UN Global Compact Network Lebanon Concludes the 5th Edition of the SDG Brain Lab, Advancing Youth Leadership for Sustainability and Just Transition

Beirut, Lebanon — 24 June, 2026 — Under the patronage of Her Excellency Dr Nora Bayrakdarian, Minister of Youth and Sports, UN Global Compact Network Lebanon concluded the 5th edition of the SDG Brain Lab, a youth-focused sustainability programme designed to equip young people with the knowledge, skills and networks needed to contribute to sustainable development, social entrepreneurship and responsible business action in Lebanon. 

The closing ceremony brought together youth participants, university representatives, private sector partners, sustainability experts and ecosystem actors to celebrate a year-long learning journey centred on sustainability, innovation and Just Transition. The event also welcomed the participation of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, represented by Ms Rita Rizk on behalf of H.E. Nora Bayrakdarian, Minister of Youth and Sports, reflecting the importance of empowering youth as key contributors to Lebanon’s sustainable future.

This year’s edition reached more than 400 young people, bringing the programme’s overall impact to more than 2,700 youth across 13 partner universities and beyond. The programme also supported the development of six group projects addressing real sustainability challenges proposed by three partner companies: Fair Trade, Hotel-Dieu de France and IPT.

Throughout the academic year, participants explored the three pillars of sustainability, with a particular focus on Just Transition, while receiving guidance on social entrepreneurship, innovation and solution ideation. They worked closely with partner companies to understand real business challenges and propose practical, youth-led solutions related to organic waste, dining experience, carbon emissions reduction, customer awareness, youth engagement in agriculture and entrepreneurship, and the promotion of local brands.

“This fifth edition had the most engaging cohort we hosted in five years,” said Alaa Karanouh, Community Impact Manager, highlighting that the ceremony marked “the end, or rather the beginning, of the participants’ sustainability journey.” She also commended the commitment of the BrainLabbers and their continued interest in sustainability and social entrepreneurship, while thanking the partners and supporters who contributed to upskilling youth for job readiness and sustainability awareness. 

The ceremony featured student pitches, company feedback, and a panel discussion titled “Cross-sector Collaboration for Sustainability Leaders in Lebanon”, moderated by Dr Ursula Al Hage, Director of the Career Services and Entrepreneurship Center at Université Saint-Joseph. The panel brought together representatives from the private sector, academia, youth and UN Global Compact Network Lebanon to reflect on the role of cross-sector collaboration in preparing young people for the sustainability skills required by the labour market.

UN Global Compact Network Lebanon also extended its appreciation to Dr Carla Saba from Berytech and Dr Ursula Al Hage from USJ for their continuous support throughout the year and their valuable contribution to strengthening participants’ understanding of social entrepreneurship, innovation and solution development.

A central highlight of the ceremony was the nomination of 23 new Ambassadors of Change for the 2026–2027 academic year. Selected for their commitment, leadership and motivation to drive positive change, the new Ambassadors will carry a one-year mandate to raise awareness on sustainability within their universities and communities. With this new cohort, the SDG Brain Lab Ambassador network now includes 91 youth leaders across editions.

The SDG Brain Lab continues to demonstrate the value of bringing youth, academia and the private sector together around shared sustainability priorities. By connecting young talent with real business challenges and opportunities, the programme contributes to building a new generation of sustainability leaders equipped to support Lebanon’s transition towards a more inclusive, resilient and sustainable future.

 

About UN Global Compact Network Lebanon
UN Global Compact Network Lebanon is the local chapter of the United Nations Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative. The Network works with companies and stakeholders in Lebanon to advance responsible business practices aligned with the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact and the Sustainable Development Goals.

About the SDG Brain Lab
The SDG Brain Lab is a youth sustainability programme by UN Global Compact Network Lebanon that equips young people aged 18 to 24 with knowledge and practical tools in sustainability, social entrepreneurship and innovation, while connecting them with companies, universities and ecosystem actors to develop solutions to real sustainability challenges.

Lebanese Industry for a Sustainable Future: Navigating Global Standards and Reporting Frameworks for Export Readiness

Beirut, 26 February 2026. On 24 February 2026, under the patronage of H.E. Eng. Joe Issa-El-Khoury, Minister of Industry, and with the support of Matelec, the United Nations Global Compact Network Lebanon (UNGC Lebanon) convened senior government representatives, international partners and private sector leaders at Beirut Digital District to examine how evolving sustainability standards and reporting frameworks are reshaping industrial competitiveness in Lebanon. 

The event brought together the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Economy and Trade, the Delegation of the European Union to Lebanon, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Lebanese Standards Institution (LIBNOR), representatives of industrial associations and sectoral business networks, as well as leading Lebanese manufacturing companies and technical experts.

The dialogue took place against a backdrop of measurable changes in global trade architecture. Environmental performance, product standards, packaging requirements and transparency systems are no longer peripheral considerations. They are now embedded in customs procedures, procurement frameworks, supply chain governance and financing decisions. For industrial actors, these developments influence export access, operational efficiency, risk management and long-term market positioning alike.

In his opening remarks, H.E. Eng. Joe Issa-El-Khoury, Minister of Industry, stated that global markets are “being structurally redesigned […] not through tariffs […] but through standards,” and stressed that sustainability has become “a condition for market access.” He emphasised that Monitoring, Reporting and Verification systems are no longer administrative exercises but industrial requirements, enabling companies to quantify emissions, trace materials and safeguard export access. Confirming that sustainability is embedded as a key pillar of the Ministry’s forthcoming national industrial strategy, he concluded: “We do not see standards as barriers. We see them as bridges […] bridges to markets, bridges to investment, bridges to long-term partnerships.”

Mrs. Alessandra Viezzer, Head of Cooperation of the Delegation of the European Union to Lebanon, addressed the evolving European regulatory landscape and its implications for trade relations between Lebanon and the European Union. Recalling that the European Union remains Lebanon’s largest trading partner and that preferential access has long been provided under the EU-Lebanon Association Agreement, she stressed that “market access today depends not only on price and quality. It depends on compliance.”

She acknowledged that European standards are high and are designed to protect consumers and the environment, and encouraged companies to engage constructively with regulatory requirements to expand their export potential. Highlighting renewed engagement, she referred to the relaunch of the EU-Lebanon Joint Working Group on Trade and Investment, the first meeting since 2019, describing it as signalling “renewed and intensified trade dialogue” focused on practical areas including CBAM, rules of origin and sanitary and phytosanitary measures.

An expert intervention by Dr. Nadim Farajalla, Chief Sustainability Officer at the Lebanese American University, provided the broader analytical framing. He outlined how sustainability governance has moved into the core architecture of global trade and finance, highlighting the convergence between climate frameworks, corporate disclosure systems and trade-related requirements. Companies today must navigate overlapping expectations from regulators, buyers and financial institutions, making coherent internal systems essential rather than optional.

Expanding on this governance dimension, Dr. Dima Jamali, Chairperson of the UNGC Lebanon, highlighted the role of the United Nations Global Compact Communication on Progress in strengthening corporate accountability. She emphasised that structured and comparable disclosure enhances transparency and aligns Lebanese companies with internationally recognised sustainability standards.

Building on this institutional perspective, Ms. Deenah Fakhoury, Executive Director of the UNGC Lebanon, focused on the operational implications for companies. She stressed that sustainability and structured reporting are not reputational exercises but strategic management tools. “It is good for business,” she stated, underscoring that companies that invest in robust data systems and transparent reporting strengthen competitiveness, reduce risk and improve efficiency in both domestic and international markets. 

The discussion then turned to concrete developments shaping market conditions, including the European Union Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, sustainable packaging standards and Extended Producer Responsibility approaches that increasingly influence product eligibility and documentation expectations. Legal and technical perspectives clarified that these requirements operate through regulation, standards, contractual clauses and verification processes, with commercial consequences often materialising through procurement decisions and buyer assessments.

A central theme of the dialogue was the role of Monitoring, Reporting and Verification systems in translating requirements into credible evidence. Panellists emphasised that structured data management and consistent methodologies reduce uncertainty, improve internal decision-making and strengthen confidence among buyers and financial institutions. Fragmented approaches, by contrast, increase cost and operational risk.

Panel I – Sustainability Standards, Regulations and Export Markets: From left to right: Hasmig Dantziguian Khoury, PrincipLed; Cyril Dewaleyne, Delegation of the European Union to Lebanon; Soha Atallah, World Packaging Organization and United Nations Industrial Development Organization; Antoine Kallab, Ministry of Industry and American University of Beirut; Céline Karam, Rifai & Souchet; Pierre Haddad, Matelec

Against this backdrop, Dr. Rima Younes, Advisor to the Minister of Economy and Trade, presented the recently launched National Trade Help Desk, a joint initiative of the Ministry of Economy and Trade and the United Nations Development Programme, supported by Canada. She outlined how the platform centralises access to export requirements, trade procedures and international standards, while providing tailored guidance to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. The initiative forms part of broader efforts to strengthen institutional support for Lebanese businesses navigating evolving market conditions.

Panel II – From Requirements to Evidence: Monitoring, Reporting and Verification for Export Readiness: From left to right: Nathaly Khoury, Sustainability and Circular Economy Consultant; Lea Kai, United Nations Development Programme and Ministry of Environment; Rosy Hajj, Lebanese Standards Institution; Rawad Massoud, V4 Advisors; Joanne Sarraf Chehab, Malia Group and Jean & Charlotte Sarraf Foundation.

Throughout the dialogue, participants acknowledged that while the immediate impact of specific regulations may vary across sectors, the broader direction of travel in global markets is clear. Documentation quality, traceability and credible evidence increasingly influence commercial outcomes. Competitiveness is therefore defined not only by price and product quality, but also by operational discipline, transparency and the ability to demonstrate performance in a reliable and structured manner.

