UN Global Compact launches new strategy to increase engagement in China

Greater engagement with Chinese companies and stakeholders supports the UN Global Compact Global Strategy 2021–2023 which aims 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. It also represents the next step in the UN Global Compact’s ambition to enhance its reach and collaboration with the global South.

Recognizing Chinese companies as important contributors to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and working with national partners through its Liaison Office in China, the UN Global Compact aims to increase its impact by:

●  Engaging key stakeholders in China to maximize their collective impact to achieve the SDGs both in China and globally through thought leadership, policy dialogues, capacity building activities, action-oriented projects, and innovative partnerships.

●  Mobilizing Chinese companies’ collective action and impact in supporting China’s development priorities as reflected in China’s 14th Five-Year Plan (FYP 2021–2025) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2021–2025 for China. 

Specifically, the China strategy identifies seven key areas, covering all Ten Principles of the Global Compact through which the UN Global Compact will maximize its impact: combat climate change; reduce inequalities; advance decent work; take collective action against corruption; engage the private sector through the Belt and Road Initiative to advance 2030 Agenda; strengthen South-South cooperation through China-Africa business collaboration on the SDGs and foster business innovation and SDG partnerships through the Global Development Initiative.

Launching the China strategy at the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit, Sanda Ojiambo, Assistant Secretary-General and CEO of the UN Global Compact said: “The Sustainable Development Goals cannot be achieved without China and the engagement of Chinese companies. As the fastest-growing market for the UN Global Compact in the Asia Pacific region, we have seen a rapidly growing number of companies from China stepping up to address regional and global challenges. We know that China’s development path is closely linked with other countries. With this strategy we have committed to maximizing our impact in China through long-term investment and constructive collaboration with the private sector and key stakeholders. At the UN Global Compact, we stand ready to collaborate and support the Global Development Initiative, helping the private sector to fully align with recognized international norms and standards embedded in the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact.”

His Excellency Ambassador Zhang Jun, Permanent Representative of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations said: "China stands ready to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the UN Global Compact. We look forward to enhanced ambition and actions by its members for the 2030 Agenda. Let’s jointly take actions to make greater contributions to global recovery and sustainable development."

Board member of the UN Global Compact and Vice Chairman of State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council of China, Ren Hongbin, said: “I am happy to witness today’s launch of the UN Global Compact China strategy. It is a clear roadmap, led by Ms Sanda Ojiambo, to support China’s development priorities and mobilize enterprises and stakeholders from China to positively contribute to the world.”

Siddharth Chatterjee, United Nations Resident Coordinator in China noted: “China is a critical market for growth, innovation, and the impact of the UN Global Compact in this Decade of Action. Given China’s spectacular efforts to lift over 750 million people out of absolute poverty over the last four decades, we must consider its unique context when developing new strategies and partnerships towards the achievement of the SDGs in China and redouble our efforts for more South-South cooperation as well as North-South knowledge sharing and partnerships. Success for the Sustainable Development Goals globally is success for all of humanity.”

Notes to Editors 

About the United Nations Global Compact

As a special initiative of the UN Secretary-General, the United Nations 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. Our ambition is to accelerate and scale the global collective impact of business by upholding the Ten Principles and delivering the Sustainable Development Goals through accountable companies and ecosystems that enable change. With more than 15,000 companies and 3,000 non-business signatories based in over 160 countries, and 69 Local Networks, the UN Global Compact is the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative — one Global Compact uniting business for a better world.

For more information, follow @globalcompact on social media and visit our website at unglobalcompact.org.