UN Global Compact Marks 25 Years of Advancing Business Sustainability, Private-Sector Competitiveness and Recognizes Ten Principles Pioneers
The United Nations Global Compact Network Egypt (UNGCNE) celebrated the 25th Anniversary of the United Nations Global Compact’s global launch by former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The occasion also celebrated more than two decades of local impact in Egypt, reaffirming the Network’s role in as the country’s largest national platform advancing responsible business practices and strengthening the foundations of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Since 2004, the Network has served as Egypt’s national sustainability hub, embedding the United Nations Global Compact’s Ten Principles into institutional business practices by delivering execution focused solutions and leading accelerators across climate ambition, integrity, women’s empowerment, and business and human rights. These efforts enable companies to translate ethical commitments into practical actions and measurable outcomes, while strengthening policy dialogue and advocacy for legislative reform and the provision of recommendations to regulatory authorities, positioning Egypt at the forefront of sustainable business leadership in Africa and the Middle East. The event highlighted the diverse portfolio of programs and strategic initiatives led by UNGCNE, including policy advocacy, capacity-building efforts, women’s and youth empowerment, anti-corruption initiatives, and the Network’s Annual Regional Forum.
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The high-level event brought together a distinguished group of senior executives from Egypt’s private sector, representatives of the United Nations system, as well as partners and leaders from key national institutions. The celebration also featured the introduction of the Network’s newly appointed Board of Directors, chaired by Mr. Ayman Ismail, who outlined the Egyptian Network’s vision and five-year strategy. The strategy is built around three core pillars: (Equip and Mobilize), which focuses on advancing collective action and empowering multi-stakeholder solutions to address high-impact national priorities, (Drive Transformative Sustainability Impact), demonstrating how responsible business practices enhance competitiveness, build trust, and improve access to markets and finance, and (Advance the Business Case).
The event included keynote addresses by H.E. Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin, UN Special Envoy on Financing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, who highlighted the importance of turning ambition into actionable and financeable pathways amid complex global constraints and challenges. He urged the private sector to prioritize the partnerships that support sustainable development and collective action to address the challenges and risks of climate change, stressing the importance of embedding the United Nations Global Compact’s Ten Principles, particularly good governance, to ensure continuity and growth.
Ms. Elena Panova, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Egypt, highlighted that the role of the private sector goes beyond being a stakeholder to becoming an implementation partner, underscoring the importance of coordinated partnerships and collective action to scale impact and translate commitments into measurable results.
The ceremony also featured a special recognition of a group of Egyptian companies that pioneered the adoption of the United Nations Global Compact’s Ten Principles, in appreciation of their early and sustained leadership in embedding integrity, responsibility, and governance in the Egyptian market. The honored companies included the Egyptian Transport and Commercial Services Company NOSCO (EGYTRANS NOSCO), with the award received by Eng. Abir Leheta, Chief Executive Officer, SEKEM Group, with the award received by Mr. Helmy Abouleish, Chief Executive Officer, as well as e& Egypt, Raya Holding, and the Arab African International Bank (AAIB). This recognition underscores that early leadership is not merely a ceremonial milestone but a strategic asset that builds trust, strengthens credibility, supports partnerships, and opens broader pathways for investment attraction.
Commenting on this journey, Mr. Ayman Ismail, Chairman of the Board of Directors of UNGCNE, said: “Egypt’s next chapter is built on competitiveness, and responsible business sits at its core. Our new strategy aims to support companies in moving from commitment to execution, and from execution to scaled impact, through the power of aggregation, collective action and institutional dialogue.”
Ms. Walaa El-Husseiny, Country Director of UNGCNE, added: “The 25th Anniversary is not only a celebration, but a call to accelerate execution and deliver measurable outcomes. UNGCNE’s role is to stand alongside the private sector to prepare for what lies ahead by strengthening governance, building capabilities and enhancing credibility across operations and value chains.”
She added: “Joining the Global Compact is not merely an ethical commitment, but a direct strategic investment in the reputation of Egyptian companies. It unlocks access to green finance and international partnerships. Our goal is to facilitate the evolution of an institutional culture centered on sustainability, empower the private sector to be a genuine partner in Egypt’s Vision 2030, and ensure that Egyptian companies are future ready, not only by meeting standards, but by leading innovation in responsible business practices that create lasting local and global impact.”
Globally, the United Nations Global Compact includes more than 25,000 companies and organizations from 167 countries, making it the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative. In Egypt, the Network comprises around 117 members from major corporations as well as small and medium enterprises, serving as a strategic bridge that connects the Egyptian private sector to global standards. Its mission centers on enabling businesses to develop sustainable models, and strengthening national capabilities in designing and monitoring responsible and sustainable policies based on the values of excellence, innovation, integrity, and professionalism, directly enhancing the international ratings of Egyptian companies with agencies such as S&P, MSCI, and Bloomberg, all of which use the United Nations Compact’s principles as key references for the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance assessment.
Since its establishment as an independent entity in 2022, UNGCNE has continued to foster dialogue among the private sector, government, and civil society, ensuring that business align with global frameworks such as the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). In its next phase, the Network aims to deepen the Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) participation, strengthen Egypt’s role as a regional leader in the green economy, and enhance the competitiveness of Egyptian exports by ensuring their readiness and alignment with global sustainability requirements and standards, including the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and European disclosure requirements. The Network will also continue to lead national initiatives that promote and localize a culture of sustainability within Egyptian society and forge strategic partnerships that serve the objectives of the United Nations Global Compact, thereby contributing to the development of a resilient economy capable of addressing global development challenges.
