Today LRN joins more than 1,000 Chief Executive Officers from companies in over 100 countries who have demonstrated their support for the United Nations and inclusive multilateralism by signing onto a powerful Statement from Business Leaders for Renewed Global Cooperation.
The Statement has attracted signatures from some of the world’s largest brands along with hundreds of other large, small and medium-sized enterprises participating in the UN Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative.
The statement endorsed by CEOs states: “We, the business peoples, recognize that peace, justice and strong institutions are beneficial to the long-term viability of our organizations and are foundational for upholding the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Now is our opportunity to learn from our collective experiences to realign behind the mission of the UN and steer our world onto a more equitable, inclusive and sustainable path. We are in this together — and we are united in the business of a better world.”
The Statement of support – including the full list of CEO supporters – was presented to UN Secretary-General António Guterres by Sanda Ojiambo, the CEO & Executive Director of the UN Global Compact, at the opening of the Private Sector Forum on the sidelines of the High-level meeting of the General Assembly to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the United Nations.
Dov Seidman, LRN’s Chairman and Founder, presents thoughts on the kind of Courageous Leadership we need as part of today’s event. Under the headline Uniting Business LIVE from 21-23 September, the Private Sector Forum is the first in a series of three events on the sidelines of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly organised by the UN Global Compact to promote principled business and the Sustainable Development Goals.
The CEO Statement also supports the objectives of Sustainable Development Goal 16: to promote peace, justice and strong institutions.
LRN joined the United Nations Global Compact 10 years ago in recognition that LRN and the UN were aligned in our belief that principled behavior is the only long-term, sustainable, and responsible strategy for leading, operating, and governing today. We were emboldened to commit, more specifically in 2019, to support Sustainable Development Goal 16 on Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.
LRN is aligned with other organizations supporting Goal 16 who believe good governance lies at the heart of good business. Together, we believe companies must not only ensure that their own houses are in order through enhanced corporate governance, but businesses must also support enhanced global governance: modeling ethical leadership in their organizations; tackling systemic inequalities and injustices in their supply chains; and partnering with Government, civil society and others to strengthen institutions, laws and systems, nationally and internationally.