Each year, global leaders converge in New York for the city’s busiest week of the year: the UN General Assembly’s high-level week. At the same time, New York’s Climate Week takes place. Together, these events place the global spotlight squarely on New York. Here’s what you need to know.  

UNGA80 

This year, the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80) – under the theme Better together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights – comes at a pivotal moment to renew global commitment to multilateralism, solidarity and shared action for people and planet. This year’s high-level week highlights the urgency of delivering on the promise of the Sustainable Development Goals and reinvigorating global cooperation. 

Marking 80 years since the United Nations officially came into existence in October 1945 with the entry into force of the UN Charter, a focus will be on UN system reform to implement meaningful changes that match the needs of our times. This follows on from 2024’s Summit of the Future at UN General Assembly week, which adopted the Pact for the Future, calling on UN system reform.

In March 2025, the Secretary-General launched the UN80 Initiative to transform how the UN works – identifying efficiencies, reviewing how mandates are implemented, and examining potential structural changes and programme realignment within the United Nations system. 

In addition to reform of the UN itself, the Sustainable Development Goals – or the global goals – will also once again be centre stage. 

Sustainable Development Goals  

The UN’s SDG Moment — held every year, as mandated by the 2019 SDG Summit — will focus on the theme Keeping the Promise and will highlight inspiring action on the Sustainable Development Goals. The SDG Moment 2025 marks a critical juncture. With just five years remaining, the urgency to act has never been greater. The SDG moment will highlight progress made at national and multilateral levels and steps we need to take to deliver on the promise of the 2030 Agenda.  

The UN Global Compact’s SDG Investment Forum, an exclusive, invitation-only event, will convene CFOs, institutional investors, and global leaders to explore how finance can drive innovation, manage risk, and create long-term value for both business and society. Through real-world case studies, high-level dialogues, and peer-to-peer exchanges, the Forum will showcase actionable strategies—ranging from green bonds and blended finance to measurable KPIs—that transform ESG commitments into competitive advantage. 

The UN Global Compact celebrates 25 years 

It was then-Secretary General Kofi Annan who proposed at the World Economic Forum in 1999 that the United Nations form a “global compact of shared values and principles” with business to unite for a better world. 

The UN Global Compact (UNGC) is the UN’s bridge to business, translating UN norms into board-ready, market-relevant action. It is the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative. 

In our 25th year of impact, the UN Global Compact unites 20,000+ companies across 160+ countries behind the Ten Principles—an unprecedented platform to turn ambition into credible action at scale, aligning private-sector action with UN priorities at UNGA80. 

At UNGA80, we’re advancing four high-impact areas for collective action:

1. climate & nature (credible net-zero and resilience),
2. decent work & living wages,
3. gender equality, and
4. sustainable finance.

All anchored in the Ten Principles and SDGs. 

To celebrate the occasion during UN General Assembly week, the UN Global Compact is hosting the UN Global Compact Hub, or simply, “the Hub”. For the very first time, participating organisations of the UN Global Compact will have a central business hub to meet, network, take a break, work and connect. Key UN Global Compact events such as the annual full-day Leaders Summit will take place here, focusing on the crucial role that businesses play in progressing the global goals and the UN Global Compact’s Ten Principles.  

The business voice to the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30 & COP31)  

The Climate Summit this year — held during UN General Assembly week —  is the deadline for countries to submit their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) (due every five years under the Paris Agreement). 

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Thursday the country’s commitment to a 62-70% reduction in emissions by 2035 (compared with 2005 levels), against a backdrop of a global emissions reduction target of 68% by 2035 (compared with 2019 levels). Australia’s target was welcomed by the Executive-Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Simon Stiell as a step in the right direction and a strong commitment.  

This follows events we held with UNFCCC Executive-Secretary Stiell in July this year on his visit to Australia, including a launch of the UN Global Compact Network Australia’s Sustainability Reporting Community of Practice – a community which supports Australian businesses to report under the new mandated climate reporting requirements.  

Sustainable Business to the Conference of the Parties (SBCOP) — formed ahead of the UNFCCC 30th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP30) in Brazil this year — creates a formal avenue for businesses to directly feed into the COP agenda. UN Global Compact Network Australia has joined this coalition and is part of the working group on Nature-based working group ahead of COP30. We look forward to learning more from our global colleagues on their experiences preparing businesses for COP30 this year.  

Australia’s bid to host COP31 in November 2026 in Adelaide presents a unique opportunity for Australian businesses to showcase action and opportunity on the global stage. With my colleague Dr Evan Center attending Brazil this year, we look forward to the potential opportunity to shepherd the business voice to COP31 in Australia.  

Australia  

Complementing the various global events, an Australian Net Zero Business Reception will be held by Austrade as part of New York Climate Week. The event will include a guest speaker from Australia’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) and a panel of Australian businesses.  

A new spotlight for marketing and communications professionals 

Over the past two years, the UN Global Compact has been working on a new blueprint for Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) to help guide growth strategy, brand, innovation, communications and partnerships.   

As part of this suite of work, Australian marketing and communications leaders gathered for an exclusive roundtable at the 2024 UNiting Business LIVE Australia conference led by visiting delegate Sue Allchurch, Chief of Outreach and Engagement, UN Global Compact. This roundtable contributed directly to the subsequent UN Global Compact CMO Blueprint for Sustainable Growth, launched at Cannes Lions Festival in France this year.

In New York, the CMO Blueprint for Sustainable Growth – Action Lab will gather senior marketing, sustainability, innovation and brand leaders to take the next step – from inspiration to implementation. We will gain a first look at insights from the CMO Blueprint Benchmark Survey recently undertaken through various regional webinars, learn from real-world case studies and co-create practical solutions.  

In addition to the CMO Blueprint event, the Leaders Summit includes multiple sessions targeted to marketing and communications professionals for the first time.

Flagship business events include:  

• The Private Sector Forum – an exclusive C-suite event held at the United Nations Headquarters, hosted by Secretary-General Antonio Gutterres (invite only)  

• The full-day Leaders Summit at the Hub (sold out), including:  
  • A sold out session on Selling Sustainability – making the business case in uncertain times in which UN Global Compact CEO and Assistant Secretary-General Sanda Ojiambo will be joined on stage by Australian company — and UN Global Compact Network Australia Founding Supporter —  Intrepid Travel’s Chief People and Purpose Officer, Meegan Marshall alongside a stellar line up of speakers. 
  • Sessions targeted to marketing and communications professionals: Sustainable Synergy: How Marketing & Sustainability Teams Can Drive Shared Success and The New Landscape of Sustainability Communications.

• The full-day SDG Investment Forum (invite only)  

• New regional events at the UN Global Compact Hub including our Asia & Oceania roundtable – strategy, policy and impact led by Sue Allchurch, Chief of Outreach and Engagement and featuring Intrepid Travel’s Meegan Marshall alongside high-level leaders from our neighbours across the Asia & Oceania region (observer places available).  
• Bespoke c-suite events including the brand-new Chief Legal Officer Dilemmas Forum & CMO Blueprint for Sustainable Growth – Action Lab (invite only)   
• SBCOP main event with Bloomberg 1pm – 6pm (registration closed)
• Austrade Net Zero Business Reception (register). 

Keep an eye out on the UN Global Compact’s Flickr account for photos.

Photo credit: UN Photo/ Manuel Elias

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