The Federation of Saudi Chambers signed on Thursday an agreement to host the UN Global Compact Network Saudi Arabia in Riyadh, with direct support from the United Nations Resident Coordinator Office.
The agreement aims to enhance the role of the private sector and the continuity of corporate sustainability efforts to accelerate the alignment of the Saudi Vision 2030 with the 2030 Literacy Plan, within the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Natalie Fustier, the UN resident coordinator in Saudi Arabia, said that the Kingdom was committed to achieving progress in the UN 2030 Agenda and all 17 sustainable development goals.
She stressed the need to further encourage the participation of the private sector, in order to achieve the sustainable development goals in a timely manner.
Fustier added that she was looking forward to making the local network of the Global Compact in Saudi Arabia a model for the region and beyond.
For her part, Maryam Telmesani, chair of the Global Compact Network Saudi Arabia, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Network had already attracted 36 Saudi companies and was seeking to increase the number to 50 companies by the end of 2022.
The UNGC is a non-binding pact to encourage businesses and firms worldwide to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies.
Telmesani added that the establishment of the Global Compact Network in the Kingdom was part of the UN efforts to expand the scope of partnership with the private sector, in order to promote sustainable long-term partnerships aligned with the 2030 Agenda and Vision 2030.
She noted that since 2015, a significant number of companies were able to demonstrate the transformative impact of their technologies, products, services and business models in a measurable manner.
Acting Secretary-General of the Federation of Saudi Chambers Hussein Al-Abdulqader said that the Federation was keen to host the local network of the UNGC, with the aim to enhance and enable the participation of the private sector in implementing the UN Sustainable Development agenda.
He added that the UNGC - the largest voluntary initiative aimed at promoting corporate social responsibility - included more than 12,000 members of businesses and organizations from 170 countries around the world.