In closing, the UNGC Lebanon reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Lebanese industry in aligning with evolving global standards through targeted technical interventions, capacity-building initiatives and sustained multi-stakeholder engagement. The strong participation of industrial associations and private sector actors reflected a shared recognition that systematic adaptation is essential to safeguarding competitiveness and resilience in a rapidly evolving economic environment.

 

 

 

Lebanon Advances Gender Equality Through Inclusive Business Action

UN Global Compact Network Lebanon concludes the 2025 Peer Learning Group on Gender Equality, powered by The Coral Oil Company Limited and i engineering SAL

Beirut, October 3, 2025 – The United Nations Global Compact Network Lebanon (UNGCNL) successfully concluded the 2025 edition of the Peer Learning Group on Gender Equality, a three-day program uniting more than 90 representatives from Lebanon’s private sector, ministries, academia and UN agencies.
Held under the theme “Allyship Is Gender Inclusive,” and powered by Coral and i engineering SAL, the series offered a unique platform for cross-sector dialogue on how businesses can embed gender equality and inclusivity at every level.

The program, running October 1-3, 2025, aimed to equip companies with the tools, data and peer support necessary to move beyond traditional gender approaches toward inclusive, equitable workplaces. It builds on the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) and the Forward Faster initiative, aligning corporate action with the Sustainable Development Goals.

From Business Commitment to Collective Action

The first two virtual sessions laid the groundwork for collective reflection and accountability.

Reflecting on the opening day, Dr Dima Jamali, President of the Board of the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon, stated:

“We are all passionate about this topic, gender equality, which is not only relevant here in Lebanon, but globally important. If we look at Lebanon, there has been incremental progress in representation, but the private sector still has much more work to do.”

Day 1, Understanding the Business Case for Gender Equality in Lebanon, explored how diversity and inclusion strengthen competitiveness, innovation and talent retention. Day 2, From Policy to Practice: Embedding Gender Equality at Every Level, translated commitment into action by examining legal frameworks, internal governance and data-driven accountability mechanisms.

Speaking on behalf of Coral, Ms. Aline Khalil, Human Resources Director, affirmed:

“As HR Director at Coral, I can’t see gender equality as a CSR initiative or a side project – it is embedded in our strategy, in how we hire, promote, develop and lead. We believe in equal opportunity, equal pay, and advancement based on merit. At Coral, we don’t just talk – we walk the talk.”

These early discussions set the stage for a national, in-person consultation on October 3 – a turning point from principle to policy.

Day 3 | Stakeholder Consultation: Allyship Is Gender Inclusive

The final day of the Peer Learning Group culminated in an in-person Stakeholder Consultation at Beirut Digital District, bringing together leading voices from the public and private sectors to align national priorities with international standards on gender inclusion. The session marked a decisive transition from reflection to action, consolidating the collective learning of the previous workshops into a shared vision for gender-inclusive growth in Lebanon.

The consultation opened with remarks from Dr. Dima Jamali, President of the Board, UN Global Compact Network Lebanon; Ms. Valerie Khater, Marketing and Communications Director at Coral; Ms. Anita Lebiar, Regional Head of Middle East and Eastern Europe at UN Global Compact, and Ms. Deenah Fakhoury, Executive Director of UNGCNL. Each speaker highlighted the role of the private sector in shaping inclusive economies, emphasizing that gender equality is not merely a social responsibility but a cornerstone of sustainable competitiveness.

Delivering the keynote address, Her Excellency Haneen Sayed, Minister of Social Affairs, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to advancing gender-inclusive social policies and building an enabling environment where both women and men can participate fully and equitably in economic life. She underscored that inclusion must be woven into national recovery and labor frameworks as a prerequisite for resilience and growth.

Ms. May Makhzoumi, Board Member of the National Commission for Lebanese Women (NCLW) and President of the Makhzoumi Foundation, highlighted national efforts to advance women’s economic empowerment through legislative and institutional reform. She presented the NCLW’s ongoing work under the National Strategy for Women in Lebanon 2022–2030 and its National Action Plan (2024–2026), which prioritize economic empowerment, leadership, and legislative reform. 

Representing the United Nations system, Ms. Gielan Elmessiri, UN Women Representative in Lebanon, outlined the organization’s roadmap for bridging global standards with national priorities. She reaffirmed UN Women’s commitment to supporting Lebanese companies through data, technical guidance, and partnership models that advance inclusive economic participation and women’s leadership across sectors

The morning proceeded with a Fireside Chat on “Allyship in Action”, moderated by Ms. Hasmig Dantziguian Khoury, Sustainability Consultant and Founder of PrincipLed. The discussion brought together Ms. Nada Abi Saleh, Head of Leo Burnett Beirut, and Mr. Nassib Nasr, General Director of Hôtel-Dieu de France and its hospital network (USJ-HDF). Speakers examined how communication, leadership, and workplace culture can challenge bias, redefine gender norms, and embed allyship as a strategic organizational value. 

Building on the keynote and dialogue, participants engaged in five thematic roundtables addressing critical dimensions of workplace inclusion: Gender-Inclusive Workplaces, facilitated by Ms. Stephanie Bou Chalha (ABAAD); Wellbeing and Allyship, led by Ms. Christine Francis (VIVITI Coaching & LLWB); Financial Equity Across Genders, guided by Ms. Hasmig Dantziguian Khoury (PrincipLed); Deconstructing Job Stereotypes, moderated by Dr. Ursula El Hage (USJ); and Governance & Leadership: From Representation to Power, chaired by Mr. Badri El Meouchi (ESA Business School).

A Shared Commitment to Inclusive Growth

Reflecting on the outcomes, Ms. Deenah Fakhoury, Executive Director of UNGCNL, stated:

“We must reach beyond the circle of like-minded people. Real progress happens when every sector and every company take ownership of equality as part of their business strategies.”

Throughout the three-day program, participants reaffirmed that gender equality is not only a moral and social imperative but a strategic driver of innovation, talent retention and national competitiveness.

The discussions and roundtable insights will directly feed into UN Global Compact Network Lebanon’s upcoming White Paper on Gender Equality, setting out actionable recommendations for the government, private sector, and civil society to accelerate Lebanon’s progress toward the SDGs and reinforcing the private sector’s role as both partner and pioneer in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 5 – Gender Equality.

Businesses Across the Arab Region Commit to Advancing Disability-Inclusive Workplaces

ESCWA, UN Global Compact Network Lebanon, and shareQ’s ProAbled Programme Host Regional and National Trainings to Drive Inclusive Employment

Beirut, 24 September 2025 — Persons with disabilities in the Arab region continue to face disproportionately low employment rates despite the existence of national legislation and policies that safeguard their rights. Persistent attitudinal, organizational, and accessibility barriers hinder their full participation in the labour market and limit their economic empowerment.

To address these challenges and promote inclusive business practices, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), in partnership with the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon (UNGCNL) and the ProAbled programme of the NGO shareQ, held two specialized capacity-building trainings under the theme “Disability-Inclusive Workplaces: Training on Commitments and Guidelines.”

The initiative included a regional online training on 23 September 2025 targeting companies and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from across the Arab region, and a national in-person session on 24 September 2025 at the UN House in Beirut, gathering representatives from Lebanese companies committed to translating inclusion into practice.

Building Capacity for Inclusive Employment

The trainings aimed to equip participating businesses with the tools, knowledge, and mindset needed to establish inclusive and accessible workplaces. Through interactive sessions, companies explored key topics such as:

• Understanding disability models and inclusive communication;
• Developing inclusive hiring, onboarding, and accessibility practices;
• Institutionalizing disability-inclusive policies; and
• Designing innovative strategies that promote equitable employment opportunities.

The regional session also introduced participants to ESCWA’s Guide on the Inclusion of Disability in the Workplace, the Arab Inclusive Entrepreneurship and Employment Compact (AIEEC) — a voluntary commitment framework for inclusive employment — and digital tools such as Jusour and DEPAR, which support job matching and entrepreneurial ventures for persons with disabilities.

From Awareness to Action

The in-person training in Beirut deepened the discussion through experiential exercises, co-design workshops, and group reflections. Participants worked collaboratively to identify next steps for implementing inclusive hiring processes, accessibility audits, and internal company policies that promote equality and dignity for all employees.

Both sessions emphasized that inclusion is not a matter of compliance alone but a driver of innovation, competitiveness, and social impact. By committing to the principles of the AIEEC, companies across the Arab region are contributing to a regional roadmap for the economic empowerment of persons with disabilities, set to be launched in 2026.

A Collaborative Regional Effort

The initiative builds on ESCWA’s ongoing work to promote the economic inclusion of persons with disabilities and aligns with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).
It also reinforces UNGCNL’s broader commitment to mobilizing the private sector around the UN Global Compact’s Ten Principles and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in corporate practices across Lebanon and the wider Arab region.

Lebanon Charts Path Towards a Just and Climate-Resilient Transition
Peer Learning Group on Just Transition convenes national and international stakeholders to co-create a roadmap for inclusive climate action

Beirut, 12 September 2025 — The United Nations Global Compact Network Lebanon, with the support of IPT Group Holding and in collaboration with the American University of Beirut (AUB), successfully concluded a three-day Peer Learning Group (PLG) on Just Transition. The programme brought together leaders from business, government, academia, civil society, and development agencies to explore practical pathways for advancing Lebanon’s transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient, and socially inclusive economy.

