Business leaders and the UN Global Compact are urging stronger partnerships to accelerate the Sustainable Development Goals before the 2030 deadline.
Business leaders, policymakers and United Nations (UN) officials have called for stronger collaboration between the public and private sectors to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as concerns grow that the world is falling behind on its 2030 targets.
The call came during the 2026 SDG Business Forum, held alongside the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) in New York earlier this week. The event brought together senior representatives from business, government and civil society to explore how responsible business can help drive sustainable development in an increasingly complex global environment.
Co-convened by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), the UN Global Compact and the International Organisation of Employers (IOE), with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) serving as co-organiser, the Forum focused on how stronger partnerships can accelerate progress on SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), alongside this year’s review of SDGs 6, 7 and 11.
For employers and business leaders, the message was clear: achieving the Sustainable Development Goals will require far greater collaboration, accountability and investment than any single organisation can deliver alone.
ACCELERATING SUSTAINABLE GROWTH
Opening the Forum, Sanda Ojiambo, CEO and Executive Director of the UN Global Compact, joined Umut Shayakhmetova, CEO of Halyk Bank and President of the UN Global Compact Central Asia Network, and Samaila Zubairu, President and CEO of the Africa Finance Corporation, to discuss how responsible business can strengthen resilience, unlock investment and accelerate sustainable growth.
“Business has never been more important to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Around the world, companies are demonstrating that sustainability is not only good for people and the planet, it is fundamental to competitiveness, resilience and long-term value creation,” Ojiambo said. “The challenge now is to scale what works through stronger partnerships, enabling policy environments and greater accountability so that together we can accelerate progress towards the 2030 Agenda.”
The comments reflect a growing consensus that sustainability is no longer simply a corporate responsibility initiative but a strategic business priority. Recent research showed that nine in 10 CEOs believe the business case for sustainability is stronger than ever, with leaders increasingly viewing environmental and social performance as a driver of long-term competitiveness rather than a compliance exercise.
PARTNERSHIPS MATTER MORE THAN EVER
Throughout the Forum, speakers stressed that governments, businesses and international institutions must work more closely together to:
- Mobilise investment
- Strengthen industrial development
- Build resilient infrastructure
- Accelerate innovation
- Support the clean energy transition
- Deliver measurable progress on the SDGs
Discussions also highlighted the importance of enabling policy environments, blended finance and public-private partnerships in closing implementation gaps. These priorities come at a time when many organisations are balancing sustainability investment against other major business priorities, including artificial intelligence, digital transformation and economic uncertainty.
Earlier this week, Fair Play Talks reported on new research showing that 84% of S&P 500 companies now have climate targets, yet the majority are still reporting flat or rising emissions, highlighting the growing gap between sustainability commitments and measurable outcomes.
TECH AND INNOVATION
The Forum featured discussions on how businesses can shape the future of industrialisation through:
- Artificial intelligence
- Clean energy
- Resilient infrastructure
- Global supply chains
- Sustainable manufacturing
Participants also explored how UN Global Compact Country Networks are helping governments implement Action 55(c) of the Pact for the Future, sharing practical examples of business supporting national sustainable development priorities while strengthening accountability.
During the event, the UN Global Compact also launched its new Action 55(c) Insights Brief, developed on behalf of the UN Secretary-General, outlining practical recommendations to strengthen private sector engagement and accountability in implementing UN frameworks.
SUSTAINABILITY A CORE BUSINESS STRATEGY
The Forum reinforced how sustainability has evolved beyond environmental reporting to become an integral part of business strategy. This aligns with previous studies examining how businesses are shaping the sustainability agenda throughout 2026, with organisations increasingly integrating climate action, responsible investment and ESG governance into long-term growth strategies.
Similarly, Fair Play Talks recently reported that nearly every US public company now publishes sustainability or ESG information, demonstrating how corporate transparency has rapidly become standard business practice.
WHY EMPLOYERS SHOULD PAY ATTENTION
For employers, the Forum’s discussions underline that sustainability increasingly affects every part of an organisation—not just ESG teams. Employers are expected to support:
- Workforce upskilling
- Responsible supply chains
- Sustainable procurement
- Innovation
- Carbon reduction
- Transparent reporting
- Cross-sector collaboration
As investors, employees and customers place greater emphasis on responsible business practices, organisations that successfully embed sustainability into everyday operations are likely to strengthen resilience and remain more competitive.
STRONGER COOPERATION NEEDED
A recurring theme throughout the Forum was that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals will require business to play an even larger role over the next five years. With progress towards many of the SDGs remaining off track globally, participants agreed that stronger cooperation between governments, businesses, investors and international organisations will be essential if meaningful progress is to be achieved before the 2030 deadline. The discussions reinforced one central message: Sustainable development cannot be achieved without business.
The 2026 SDG Business Forum highlighted a significant shift in how sustainability is viewed within the global business community. Rather than treating environmental and social responsibility as standalone initiatives, business leaders increasingly see sustainability as central to competitiveness, resilience and long-term value creation.
For employers, the challenge now extends beyond setting ambitious goals. Success will depend on building partnerships, investing in innovation, strengthening accountability and empowering employees to help deliver measurable progress. As the 2030 deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals draws closer, collaboration – not commitment alone – may prove to be the defining factor in whether organisations can turn sustainability ambition into real-world impact.
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