A groundbreaking convergence of visionaries took place as the Chief Executive Officers of Equity Rwanda and MTN Rwanda, along with representatives from Bank of Kigali Group and Rwanda Development Board, united for a pivotal discourse. This rendezvous could signify the inception of the UN Global Compact (UNGC) Advisory Committee, an unprecedented alliance poised to steer Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through and alongside the business community.
The purpose of this gathering was to establish an influential Advisory Committee, a consortium of stakeholders meticulously selected to guide the Country Manager, Africa Head, and the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in launching a UNGC Network in Rwanda. This network is primed to become a dynamic incubator for innovative dialogues, facilitating a tangible integration of the UNGC Ten Principles into the fabric of corporate strategies, operations, and sustainability endeavors. The ultimate aspiration is to propel substantial strides towards realizing the SDGs, fostering enlightenment through shared experiences, and celebrating progress with purpose.
“Today, the Global Compact has more than 18,000 participating companies in 166 countries with 62 Local Networks, including 10 in Africa. In Rwanda, the UN Global Compact currently has only one (1) participant out of nearly 900 in Africa” Herve Lado, the Africa Head of the UN Global Compact said while presenting the initiative to the CEOs.
“We would like to expand the initiative to Rwanda because of its vibrant and dynamic Private Sector. We are witnessing incredible success stories from companies that joined the UN Global Compact and we believe companies in Rwanda can generate a lot of impactful stories as well” he added.
At halfway point to the 2030 Agenda, the Secretary-General’s SDGs Progress Report painted a very alarming picture. The report shows that just 15% of the SDGs targets are on track; nearly 50% are off track and 37% have stalled or have gone in reverse. This sad reality undoubtedly obliges the United Nations, governments, and partners to rethink programming and delivery models.
With the COVID-19 pandemic and other global shocks, actors have learned the hard way, that shifting from funding to financing might be the SGDs’ rescuer. The private sector can help do just that. Its innovative ways of making profits, leading with new technologies, digitalization, and swift actions, make the industry a powerful actor that would bring transformational change in the implementation of each of the SDGs. One of the ways to cement this partnership is the establishment of the Local Network of the United Nations Global Compact.
“The development trends clearly show that the United Nations or public institutions cannot advance SDGs alone. At the heart of this visionary dialogue was recognizing that the traditional boundaries between profit-driven enterprises and global societal progress are becoming increasingly fluid. In this era of transformative change, businesses are poised to become crucial catalysts for positive transformation on a global scale” said Julianna Lindsey, UN Resident Coordinator a.i.
Launched in 2000 by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the United Nations Global Compact, more commonly known as the UNGC, is a call to businesses around the world to align their strategies and operations with Ten universal Principles linked to four core areas: human rights, labour, environment, and anti-corruption, as well as taking action to advance the implementation of the SDGs.
“I propose that you, the business leaders… and we, the United Nations, initiate a global compact of shared values and principles…” the former SG urged the captains of industry.
“As Equity Group, much as we are seen as a bank, we are a development agency. We understand very well that we will only be better if our communities are better” Hannington Namara, CEO of Equity Rwanda said in an exclusive interview with the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator.
Through the Global Compact, the United Nations is working to mobilize a truly global movement of responsible companies that apply the principles of sustainability, not only for the benefit of the community, but also for their own benefit through strengthened access to global supply chains, investment, and trade.
“Looking at the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact, they really related to what we do in our own programmes. We do a lot in promoting human rights and other global goals. Working with the UN Global Compact will greatly accelerate our work in Leaving No One Behind. People’s well-being is the ultimate responsibility of everyone” said Mapula Bodibe, CEO of MTN Rwanda.
UNGC’s Local Networks are made up of participating companies, on a national or multi-country basis, with a legal existence and a board of directors, and they operate independently, in partnership with the UN system, private sector employers’ organizations, and the government. The Networks adapt the global solutions created by the UN Global Compact and, at the same time, they innovate locally according to specific needs of local businesses and opportunities to improve business rules and practices.