The consultations culminated in an in-person dialogue at the Issam Fares Institute, AUB, on 12 September, where stakeholders co-created recommendations for a national Just Transition Roadmap. These outcomes will feed into a stakeholder-informed White Paper to support Lebanon’s planning frameworks and signal greater private sector leadership in long-term climate strategies.

“Lebanon must ensure that vulnerable groups, workers, and communities are not left behind, while enabling businesses to innovate and thrive.” affirmed Dr. Dima Jamali, President of the Board of United Nations Global Compact. 

Echoing this call, Dr. Toni Issa, Chief Executive Officer and Vice Chairman of IPT Group Holding, stressed the essential role of government in driving systemic change. “Strengthening the role of ministries and public institutions. Encouraging them to adopt sustainability and climate principles. Not only to properly align with global priorities, but also because every area of private sector activity is directly or indirectly tied.” he said.

Over three days, the Peer Learning Group provided a comprehensive journey from principles to practice. It began by situating global just transition frameworks within Lebanon’s national context, with insights from the International Labour Organization, UNDP, and regional experts that shed light on the country’s climate vulnerabilities, economic fragility, and social inequalities. 

Building on this, panels explored business enablers such as green finance, water governance, workforce upskilling, and circular innovation, highlighting how the private sector can serve as a driver of resilience and competitiveness. Senior public officials Dr. Chadi Mohanna, Ms. Suzy Hoayek, Mr. Pierre Khoury, Dr. Nasser Yassin, and Mr. Jad Zgheib then outlined national priorities across Food Systems and Agriculture, Water Resilience and Resource Efficiency, Renewable Energy and Energy Equity, Waste Management and Circular Economy, and SME Finance, Inclusion and Economic Equity, identifying clear entry points for business alignment. 

Keynote interventions underscored both urgency and opportunity. Dr. Ammar Olabi, Dean of FAFS at AUB, stressed the role of research, skills, and innovation in strengthening resilience. Mr. Imran Riza, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon, linked Lebanon’s efforts to global frameworks and regional cooperation. Representing IPT Group, Ms. Alexa Maria El Hed reiterated the private sector’s pivotal role in mobilising investment and piloting scalable solutions.

The Peer Learning Group marked a milestone in Lebanon’s climate journey by forging a shared understanding of just transition adapted to national realities. Participants acknowledged Lebanon’s economic fragility, governance challenges, and climate vulnerabilities, while also identifying opportunities for innovation, investment, and resilience. Sana Farajalla, Programme Coordinator at UN Global Compact Network Lebanon, presented the collective outcomes of the three-day dialogue, reminding participants that “the question is not whether we pay, but who pays, and whether we can turn those costs into investments that build resilience and opportunity”.

The process fostered stronger business–government dialogue on climate and competitiveness, bringing candid exchanges on regulation, financing, and trust-building between public institutions and the private sector. Most importantly, it produced actionable insights for a national Just Transition White Paper, combining quick wins with longer-term priorities in renewable energy, water governance, waste valorisation, and SME finance. Together, these outcomes lay the foundation for a roadmap that anchors national planning and signals stronger private sector leadership in Lebanon’s climate strategy.

Ms. Deenah Fakhoury, Executive Director of UN Global Compact Network Lebanon, concluded: “This dialogue has shown that Lebanon’s private sector is ready to lead. By embedding just transition into business strategies, we can build resilience, attract investment, and ensure no one is left behind.”

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About UN Global Compact Network Lebanon
The UN Global Compact Network Lebanon (UNGCNL) is the local chapter of the United Nations Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative. Established to advance the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact in the areas of human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption, UNGCNL works with companies and organizations across sectors to align strategies and operations with sustainable and socially responsible practices.

Through dialogue, peer learning, and multi-stakeholder collaboration, UNGCNL empowers the private sector to take bold action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while addressing Lebanon’s unique challenges. The Network serves as a catalyst for responsible business conduct, fostering innovation, accountability, and partnerships that contribute to inclusive growth, resilience, and long-term prosperity.

UN Global Compact Network Lebanon Concludes Fourth Edition of SDG Brain Lab

Beirut, Lebanon – June 27, 2025 — On June 27th, the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon celebrated the Closing Ceremony of the fourth edition of the SDG Brain Lab at Beirut Digital District, marking the culmination of another impactful cycle of youth-led innovation and sustainability leadership.

This year’s program brought together over 500 students from 13 universities across Lebanon, engaging them in a transformative journey through two immersive tracks. The Training Hub laid the groundwork for a solid understanding of sustainability principles, while the Brain Hub offered an intensive experience in social entrepreneurship aligned with the UN Global Compact’s #ForwardFaster initiative.

With the support of more than 50 local and international experts, students were challenged to apply their knowledge to real-world sustainability issues in collaboration with our 2025 Brain Hub partners: Quinta Group, Malia Group, and Matelec.

The ceremony opened with inspiring remarks from Ms. Deenah Fakhoury, Executive Director of UN Global Compact Network Lebanon, and Dr. Dima Jamali, President of the Network. Ms. Alaa Karanouh, Community Impact Manager, reflected on the program’s journey and the meaningful partnerships built between academia, the private sector, and the youth community.

A central highlight of the event was the student pitch session, where Brain Hub participants presented their solutions to sustainability challenges provided by the program’s partner companies.
With Quinta Group, students addressed Water Resilience, proposing smart irrigation strategies tailored to Lebanon’s climate.
With Malia Group, they tackled Gender Equality, engaging directly with factory teams to propose inclusive workplace solutions.
With Matelec, students explored Climate Action, developing innovative approaches to waste management and recycling systems.

The event also honored the commitment of key coordinators Faysal Zehran, Celine Arslane, and Jad Karanouh, whose dedication and mentorship helped guide this year’s cohort through their SDG Brain Lab experience.

The ceremony concluded with the announcement of the newly nominated Ambassadors of Change for 2025–2026, a select group of students chosen to carry the momentum of the program forward by advocating for the SDGs within their communities and institutions.

UN Global Compact Network Lebanon extends its sincere thanks to long-standing partners Dr. Ursula El Hage (USJ) and Ms. Carla Saba (Berytech) for their unwavering support, as well as to all the students, university partners, and companies who made this edition a success.

As the SDG Brain Lab continues to grow, one thing remains clear: Lebanon’s youth are more than ready to shape a more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable future. Until next year, let’s keep moving forward, faster.

Monday, June 16, 2025 (Beirut, Lebanon) – An awareness conference proposed by PrincipLed and the United Nations Global Compact Network Lebanon (UNGCNL), endorsed by the Ministry of Public Health of Lebanon (MoPH) under the auspices of His Excellency Minister of Public Health, Dr. Rakan Nassereldine, represented by Acting Director General Mr. Fadi Snan, in collaboration with the Geneva Sustainability Centre (GSC), The Arab Hospitals Federation (AHF), V4 Advisors DMCC.

Keynote: WHO Regional Representation. Cleveland Clinic, Abu Dhabi, featured as a best practice case study within our region.

Venue: Conference Room of MoPH – hybrid

Audience: The Public Hospitals of Lebanon, The Lebanese Syndicate of Hospitals in Lebanon, Key Pharma Industries of Lebanon

The objective of this conference is to introduce the healthcare world in Lebanon to Sustainability, the practice of operating in a way that meets the economic, social, and environmental needs of the present, without compromising the future. Developing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategies as an essential business priority will allow public and private hospitals and pharma companies to embark on sustainability as a journey to a better future.

Mrs. Hasmig Dantziguian Khoury, Sustainability Consultant, welcomed and thanked the audience and introduced the topic with a strong video showcasing Mother Earth. Dr. Hamid Ravaghi, EMRO for WHO, emphasized how sustainable approaches are being uptaken across the region. Acting Director General Mr. Fadi Snan, representing His Excellency Minister of Public Health Dr. Rakan Nassereldine, reaffirmed the Ministry’s engagement in promoting sustainability within the healthcare sector.

MP Alame, President of Arab Hospital Federation reflected further on the hospitals of the region and how they are well embarked on the journey of improving environmental and social impacts within global indicators. The Arab Healthcare Sustainability Center (AHS), initiated and powered by the Arab Hospitals Federation, is a unique center in the Arab Region that aims to help Healthcare facilities in their journey toward sustainability by turning their pledges into action and seizing new visions to build competitive advantage, in addition to building climate resilience and sustainability into their services, working with and for the communities they serve. AHS Center is committed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and is supporting the Arab Healthcare stakeholders in their implementation in areas relevant to its services. At a broad level, AHS engagement on the SDGs is aligned with the five SDG pillars of people, prosperity, planet, peace, and partnership.

GSC collaboration with JCI means that both accreditation standards (global health impact chapter) and a healthcare sustainability certification available for hospitals to demonstrate their commitment and progress. The five standards basically deal with 3 essential domains: Environmental impact, Health, equity and wellbeing, Leadership and governance

A special online tool, allowing healthcare organizations the independence of gaging their journey through a gap analysis, as a maturity diagnostic learning tool, is available and will be presented. The Sustainability Accelerator Tool (SAT) can support hospitals and health systems to drive sustainable, low-carbon, equitable, and financially resilient healthcare as it contributes to lowering operational costs.

Eng. Sara Raad Al Ameri, Director of EHS, EMR, Operational Safety, and Compliance at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, a pioneering hospital in sustainability with a strong focus on the environmental pillar since 2016, shared an insightful case study highlighting their sustainability journey. The hospital has been recognized twice by the International Hospital Federation (IHF) for its green initiatives, particularly its efforts to engage the supply chain and reduce carbon emissions (2022 and 2024). In addition, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has received several other accolades, including awards from Arab Health (2025) and Green Building UAE.

