Business leaders call for stronger partnerships to accelerate sustainable development at 2026 SDG Business Forum

NEW YORK, July 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Business leaders, policymakers, United Nations officials and representatives from civil society came together yesterday at the 2026 SDG Business Forum to highlight the critical role of responsible business in accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and delivering on the Pact for the Future.

Held alongside the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), the SDG Business Forum was 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 UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) serving as co-organizer.

The SDG Business Forum brought together leaders from across sectors to examine how business can help drive sustainable development in an increasingly complex global environment, with a particular focus on SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), alongside this year's HLPF review of SDGs 6, 7 and 11.

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. 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," said Sanda Ojiambo, CEO and Executive Director of the UN Global Compact.

Throughout the Forum, speakers emphasized that delivering sustainable development will require closer collaboration between governments, business and international institutions to mobilize investment, strengthen industrial development, build resilient infrastructure and accelerate innovation. Discussions highlighted the importance of enabling policy environments, blended finance and public-private partnerships in closing implementation gaps and translating commitments into measurable impact.

The Forum featured two substantive discussions. The first explored the role of business in shaping the future of industrialization amid rapid technological change, artificial intelligence, shifting global supply chains and the clean energy transition. The second showcased how UN Global Compact Country Networks are working alongside governments to implement Action 55(c) of the Pact for the Future, demonstrating practical examples of how business can support national sustainable development priorities while strengthening accountability and impact.

During the Forum, the UN Global Compact also launched a new Action 55(c) Insights Brief, developed on behalf of the UN Secretary-General. The publication outlines practical recommendations for strengthening private sector engagement and accountability in implementing UN frameworks and advancing the SDGs. The discussions reinforced the central message that sustainable development cannot be achieved without business.

Notes to Editors

About the United Nations Global Compact
As a special initiative of the United Nations Secretary-General, the UN Global Compact is a call to companies worldwide to align their operations and strategies with Ten Principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. Our vision is clear: to mobilize business to transform sustainability ambition into action at the scale the world demands. With more than 25,000 participants and a presence in over 100 countries through 5 Regional Hubs and more than 70 Country Networks and expansion territories, the UN Global Compact is the world's largest corporate sustainability initiative.

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