NEW YORK, Sept. 30, 2025 — The United Nations Global Compact convened business leaders from Asia and Oceania on the sidelines of UN General Assembly week to accelerate the transformation of sustainability, from compliance to a core driver of strategy and trust.

The Leadership Roundtable convened CEOs, CSOs and senior business leaders from across Asia and Oceania to reflect on how business leadership is evolving in response to today’s social, environmental and economic challenges. Discussions focused on sustainable finance, supply chain transformation, climate resilience and the evolving role of the CSO, and explored regional solutions, cross-sector collaboration and the integration of sustainability into core business strategy.

This initiative supports the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and aligns with the Paris Agreement, reinforcing the role of the private sector in building a resilient, inclusive and sustainable global economy.

Highlights and key outcomes

1. Stronger business case for sustainability
   Participants emphasised the shift from sustainability as a compliance exercise to a strategic business driver. The evolving role of the CSO, integration of ESG into core operations, and the need for stronger governance were recurring themes.
2. Regional leadership and standards
   Participants called for Asia-Pacific to shape its own sustainability frameworks and solutions, recognising the need for regionally appropriate standards and stronger collaboration across public and private sectors.
3. Finance will follow value
   A recurring theme was that “solutions need to make economic sense, then the funding will flow automatically.” Leaders emphasised aligning sustainability with financial performance, including through tools like TNFD, to unlock investment and reduce risk.

“Eighty-eight per cent of CEOs surveyed in the 2025 UN Global Compact CEO Study see a stronger business case for sustainability than five years ago, with technology, geopolitics and societal values identified as key drivers. This roundtable demonstrated the momentum and leadership emerging from Asia and Oceania. Businesses are not only responding to global challenges — they are shaping the solutions,” said Sue Allchurch, Chief of Outreach & Engagement, UN Global Compact.

“From supply chain innovation to regional collaboration, the insights shared at this roundtable show how companies are embedding sustainability into strategy and operations,” said Simiao You, Participant Engagement Senior Manager at the UN Global Compact Office.

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