Next, Ms. Deenah Fakhoury, Executive Director of the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon, gave closing remarks at how participants at the UNGC advance on societal goals. As such, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their agenda 2030 allow businesses the opportunity to contribute. Participants include 20,000+ companies based in over 160 countries. The UNGCNL is one of 69 Local Network in the world that was launched in 2015 in Lebanon.

Wrapping up the morning, Mr. Rawad Massoud from V4 Advisors DMCC announced the carbon footprint of the conference as calculations included the participants’ transport, the virtual attendance resource usage, the facility resource usage.

Beirut, Lebanon – May 29, 2025 — Under the auspices of Her Excellency Ms. Haneen El Sayed, Minister of Social Affairs, the Lebanese Private Sector Network convened a breakout session titled “Lebanon Works for All: Unlocking Every Talent, Embracing Every Ability” on May 29, 2025, in Beirut. The session was part of the national event “From Policy to Action – Lebanon Works @ Work,” held under the patronage of His Excellency Mr. Nawaf Salam, President of the Council of Ministers.

Co-facilitated by the Lebanon Private Sector Network, ProAbled under ShareQ NGO, and the United Nations Global Compact Network Lebanon, in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Affairs, the session brought together a wide range of stakeholders from across government institutions, the private sector, civil society organizations, and international partners. The objective was to examine the current landscape of inclusive employment for persons with disabilities in Lebanon and to foster practical solutions for change.

The discussions focused on the implementation challenges of Law 220 of 2000, highlighting structural and legal barriers, as well as gaps in institutional coordination that continue to hinder meaningful progress. The conversation underscored the urgency of moving from commitment to action to ensure that persons with disabilities are fully included in the national workforce.

Her Excellency Minister Haneen El Sayed presented the Ministry of Social Affairs’ updated vision for disability inclusion, structured around three core pillars: the adoption of a rights-based approach, the reinforcement of social care systems, and the advancement of economic participation. This vision aligns with Lebanon’s international commitments, including its ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the adoption of the National Social Protection Strategy 2030.

Participants shared concrete recommendations to improve access to employment opportunities for persons with disabilities. These included strengthening enforcement and monitoring mechanisms, improving workplace and infrastructure accessibility, bridging skill gaps through tailored training programs, enhancing private sector engagement, and ensuring the meaningful involvement of persons with disabilities in shaping inclusion strategies.

The session concluded with the reading of a Letter of Commitment, signed by participating entities, affirming their collective dedication to advancing inclusive and equitable employment practices. The commitment included the formation of a dedicated working group to carry forward the momentum and transform recommendations into actionable policies and programs.

The Lebanon Works for All breakout session served as a vital platform for multi-stakeholder dialogue, reinforcing the belief that inclusive employment is not only a social imperative but a catalyst for national resilience and economic recovery.

Beirut, Lebanon – April 10, 2025 — On Thursday, April 10, the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon convened its Annual General Assembly, followed by an Extraordinary General Assembly (EGA), bringing together a diverse group of business leaders, civil society actors, and institutional partners to reflect on progress, address governance updates, and recommit to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Lebanon.

The gathering opened with a welcome address by Dr. Dima Jamali, President of UN Global Compact Network Lebanon, who emphasized the importance of steadfast collaboration in the face of regional uncertainty and economic challenges. During the Extraordinary General Assembly, Mr. Tarek Moghabghab led the presentation and approval of key structural updates, including important amendments to the Network’s bylaws aimed at enhancing operational transparency and governance.

A highlight of the event was the welcoming of new joiners for 2024 and 2025, representing a wide range of sectors and reaffirming the growing momentum around corporate sustainability in Lebanon. Participants also reviewed and approved the 2024 Activity Report and Financials, a testament to the network’s resilience and continued resource mobilization. The report showcased high-impact initiatives, capacity-building programs, and sustained engagement, even amid ongoing national and regional headwinds.

In a moment of pride and celebration, the Network announced its 2024 Local SDG Pioneers. Rybale El Hage, from Deloitte Regional Office, was recognized both locally and globally, having been selected as a Global SDG Pioneer by the UN Global Compact HQ. Hiba Kronfol, from Malia Group, was also honored for her leadership in embedding the SDGs into corporate strategy and culture. Their achievements reflect the power of individual leadership in driving organizational transformation and sustainable innovation.

The General Assembly also served as a launchpad for new tools and resources designed to support participant engagement. Attendees were introduced to the network’s revamped website, a new practical toolkit for operationalizing the Ten Principles and the SDGs, and SustainChain, now available as a free digital platform to help participants across Lebanon and the region collaborate and track their impact. The event concluded with the recognition of Forward Faster signatories, companies that have made bold, measurable commitments on critical sustainability targets and are leading the way through transparent reporting and accelerated action. Special thanks go to Naggiar for crafting the elegant trophies presented in appreciation of their leadership and vision. Following the formal proceedings, participants came together for a networking reception, featuring sustainable catering by EYWA. The closing moments offered an opportunity to connect, reflect, and collectively look ahead.

UN Global Compact Network Lebanon extends its heartfelt thanks to Malia Group for generously hosting the assembly and for their continued support of the network’s mission. Despite the challenges facing the region, this year’s General Assembly was a powerful reminder of what can be achieved through unity, resilience, and a shared belief in the value of sustainable development.

About the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon

The UN Global Compact Network Lebanon is one of the 60+ Country Networks around the world that operate through a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Nations Global Compact HQ. We are an independent and self-managed entity with the unique mandate to provide direct support to UN Global Compact participants based in Lebanon as well as opportunities for learning, capacity building, awareness raising, policy dialogue, and partnerships on the Ten Principles of responsible conduct and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We help entities build a strong understanding of responsible business and activity within our national context and put their sustainability commitments into action as well as facilitate local connections with other stakeholders from businesses, NGOs, the public sector and academia.

About the SDG Brain Lab Programme

In line with the United Nations Global Compact Country Network Lebanon’s mission, the SDG Brain Lab programme highlights the importance of the Global Goals by empowering Lebanese youth in advancing the SDGs in Lebanon and the region. As future leaders, employers, and employees, our mission is to equip the youth with the necessary knowledge through an interactive, holistic program led by experts, trainers, and coaches renowned in their respective fields of expertise.

To secure a better future for the country and the upcoming generation, the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon engages a nationwide cohort of pioneering students with the Local Network’s participating companies through the SDG Brain Lab programme. This allows companies to benefit from the programme while playing an instrumental role in upskilling and empowering the youth of Lebanon.

The programme consists of three Hubs, each with its tailored curriculum. The Training Hub fuels students’ passion for purposeful learning by familiarizing them with the SDGs, UN 2030 Agenda, and pressing global issues; the Brain Hub enables them to understand and solve current private sector challenges in Lebanon; and the Data Hub provides them with the tools and resources to study the engagement of private sector employees in sustainability within their organizations.

Beirut, 27 June 2024 – The Closing Ceremony for the Third Edition of the SDG Brain Lab, a seven-month programme enabling Lebanese youth between the ages of 18 and 24 to advance the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN 2030 Agenda, took place on Thursday, June 27th, 2024, at Beirut Digital District.

The event began with opening remarks from Ms. Deenah Fakhoury, Executive Director of the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon, who emphasized the SDG Brain Lab’s role in providing an exceptional platform for students to expand their knowledge, develop critical thinking skills, and become effective advocates for sustainable development.

Ms. Alaa Karanouh, Community Impact Manager at the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon, presented the SDG Brain Lab programme, showcasing the innovative curriculum and learning opportunities offered to its participants across the three Hubs – Training, Brain, and Data. Through interactive sessions, the SDG Brain Lab has empowered students to understand the interconnected nature of the SDGs through the Training Hub, develop viable solutions to address private sector challenges faced by participating companies of the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon through the Brain Hub, and study companies’ policies and procedures to protect women’s rights through the Data Hub.

This year, the Brain Lab saw 800 enrolled students from eleven universities – the American University of Beirut, Arab Open University, Lebanese American University, Lebanese International University, Lebanese University, the Modern University for Business and Science, Notre-Dame University-Louaize, Phoenicia University, University of Balamand, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, and Saint-Joseph University. A total of 500 students completed the programme, which consisted of 21 sessions delivered across all three hubs with the support of over 100 experts from various sectors and industries.

Students from the Brain Hub took the stage to pitch their project ideas, showcasing their creativity and dedication to finding sustainable solutions for challenges faced by six partnering companies and NGOs – Ajialouna, Banque Libano-Française, Children’s Cancer Center, Difaf, Makhzoumi Foundation, and MEDCO.

Our Executive Director then honored Dr. Ursula El Hage, Director of the Career and Placement Office and the Entrepreneurship Center at USJ, and Ms. Carla Saba, Deputy General Manager of Operations and Sites at Berytech, for their outstanding efforts and support in advancing the SDG Brain Lab’s mission. Their contributions have been invaluable in guiding and mentoring the participants throughout the programme.

Next, students from the Data Hub took the stage to share their experience working with our partners on the Hub – Debbane Agri, L’Oréal Liban, and Tinol. Representatives from participating companies Ms. Samira Franjieh from L’Oréal Liban, and Ms. Theresa El Hachem from Debbane Agri, expressed their admiration for the students’ efforts and creativity in addressing real-world challenges. They also highlighted how the partnership has provided valuable insights and practical applications for their businesses. 

Furthermore, Ms. Alaa Karanouh presented the SDG Brain Lab Ambassadorship programme, and called on stage Ms. Jane Aghjayan, one of last year’s SDG Brain Lab Ambassadors’ who gave a heartfelt speech. She recounted her personal journey and how the program had profoundly influenced her life, expressing her unwavering dedication to promoting sustainable development. 

