UN Global Compact Network Sri Lanka’s strategic approach catalyses sustainable business solutions

UN Global Compact Network Sri Lanka facilitated corporate speakers and sessions at the regional flagship event ‘Forward Faster Now | Asia & Oceania’ on 05-06 August in Kuala Lumpur. 

Organized by the United Nations Global Compact in collaboration with 15 Global Compact Country Networks and country offices in the Asia & Oceania region, ‘Forward Faster Now | Asia & Oceania as a UN Global Compact regional flagship event took place in Kuala Lumpur, hosted by the UN Global Compact Network Malaysia & Brunei.

The event gathered high-level executives, Government officials, corporate sustainability experts, and practitioners from the Asia & Oceania region. It aimed to drive business ambition on the SDGs, assess regional progress, identify gaps, and highlight scalable solutions tailored to the region’s unique context.

Network Sri Lanka made a significant contribution by facilitating a crucial session titled ‘Food Systems Sustainability: Business Strategies to Future-Proof Food Security.’ The panel discussion explored the complexities of regional food systems and the private sector’s role in addressing these challenges. Distinguished panellists included Sheamalee Wickramasingha, Group Managing Director, CBL Group; James Leyson, Director of Global Impact and Operations, Scholars of Sustenance Foundation; Dr. Jörn Schmidt, Director of Sustainable Aquatic Food Systems, WorldFish; moderated by Olivier Tichit, Director of Sustainability, Musim Mas Group with closing remarks by Ratnesh Jha, Executive Director, UN Global Compact Network India. The Panellists and speakers from Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and India respectfully – delivered diverse expert insights from the region. 

By facilitating the panel discussion, Network Sri Lanka encouraged sustainable food practices, foster industry collaboration, enhance regional food security, amplify sustainable development impact across Asia and Oceania, and highlight the private sector’s role in sustainable food systems.

Network Sri Lanka’s Virtual Open Houses in Sri Lanka are geared for companies yet to become participants of the UN Global Compact. The sessions offer insights into the UN Global Compact’s mission and engagement opportunities along with latest global sustainability trends and explores the business case for corporate sustainability. 

The Open Houses feature a ‘Participant Spotlight,’ where representatives from current Participants share their experiences and the benefits of aligning with the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact to accelerate their sustainability journey. 

Network Sri Lanka invites corporates to join and discover the benefits of participating in the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative, including how to align your corporate strategies and targets with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and gain a competitive edge through sustainability. Companies can also explore programmatic activities, learning opportunities, and connections available to participants. 

The United Nations Global Compact spearheads Accelerators to support companies to adopt the Ten Principles and deeply embed SDG-aligned practices within business operations, advancing corporate action towards the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development.