UN Global Compact Network Sri Lanka champions progress and innovation

The world constantly grapples with unprecedented challenges, from climate change to economic instability, making the need for collective action towards sustainable development more pressing than ever. At the forefront of this mission in Sri Lanka, the United Nations Global Compact Network Sri Lanka (Network Sri Lanka), the Local Network of the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative, advocates for responsible business practices, innovation, and progress.

Network Sri Lanka aligns its efforts with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a blueprint for creating a more sustainable and equitable future. At an event titled ‘Compass 2024’ outlining programmes for 2024 and anticipated outcomes, Rathika de Silva, the Executive Director of Network Sri Lanka, stressed the urgency for companies to take ambitious action, as the majority of businesses do not set bold enough targets to achieve the 2030 agenda.

De Silva reiterates, “We will never stop investing in you (businesses) to do better on governance.” He introduces the ‘Forward Faster’ initiative of the UN Global Compact noting, “To achieve the SDGs by 2030 we need forward thinkers. Those who see the SDGs as a driver of growth, not reputation, who are busy making progress, not just pledges. Forward Faster is here to guide companies on the areas where they can make the biggest, fastest impact for 2030, because sustainable companies give us the best chance of achieving the SDGs but we need ‘you’ to take more ambitious action. The people and planet of tomorrow are relying on the forward thinkers and doers of today.”