To conclude the ceremony, last year’s Ambassadors of Change passed the torch to the new cohort of Ambassadors of Change, who have demonstrated exceptional commitment, engagement, and leadership throughout the programme. These ambassadors will serve as advocates for sustainable development within their universities and communities for the 2024-2025 academic year. All participants were then awarded certificates for their participation.

In her address to attendees, UN Global Compact Network Lebanon Executive Director Deenah Fakhoury emphasized the urgent need for accelerated action towards the UN Agenda for Sustainable Development. “Right now, only 15% of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are on track for 2030, and some are even moving backwards,” she emphasized.

Ms. Fakhoury then introduced Forward Faster, a global platform for ambitious, credible corporate action by the Global Compact guiding companies on where to make the biggest, fastest impact by the year 2030 – gender equality, climate action, living wage, water resilience, and SDG-aligned finance and investment. “Sustainable companies give us the best chance of achieving the SDGs, but we need to take more ambitious action,” stressed Ms. Fakhoury. “The people and planet of tomorrow are relying on the forward thinkers and doers of today, so we can’t fall behind the times,” she continued.

During the event, attendees mingled freely, discussing their projects, challenges, and visions for the future, and establishing valuable new connections. The informal setting fostered open and spontaneous conversations, paving the way for future partnerships and innovative solutions to emerge. The UN Global Compact Network Lebanon extends its gratitude to all participants for their enthusiasm and commitment to advancing the SDGs and looks forward to continuing to support and amplify cross-sectoral partnerships for a better world.

For more information about the Forward Faster initiative and how to get involved, please visit forwardfaster.unglobalcompact.org or reach out to communications@ungcnlebanon.org.

About the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon

The UN Global Compact Network Lebanon is one of the 60+ Country Networks around the world that operate through a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Nations Global Compact HQ. We are an independent and self-managed entity with the unique mandate to provide direct support to UN Global Compact participants based in Lebanon as well as opportunities for learning, capacity building, awareness raising, policy dialogue, and partnerships on the Ten Principles of responsible conduct and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We help entities build a strong understanding of responsible business and activity within our national context and put their sustainability commitments into action as well as facilitate local connections with other stakeholders from businesses, NGOs, the public sector and academia.

Beirut, Lebanon (April 26, 2024) – On Friday, April 26th, UN Global Compact Network Lebanon Executive Director Deenah Fakhoury spoke at a panel event organized by the Modern University for Business & Science (MUBS) at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in Lebanon as part of the National Education Platform Conference “Bridging Horizons, Shaping Futures.”

As part of the panel discussion, titled “Educating for a Sustainable Future,” Ms. Fakhoury introduced the work of the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon with the youth – mainly to do with our flagship SDG Brain Lab programme and SMART Youth community impact initiative supported by the Malala Fund – in line with our mission to prepare future generations for the workplace and upskill them to ensure their success in an ever-fluctuating job market.

“Sustainability cannot be taught as a standalone course, but rather needs a holistic approach and should be embedded in all subjects and majors in order to truly shape sustainable minds,” added Ms. Fakhoury as part of her intervention. Attendees also heard from ministers, researchers, professors, and other experts in the field of education about how we can best address critical challenges and propose innovative solutions for transforming Lebanon’s educational landscape.

Beirut, Lebanon (15 February 2024) –  ideanco., the pioneering idea innovator company and strategy boutique firm, and the United Nations Global Compact Network Lebanon have announced a new partnership aimed at advancing sustainable transportation solutions within Lebanon. This strategic alliance, formalized through an agreement, represents a significant commitment to enhancing urban mobility within Lebanon and reducing environmental impact in the region.

The agreement outlines a collaborative framework between ideanco and the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon to promote green mobility through advocacy, research, community engagement, and policy development. The partnership will leverage ideanco’s extensive network alongside UN Global Compact Network Lebanon’s expertise in sustainable development and responsible business practices.

“Joining forces with UN Global Compact Network Lebanon aligns perfectly with our mission to find transformative solutions for critical challenges, particularly in the sphere of climate change and sustainability,” stated Maher Ezzeddine, CEO at ideanco. “This partnership is set to ignite a series of initiatives that will pave the way for a greener, more sustainable Lebanon.”

The collaboration’s activities will focus on driving inspirational advocacy for green mobility, sustainable urban planning, integrating public and non-motorized transport, and promoting the electrification of transportation systems. Both parties will engage selected government stakeholders, local communities in transformative projects, demonstrate the viability and benefits of sustainable transportation, and contribute to policy frameworks that foster environmental sustainability.

“Through this partnership, we are committed to empowering businesses and the community to take meaningful action towards the Sustainable Development Goals,” said Dalia Al Barazi, Communications Lead at the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon. “The combined expertise of ideanco. and the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon is a formidable force that will undoubtedly make a lasting impact on Lebanon’s transportation sector.”

For more information about the partnership and upcoming initiatives, please visit ideanco.com and ungcnlebanon.org.

About ideanco.
ideanco. is an idea innovator company that excels in crowdsourcing to address critical global challenges. With a presence since 1999, ideanco is dedicated to creating opportunities for a better future through transformative solutions in climate change, aerospace, education, and food security.

About the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon
As a local entity of the global UN Global Compact, UN Global Compact Network Lebanon aids businesses and organizations in Lebanon in achieving the Ten Principles of responsible conduct and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The UN Global Compact Network Lebanon facilitates learning, policy dialogue, and partnerships to encourage sustainable business practices within the national context.

On November 3rd, UN Global Compact Network Lebanon Executive Director Ms. Deenah Fakhoury spoke at a panel event held by Securite Assurance and Kristieslab on how companies can build resilience in uncertain times.

Alongside other business leaders and industry experts, Ms. Fakhoury spoke on how the UN Global Compact enables organizations to move forward on sustainability and how this contributes to enhanced resilience as well as the ability to future-proof their business. She also shared her experience on how Boards of Directors and good governance can help companies strengthen resilience through strategic planning, risk management, and capacity-building for adaptability.

“Whereas resilience was the Lebanese people’s strength, it has started to carry a negative connotation as too much adaptability is hindering changes in the root causes of the patterned circumstances we keep on going through,” said Ms. Fakhoury as part of her remarks.

On October 1st and 2nd 2023, UN Global Compact in the Middle East met in Amman, Jordan for a regional meeting to strategize and collaborate on roadmaps for the region.

During our talks, we discussed regional sustainability trends – including climate action, gender equality, and youth empowerment – and varying national priorities across Local Networks. We also engaged in peer-learning exercises, contributed success stories and best practices, and addressed challenges and gaps to better plan for the upcoming years.

We were joined by colleagues from the UN Global Compact Headquarters – both in-person and virtually – who spoke on the Compact’s recently launched Forward Faster initiative, strengthening collaborations with other UN entities, and matters related to participant engagement, to name a few.

The meeting was a significant opportunity to further reinforce ties between Networks in the region and ideate on how to work together to amplify impact and drive ambitious private sector action on sustainability and the Sustainable Development Goals for a better world.

BEIRUT, JULY 17 2023 – On Monday, July 17th 2023, UN Global Compact Executive Director Ms. Deenah Fakhoury spoke at a seminar organized by the Union of Arab Chambers, Social Responsibility of the Private Sector and its Role in Sustainable Development.

For her intervention, Ms. Fakhoury shared about the work of the UN Global Compact and how Global Compact Local Networks help entities build a strong understanding of responsible business, put their sustainability commitments into action, and measure progress.

She also expanded on how sustainability is no longer a luxury but rather a necessity in doing business in this day and age, as well as how it’s good for businesses in the long run. Lastly, she shed light on how the private sector can better act responsibly towards the people and the planet, such as through driving innovation for a more climate-conscious world.

BEIRUT, 29 May 2023 – On Monday, May 29th, the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon’s Executive Director Ms. Deenah Fakhoury spoke as a panelist at the third edition of the Alumni Association of the Grand Lycée Franco-Libanais’ 2023 Conference Series, Towards a Sustainable Future: The Need for Corporate Responsibility, Governance and Environmental Stewardship.

Others on the panel, moderated by Lea Kai, Project Manager of Climate Change Projects at UNDP and the Ministry of Environment, included Mario Massoud, Managing Director and Founder of Biomass, and Yasser Akkawi, Founder of Capital Concept.

“When we talk about sustainability, people think we’re only talking about the environment, whereas we’re also talking about people,” said Ms. Fakhoury as part of her intervention. “In addition to these two dimensions, we can’t forget the governance aspect, which is really all about how to implement sustainability and how to do so better,” she added.

Ms. Fakhoury also stressed the importance of adopting sustainability as part of companies’ strategies and operations in a world where it is no longer an option but an imperative, highlighting the fact that it is also good for businesses’ bottom lines in the long term.

BEIRUT, 30 March 2023 – On Thursday, March 30th, the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon attended the launch of our network participant Kristieslab’s #TheKnowHer initiative, a free-of-charge, online, and inclusive platform aimed at bridging women-led SMEs in Lebanon with potential clients across various industries and countries in the Arab Region.

“Real success is only captured by doing good, giving back to the community, and meaningfully empowering others,” said Ms. Christina Khater, the Founder and CEO of Kristies Lab who opened the event with a keynote speech. Ms. Khater then walked attendees through her entrepreneurial journey and shared Kristies Lab’s vision of fostering social impact with a particular focus on empowering women and youth and accelerating climate action.

Ms. Khater’s keynote speech was then followed by a fireside chat under the theme of “Women Entrepreneurship: A Triple Folded Goldmine” which featured insights from speakers from various UN entities, civil society, and the private sector.

