summit 2024 concluded today in New York, after a day of dialogue and action focused on accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Summit gathered almost a thousand leaders from business, government, civil society, and the United Nations to explore strategies for meeting the 2030 Agenda through responsible business practices, innovation, and partnerships.

Throughout the event, attendees engaged in plenary sessions, interactive breakouts, and networking opportunities. Highlights included:

• "The Technology Supercycle and its Promise for our Shared Future" led by Amy Webb, Founder of Future Today Institute, exploring the role of emerging technologies like AI in driving sustainable development.
• "Accelerating Towards 2030" with Don Cheadle, UN Environment Programme Goodwill Ambassador, emphasizing how communities most affected by global challenges must lead the solutions.

• Rights & Bytes: Frontiers of AI and Human Rights, which discussed corporate responsibility in the age of AI.
• The Dos and Don’ts of Sustainable Supply Chains, addressing the best practices for responsible sourcing and environmental stewardship in global supply chains.
• Gender Equality by Design, offering practical tools and strategies for businesses to achieve equity and inclusion goals.
• Corporate Investments for Climate Ambitions, highlighting how companies can align their financial strategies with bold climate actions.

The Leaders Summit also focused on private sector efforts in five key areas outlined by the Forward Faster initiative: gender equality, climate action, living wage, water resilience, finance and investment.

Sanda Ojiambo, CEO and Executive Director of the UN Global Compact, emphasized the transformative potential of private capital in sustainable finance: “Business already partners with government on healthcare, education, and scientific advancement, but now, more than ever, the financial sector must step into a pivotal role. With $200 trillion in global private financial assets, the potential for driving sustainable development is immense. This report underscores that it's not just about identifying the challenges but about creating innovative mechanisms that unlock private investment — particularly in emerging markets where the financing gap is most critical. The work we’re doing, alongside our partners, is setting the foundation for a global shift in capital markets, ensuring that investments drive both financial returns and impactful, long-term value creation for a sustainable future."

A key highlight of the Summit was the announcement of the 2024 SDG Pioneers. These awards recognize a select group of business professionals from around the world who are advancing the SDGs through leadership and innovation within their organizations. The winners were honoured across multiple regions, including Asia-Oceania, Latin America, and Western Europe, with awards given to employees in large multinational companies and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The SDG pioneers are using their influence to drive positive change across industries, from advancing renewable energy solutions to tackling gender inequality and ensuring sustainable production practices.

As the Summit concluded, the call to action for the business community was clear: the private sector must move beyond commitments and take concrete, measurable steps to create lasting global impact.

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