UN Secretary-General Appoints New Members to UN Global Compact Board

New York, United States of America

UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who serves as Board Chair of the UN Global Compact, today announced Jesper Brodin, CEO, Ingka Group, IKEA will join Solange Ribeiro, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Neoenergia as Vice Chair of the UN Global Compact Board. The UN Global Compact is the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative.

Brodin has extensive experience in leading one of the world's largest and most sustainable retail companies. Under his leadership, Ingka Group has made significant strides in sustainability, focusing on renewable energy, sustainable sourcing, and circular economy initiatives. His commitment to integrating sustainability into the core business strategy aligns with the goals of the UN Global Compact, making him a valuable asset to the Board.

The Secretary-General also appointed five new members to the UN Global Compact Board:

Ester Baiget, CEO, Novonesis; Blanca Trevino, CEO, Softtek; Leila Fourie, CEO, Johannesburg Stock Exchange; Luc Triangle, General-Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation, Francois Valerian, Chair, Transparency International have been appointed to serve for a three-year term, effective immediately. In addition, Cristina Sanchez, Executive Director of the Global Compact Spain Network, has been appointed to serve for a two-year term, effective immediately.

"The appointment of these new Board members marks a continuation of our work to drive corporate sustainability worldwide. Their diverse expertise and leadership will be instrumental in addressing the pressing challenges we face today. Together, we will ensure that businesses adopt and champion the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact, which are vital to fostering a sustainable future for our planet and its people," said Sanda Ojiambo, CEO & Executive Director of the UN Global Compact.  

As a special initiative of the UN Secretary-General, the UN Global Compact is a call to companies everywhere to align their operations and strategies with Ten Principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. The UN Global Compact challenges businesses to take concrete actions to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The UN Global Compact Board plays an important role in shaping the strategy and policy of the initiative, which acts as the UN flagship for responsible business action. Designed as a multi-stakeholder body, the Board provides ongoing strategic and policy advice for the initiative. Board members are considered champions who are willing and able to advance the mission of the UN Global Compact. They act in a personal, honorary and unpaid capacity.

For the current list of board members please refer to: www.unglobalcompact.org/about/governance/board/members

Notes to Editors

About the United Nations Global Compact

The ambition of the UN Global Compact is to accelerate and scale the global collective impact of business by upholding the Ten Principles and delivering the SDGs through accountable companies and ecosystems that enable change. With more than 20,000 participating companies, 5 Regional Hubs, 62 Country Networks covering 78 countries and 14 Country Managers establishing Networks in 20 other countries, the UN Global Compact is the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative — one Global Compact uniting business for a better world.

Contact

media@unglobalcompact.org

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