The UN Global Compact Network Lebanon’s Executive Director, Ms. Deenah Fakhoury spoke on the work done by the Network to further corporate delivery on gender equality through the Target Gender Equality Accelerator which enables companies to set ambitious targets for women’s representation and leadership in business.

Attendees also heard from Ms. Jessica Said, Deputy Director of The Nawaya Network; Mr. David Munir Nabti, CEO and General Manager of Bloom; and Dr. Nada Sweidan, Program Officer and UNDP Lebanon Youth Focal Point on the importance of reskilling and upskilling women, integrating them into the tech industry, and the role of youth in driving progress on UN 2030 Agenda and 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

The fireside chat was followed by a launching video about the initiative and the event wrapped up with a gratitude exercise led by Ms. Stephanie Shaar, Community Engagement and Event Coordinator at Bloom.

New York, NY, September 19th – The winner of the local round of the 2023 SDG Pioneers programme – Roaa Kurdi, Bioversity Specialist and Science Writer at Beesline – was recognized as a Global Pioneer at the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit as part of the 78th UN General Assembly.

Every year, the UN Global Compact celebrates a group of SDG Pioneers – 12 business leaders working at any level of their company and using business as a force for good to advance the 17 Sustainable Development Goals through the implementation of the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact on human rights, environment, labour, and anti-corruption.

Roaa is advancing sustainability at Beesline – a leading natural personal care brand in the MENA region – by raising awareness about the importance of wild bees, the threats they face, and how the public can help through two flagship programmes at the company – Guardians of the Wild and Young Guardians – as well as working on a wild bee monitoring scheme with the future aim of creating conservation zones with threatened bee species, among other initiatives.

“My aim is to advance Beesline’s sustainability department by forging partnerships with development programs and fellow scientists, taking bee conservation to another level,” said Roaa when asked what was next in her career journey by the Global Compact. “I will be pushing policies that safeguard habitats of endangered and/or endemic bees and advocating for regulations to limit the use of neonicotinoids—a pesticide linked to global bee decline. In general, Beesline aims to drive action and elevate bee conservation across the entire region,” she added.

Learn more about Roaa’s work here.

Organized by the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon, Sustain/Ability was a platform bringing together the Network’s participating companies, UN representatives, public sector representatives, industry experts, and thought leaders to engage, through two panel discussions, with the opportunities, gaps, challenges, benefits and best practices in sustainability in the case of Lebanon in times of crisis.

The event, which took place on July 6th, 2023 at ESA Business School, kicked off with opening remarks from Ms. Danielle Hatem, CEO of DARE Advisors and Founder of D Does Business, who stressed that sustainability is now no longer a luxury but a necessity, especially in times of crisis. ”It is during these moments that the true test of our commitment to responsible action and preparing for a better future emerges,” Ms. Hatem noted.

Mr. Maxence Duault, General Director and Dean of ESA Business School and President of CCI France Liban, then took the stage for a keynote speech. “In times of crisis, the foremost achievers are those who have not only anticipated challenges, but have also embraced a strategic and forward thinking approach to sustainability,” he emphasized.

Following Mr. Duault’s speech, attendees heard from Dr. Dima Jamali, Chair of the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon and Dean of the College of Business Administration at the University of Sharjah. “The past few years have been exceptional and have tested our ability to endure, requiring us to come together to rethink and debate approaches to co-creating value for the greater good, hence why we are here today,” said Dr. Jamali.

In the final keynote speech of the afternoon, Mr. Imran Riza, UN Deputy Special Coordinator, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon, stressed the role of businesses in delivering on the UN 2030 Agenda: “In a country that possesses one of the most dynamic private sectors in the MENA region, the value that businesses can bring is indispensable and must not be taken lightly anymore as they can tip the scale in the overall recovery and development trajectory in Lebanon.”

The first panel of the event, “Environmental Sustainability in Times of Crisis,” was moderated by Ms. Lea Kai, Project Manager of UNDP’s Climate Change Projects at the Ministry of Environment, and explored the progress being made in Lebanon in regard to the environment and a green recovery. The panel featured H.E. Nasser Yassin, Lebanese Minister of Environment; Ms. Melanie Hauenstein, UNDP Resident Representative in Lebanon; Ms. Nadine Khoury, COO and Co-Founder of Robinson Agri and President of Qoot; and Mr. Salim Rouhana, World Bank Program Leader for Sustainable Development, MENA Region.

H.E. Yassin discussed legislations that would help the country do better on the environmental front, stressing that “the energy sector, water resources and resource management, and issues of land and transport have been culprits of the current situation we’re in in Lebanon because they were badly managed for the last decades, and they have to be a part of the solution but run in a sustainable manner.”

“We have around 5 billion dollars in economic losses as a result of environmental degradation and damage in Lebanon every year,” noted Ms. Hauenstein in reference to a report on the state of the environment in the country compiled by the Ministry of Environment and several UN Agencies, including UNDP. “It’s a no-brainer, as they say, that investing in and protecting the environment is good for development and good for growth,” she continued.

Ms. Khoury emphasized the benefits of sustainability to businesses, noting that “we could measure at Qoot that when companies integrated sustainability in their business operations, it did not only enhance their reputation but also drove innovation and attracted talented people to their companies.”

Regarding how Lebanon is navigating its recovery from the multiple crises it faces, “what we’re seeing is that the cost-effective model for the country is a climate-sensitive and sustainable one,” said Mr. Rouhana. “When it comes to the energy mix that is good for the country and effective management of water resources and solid waste, there are no trade-offs when it comes to a green recovery,” he insisted.

The second panel of the event, “Social Sustainability in Times of Crisis,” saw experts from various sectors discuss how they were able to face and respond to challenges such as social inclusion, reducing inequalities, education, job creation, and job readiness, and access to finance. The panel had as a moderator Mr. Yasser Akkaoui, Founder of Capital Concept, and as speakers Ms. Emilie Wahab Harb, Managing Director of L’Oréal Liban, Mr. Constantin Salameh, Founder & Managing Partner at CSTouch, and Ms. Rana El-Houjeiri, Country Representative for Lebanon and MENA Regional Advisor at Malala Fund.

In a perspective from the private sector, Ms. Wahab Harb emphasized that financial success should go hand-in-hand with social responsibility. “L’Oréal has a longstanding commitment to empower women, to fight for equity at work, to push women in science, and to support vulnerable people in society,” said Ms. Wahab Harb.

“If you want to transform, you cannot but integrate ESG [or Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance] into your transformation journey,” stressed Mr. Salameh. “You need to have this from the top, and have a clear commitment from the founders, CEO, or Board that it is an important element in your strategic journey,” he added.

In closing the panel, Ms. El-Houjeiri emphasized the need to provide inclusive, quality education for the youth of tomorrow, and how the Malala Fund’s crisis response has become increasingly centered around reaching the most marginalized youth in Lebanon and bridging inequalities. “We cannot discuss any social sustainability without putting education at the heart of our agenda as an enabler and equalizer for social change and human security,” stressed Ms. El-Houjeiri.

The panel discussions were followed by an awards ceremony for the SDG Pioneers for years 2022 and 2023 – Ms. Marianne Itani, Sustainability Manager at Beesline, and Ms. Roaa Kurdi, Scientific Copywriter at Beesline, respectively – recognizing their commitment to using business as a force for good to advance the 17 SDGs within their companies.

The UN Global Compact Network Lebanon’s SDG Council, an interdisciplinary group of Lebanese visionaries committed to change and impact for the Global Goals, was then formally honored for their efforts in advancing the UN 2030 Agenda and support for the Lebanese Network.

Closing the event, Ms. Danielle Hatem emphasized the importance of platforms such as Sustain/Ability in helping to further the conversation on sustainable development and continue to forge partnerships for a better world. 

About the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon

The UN Global Compact Network Lebanon is one of the 69 Local Networks around the world that operate through a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Nations Global Compact HQ. We are an independent and self-managed entity with the unique mandate to provide direct support to UN Global Compact participants based in Lebanon and provide them with opportunities for learning, capacity building, awareness raising, policy dialogue, and partnerships on the Ten Principles of responsible conduct and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We help entities build a strong understanding of responsible business and activity within our national context and put their sustainability commitments into action as well as facilitate local connections with other stakeholders from businesses, NGOs, government, and academia.

About the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon

The UN Global Compact Network Lebanon is one of the 69 Local Networks around the world that operate through a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Nations Global Compact HQ. We are an independent and self-managed entity with the unique mandate to provide direct support to UN Global Compact participants based in Lebanon and provide them with opportunities for learning, capacity building, awareness raising, policy dialogue, and partnerships on the Ten Principles of responsible conduct and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We help entities build a strong understanding of responsible business and activity within our national context and put their sustainability commitments into action as well as facilitate local connections with other stakeholders from businesses, NGOs, government, and academia.

About the SDG Brain Lab Programme

In line with the United Nations Global Compact Network Lebanon’s mission, the SDG Brain Lab programme sheds light on the importance of the Global Goals by empowering Lebanese youth in advancing the SDGs in Lebanon and the region. Youth are the future leaders, employers, and employees of tomorrow, and our mission is to equip them with the required knowledge while providing an interactive, holistic program led by experts, trainers and coaches renowned in their respective fields of expertise.

In order to secure a better future for the country and the upcoming generation of leaders, employers, and employees, the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon is engaging a nationwide cohort of pioneering students with the Local Network’s participating companies through the SDG Brain Lab programme, thus allowing companies to benefit from the programme while playing an instrumental role in upskilling and empowering the youth of Lebanon.

The programme consists of three hubs, each with its own tailored curriculum. The Training Hub fuels students’ passion for purposeful learning by familiarizing them with the SDGs, UN 2030 Agenda, and pressing issues in the world today; the Brain Hub enables them to understand and solve current private sector challenges in Lebanon; and the Data Hub provides them with the tools and resources to study the engagement of private sector employees in sustainability within their organizations.

Beirut, 22 June 2023 – The Closing Ceremony for the second edition of the SDG Brain Lab, a seven-month programme enabling Lebanese youth between the ages of 18 and 24 to advance the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN 2030 Agenda, took place on Wednesday, June 22nd, 2023, at Beirut Digital District.

The event began with opening remarks from Ms. Deenah Fakhoury, Executive Director of the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon, noting that the SDG Brain Lab has provided an exceptional platform for students to expand their knowledge, develop critical thinking skills, and become effective advocates for sustainable development.

Following the opening remarks, Ms. Alaa Karanouh, Community Impact Manager at the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon, presented the SDG Brain Lab programme itself, showcasing the innovative curriculum and learning opportunities offered to its participants in three hubs – the Training, Brain, and Data hubs. Through interactive sessions, the SDG Brain Lab has empowered students to understand the interconnected nature of the SDGs through the Training Hub, develop viable solutions to address private sector challenges faced by participating companies of the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon through the Brain Hub, and study companies’ engagement with sustainability through the Data hub.

This year, the Brain Lab saw 800 enrolled students from eight universities – the American University of Beirut, Lebanese American University, Lebanese International University, Saint-Joseph University, University of Balamand, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, the Modern University for Business and Science, and Notre-Dame University. A total of 500 students completed the programme, which consisted of 21 sessions delivered across all three hubs with the support of over 100 experts from various sectors and industries.

Next, students from the Brain Hub took the stage to pitch their project ideas, showcasing their creativity and dedication to finding sustainable solutions for challenges faced by three partnering companies – Deloitte, MEDCO, and ZRE.

The closing ceremony also featured two engaging panel discussions, bringing together experts from diverse fields, including academia, business, and non-profit organizations. The first panel, “Young Innovators as Future Employees,” featured Ms. Kim Mouawad, Senior Community Manager at BDD, Ms. Michèle Chammas Gharzouzi, Chief Innovation Officer at MEDCO, and Ms. Rybale El Hage, Regional Sustainability Manager, Deloitte Middle East (DME) as speakers.

“In order to drive social and behavioral change, the investment of youth in today will lead to a better quality of life for us tomorrow,” said Ms. Mouawad when asked what made BDD take part in the Brain Lab programme. In a similar vein, Ms. Chammas Gharzouzi emphasized that the future for the youth of today is unpromising unless we leverage their ideas to implement sustainable initiatives and practices within the private sector and beyond.

“At Deloitte, we understand that mitigating the impact of the climate crisis is a monumental task and cannot be done individually; change and progress are only possible if we all act collectively and all play a role in this,” stressed Ms. Rybale El Hage regarding the outcome of the SDG Brain Lab experience and Deloitte’s work with the youth.

The second panel, “Engagement of Employees in a Sustainable Work Environment,” had as speakers Ms. Lea Assaf, Financial Planning and Analysis Manager at Resource Group, Mrs. Marianne Itani, Sustainability Manager at, Beesline, and Ms. Rachelle Abi Nader, Talent Acquisition and Succession Planning Manager at Malia Group.

Ms. Assaf explained how sustainable business practices can contribute to innovation while creating environmental and societal benefits. She described how purpose helps companies become more resilient and adaptable to change and explained that “Resource Group’s mission is to create a positive societal impact through technology innovation.”

Concerning how Beesline will be using data collected by students to support the company’s mission of furthering sustainability, Ms. Itani responded: “The research findings of the Data Hub will help us in measuring the level of engagement and awareness of our team members on our sustainability work, and by doing so, we’ll be able to identify our gaps and find new initiatives to create a culture of sustainability at Beesline.”

In closing the panel, Ms. Abi Nader called attention to the fact that Malia Group’s commitment to sustainability is not simply motivated by the desire to project a positive image of the company, but is rather embedded in its day-to-day practices, policies, and procedures.

Attendees then heard from Ms. Carla Saba, Deputy General Manager of Operations and Sites at Berytech, and Dr. Ursula El Hage, Director of the Career and Placement Office and the Entrepreneurship Center at USJ, about the importance of working with and supporting the youth in a pursuit of a more sustainable future. Representing CSRN, one of the main enablers of the Data Hub, Mr. Jack Elliott, Co-Founder and CEO, and Mr. Philip Black, Head of Strategic Partnerships and Training, then shared about how their organization fosters partnerships for social impact, while Ms. Joy Bechara, Partner at 180 Degrees Consulting AUB, explained how they operate to support nonprofits, social enterprises, and programmes such as the Brain Lab.

A key highlight of the evening was a speech delivered by last year’s SDG Brain Lab Ambassadors’ representative Karl Makary, who shared about his personal journey and the impact the program had on his life. He spoke passionately about his continued commitment to advancing sustainable development, showcasing the program’s lasting influence and the transformative power of education.

To conclude the ceremony, a new cohort of Ambassadors of Change was announced, honoring students who have demonstrated exceptional commitment, engagement, and leadership throughout the programme and stood out due to their work ethic. These ambassadors will serve as advocates for sustainable development within their universities and communities for the 2023-2024 academic year.

All participants were then awarded certificates for their participation in the programme, and many will be going on to intern with participating companies of the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon to help them put their knowledge into practice and introduce them to the world of work.

BEIRUT, LEBANON, April 19th, 2023 – The UN Global Compact Network Lebanon held its Annual General Assembly virtually on Wednesday, April, 19th, 2023.

The Assembly began with an opening note by Dr. Dima Jamali, President of the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon, and followed with Ms. Deenah Fakhoury, Executive Director of the Lebanese Network, covering the activity report for the year 2022 as well as a roadmap for the year 2023.

Next, the financial report for the year 2023 was presented by Ms. Isabelle Mansour, Board Member of the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon and ESG Consultant at Capital Concept. An audited report was then delivered by Mr. Antoine Gholam of BDO Semaan, Gholam & Co.

There were no objections to any of the reports from the attendees of the Assembly.

Thank you to our stakeholders and Board Members!

To access our 2022 Activity Report, please click here.

To access our 2022 Financial Report, please click here.

The next General Assembly will be held in the first quarter of 2024.

The Secretariat of the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon attended the 2023 Arab Forum for Sustainable Development (AFSD) held at the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) Headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon from March 14th to 16th.

The forum brought together Arab Governments, experts, policymakers, and business leaders from across the Arab world to address sustainable development priorities from a regional perspective, discuss progress, review national experiences, and enhance the region’s voice at the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) happening later this year in New York City.

One of the main themes of the forum was the need for greater collaboration and partnerships to achieve the SDGs in the Arab world. Participants exchanged views on the importance of engaging all sectors of society, including the private sector, civil society, and youth, in these efforts.

Another important topic was the role of technology and innovation in promoting sustainable development. In one session, panelists discussed the potential of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and blockchain, to help address environmental and social challenges, and emphasized the need for greater investment in research and development.

Finally, the forum also focused on the importance of taking action on climate change, highlighting the urgent need for countries in the Arab world to transition to renewable energy sources, reduce carbon emissions, and respond to the climate crisis.

Overall, the AFSD was a valuable platform for exchanging ideas, sharing best practices, and building partnerships for a sustainable future in the Arab world. We are glad to have taken part in this impactful event!

BEIRUT, LEBANON, October 17th – Ahead of the 7th Workshop on Voluntary National Reviews in the Arab Region held at the ESCWA Headquarters in Beirut, the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon hosted Local Networks from Jordan, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar for a regional meeting to share, strategize, and collaborate on roadmaps for the region.

The day kicked off with learning and sharing exercises during which Local Networks contributed success stories and best practices, discussed potential collaborations, and identified challenges and gaps to better plan for the coming year.

Following the morning sessions, there were a series of workshops facilitated by the Global Compact Office in New York addressing growth strategies, digital transformation and finance, the Global Compact’s value proposition, and partnerships with government.

The meeting marked a significant step forward in strengthening ties between Local Networks in the region, as well as in creating opportunities to work together to amplify impact and drive ambitious business action on sustainability and the SDGs.

BEIRUT, LEBANON, October 3rd – The UN Global Compact Network Lebanon has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Institute for Finance and Government (IFG) and the École Supérieure des Affaires (ESA) Business School.

The broader aim of the MoU is to provide a fully-fledged training program on good governance to NGOs and associations in Lebanon.

In a short speech, UNGCNL Executive Director Ms. Deenah Fakhoury highlighted the importance of good governance for an enduring and sustainable working model, a point echoed by Mr. Maxence Duault, General Director-Dean of the ESA Business School, who stressed the need for NGOs to professionalize themselves.

“We cannot be mere consumers of good governance, we must be participants; we must be co-creators.” – Rohini Nilekani

BEIRUT, LEBANON, September 23rd – On Thursday, September 23rd, 2022 the United Nations Global Compact Network Lebanon joined forces at École Supérieure des Affaires (ESA) Business School with Rotary Club Beirut Cadmos, Jouzour Loubnan and Bank BEMO to launch an environmental initiative entitled “Arztak Hawaytak“.

Arztak Hawaytak is a Lebanese reforestation initiative that aims to plant 10,452 Cedar trees in a natural reserve at the heart of Ehden. The broader aim of this local initiative is to advance Lebanese climate action efforts and reaffirm Lebanese identity at a time where the multiple crises have exacerbated environmental degradation and led to mass emigration and brain drain.

The launching ceremony featured a high-level panel that convened leaders spanning across various fields and in which our Executive Director, Deenah Fakhoury, intervened and highlighted the pivotal role of the private sector in advancing climate action and adaptation. During her intervention, Ms. Fakhoury, stressed the importance of partnerships for the greater collective good: “A little by each, a lot by everyone”.

Engaging with #Academia is at the core of our work to enable and inspire the responsible leaders of tomorrow!

We were delighted to partake in the Modern University for Business and Science (MUBS) 23rd Anniversary Ceremony that took place earlier yesterday at the Lancaster Plaza Hotel, Beirut.

Our Executive Director, Ms. Deenah Fakhoury was featured as an honourable speaker for her contributions to sustainability and thought leadership!

Key Highlights of Mrs. Fakhoury’s Speech:

Thank you MUBs and we look forward to future impactful collaborations!

Introduction to the Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Gender Gap

Analysis Tool

Wednesday, August 31st, 2022, Global Compact Local Networks within the Middle East Region including Global Compact Network Lebanon, Global Compact Network UAE, Global Compact Network Jordan and Global Compact Network Egypt have joined ties and kicked off the third round of the Target Gender Equality Accelerator. 

The launching of the accelerator took place through a lively kick off and an introductory session on the Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Gender Gap Analysis Tool. 

This lively session has convened around 40 regional companies spanning across various industries that are aspiring to enhance their corporate deliveries on Gender Equality through their participation in the Target Gender Equality Accelerator. 

Target Gender Equality is an opportunity for companies to deepen their implementation of the Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs) and strengthen their contribution to SDG 5.5, which calls for equal women representation, participation and leadership in business globally.  

This session was an opportunity for the participants to get to know each other and the key learning outcomes of the journey with an emphasis on the Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Gender Gap Analysis Tool.   

The Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Gender Gap Analysis Tool is a dynamic tool that aims to help participants to assess their Gender Equality Performance in order to effectively identify gaps in terms of corporate target setting, practices and actions needed to achieve gender equality. 

Throughout this session, local network representatives reflected on the key themes of the TGE journey: Sexual Harassment, Unconscious Bias, and Support for Working Parents and Equal Pay. 

We are excited to embark on this journey and inspire businesses to enhance the needle on Gender Equality, as we believe that the evidence today is quite clear: When women are empowered and equally represented, everybody benefits.

Overview

The Climate Ambition Accelerator is a six-month learning programme consisting of three modules, and is addressed for companies participating in the United Nations Global Compact that are looking to make progress towards setting science-based emissions reduction targets and creating a clear path to address their organization’s transition to net-zero. This programme is Led by the United Nations Global Compact with support from Patrons Ørsted and Natura & Co and sponsored by En+ Group.

The Global Compact Network Lebanon, UAE, Jordan, and KSA have joined forces on this accelerator to help companies of all sizes and sectors, scale-up credible climate action enabling them to deliver on meaningful commitments to reduce emissions at scale.

Module 1: Foundations

The participants took a deep dive into the methodology and approach of science-based targets setting. From GHG accounting basics for companies starting their journeys to discussions about the net-zero concept for advanced stakeholders, this module gave companies the foundational knowledge needed to set a solid strategy toward ambitious science-based targets.

In this Module, participants should participate in 1 to 2 live workshops and access 2 on-demand sessions.

Lebanese Participating Companies

Beirut, April 21, 2022 – The Global Compact Network Lebanon held its Annual General Assembly virtually on Thursday 21st of April, 2022. 

The session started with an opening note by Dr. Dima Jamali, President of UNGCNL, and followed by Mrs. Deenah Fakhoury, Executive Director of UNGCNL, covering the activity report for the year 2021 and the roadmap for the year 2022. 

An audited report was then delivered by auditors BDO Semaan & Gholam by Mr. Amin Youness. It was followed by a presentation of the financial report by Mrs. Isabelle Naoum, BoD member of UNGCNL representing Blom Bank. 

The announcement of the newly elected board members was pronounced by Mr. Vartkes Keutelian, Secretary of UNGCNL.  The new board members shared a few words with the participants.

Thank you to our participants, board members, and secretariat. 

Here is the list of the UNGCNL new board members:

Dr. Dima Jamali	President, Trablous First
Mrs. Nour Bitar	Administrative Manager, Ebco Bitar
Mr. Ronnie Richa	Senior Marketing Manager, Liban Post
Mr. Maher Ezzeddine Mrs. Olga Bitar	Chief Executive Officer, Engagement Consultant, Ideanco
Mrs. Nada Abi Saleh	Managing Director, Leo Burnett Beirut
Mrs. Isabelle Mansour	ESG Communication Consultant, Capital Concept
Mrs. Joanne Chehab	Chief Executive Officer, Malia Holding
Mrs. Sallama Naamani Mr. Vartkes Keutelian	Program Manager, Administrative Program Manager. Makhzoumi Foundation
Mrs. Tania Rizk Mrs. Rana Haddad	Assistant General Manager, Head of CSR & Internal Communications Unit, Banque Libano-Fraincaise
Mrs. Gacia Apikian Bazhouni	Sustainability, Governance & Strategy Manager, Indevco
Mr. Imad El Hajje	PR & External Affairs Executive, Children Cancer Center

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To access our Activity Report please click here.
To access our Financial Report please click here.

The next General Assembly meeting will be held in the first trimester of the year 2023. 

The third module of SDG Ambition, entitled Implementation & Pitch, was held between March and April 2022 in collaboration with the Global Compact Network UAE and KSA. In this Module, execution comes to the forefront as companies identify system solutions to help implement their goals while crafting their business case pitch for ambitious action.

Objective

• Design a new potential system for the SDG Ambition Benchmark considering the core purpose as well as the key elements and relationships within it
• Draft initial key design decisions for systems focused on advanced measurement & management of the company’s goals and understand the unintended consequences of these designs
• Pitch the SDG Ambition plan to peers and get real-time feedback as well as map out the next steps over the next 3 to 9 months

Outcome of this Module

• Draw out a potential system for the SDG Ambition Benchmark and gained a better understanding of all of the interdependencies and processes relevant to the set SDG Ambition Benchmark
• Got the opportunity to receive feedback on the systems from peers and learned of ways to improve and modify it
• Have a list of prioritized key design questions
• Have a map of consequences as a result of the drawn design
• Presented the pitch of the SDG Ambition and received feedback
• Detailed the next steps related to the SDG Ambition for the next 3 to 9 months.
• Got the opportunity to receive feedback from peers and learned ways to improve and modify it

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Lebanese Participating Companies

Global Compact Network Lebanon is delighted to announce Marianne Itani as the winner for 2022. Marianne will be representing Lebanon in the SDG Pioneer Global Round as well which will take place in June 2022.

Ralph Georges Khairallah came in second place and Francesca Vincenti was awarded third place.

The local round competition included several companies with outstanding profiles, but we could only choose one winner and two runner-ups. The nominations for the award were evaluated according to regulations and guidelines set by the UN Global Compact Office in New York and the ranking was determined by a jury. The jury was composed of:

• Imad El Hajje, PR &  External Affairs Executive – Children’s Cancer Center of Lebanon
• Isabelle Mansour, Head of Communication and Sustainability Department – BLOM Bank
• Yara Nassar, Program Manager – UN Women
• Ronnie Richa, Senior Marketing Manager – Liban Post

Ten years ago, Marianne Itani, a fresh graduate in Public Health & Development Sciences, joined Beesline, a leading natural cosmetic brand based on Apitherapy. One of the most significant steps during her career was handling the Planet Positive Impact department and creating a sustainability mindset among Beesline’s people.

Marianne is responsible for managing and coordinating all sustainability projects, including CSR activities at the company. She also creates the needed awareness by educating and training the different teams on specific social & environmental sustainability goals.

Marianne is also working on new policies that support human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption to ensure sustainability and consistency at the workplace. Her goal is to drive the company toward a circular economy practice, create a fair & equal culture, and protect the planet while spreading awareness among the Beesline team.

The announcement of the award was yet another occasion for the Lebanese Network to emphasize the 10 Guiding Principles and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, which are even more important today than ever before.

On behalf of our Executive Director, Deenah Fakhoury, and the Team at the Lebanese Network, we would like to congratulate Marianne, Ralph, and Francesca on their fantastic work.

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About the SDG Pioneer:

Every year the UN Global Compact recognizes the pioneers of the Sustainable Development Goals – these professionals working at any level of a UN Global Compact, who are leveraging a principles-based approach to accomplish the 17 Global Goals, known as SDGs. These visionary leaders give impetus to the interest toward the Global Goals and toward the creative means of their implementation by the business. In 2022 the UN Global Compact will again prize those persons who set ambitious goals and impact their companies and societies in order to make a sustainable future for all.

About the Global Compact Network Lebanon:

Global Compact Network Lebanon advances the UN Global Compact initiative, its Ten Principles, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the country level. We help companies build a strong understanding of responsible business within our national context and put their sustainability commitments into action as well as facilitate local connections – with other businesses and stakeholders from NGOs, government, and academia.

For any additional information, please refer to our Senior Programmes Manager, Susu Smaili at susu@globalcompact-lebanon.org or to our Communications Coordinator, Christelle Mechleb at christelle@globalcompact-lebanon.org

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The United Nations Global Compact Network Lebanon has organized its General Assembly on the 7th of April, 2022.

Since there was no quorum, the General Assembly will take place on Wednesday, April 20th from 3:00 PM till 4:00 PM and will be effective with whoever is present.

Learn more about our esteemed candidates running up for the elections:

Dr. Dima Jamali	President, Trablous First
Mrs. Nour Bitar	Administrative Manager, Ebco Bitar
Mr. Ronnie Richa	Senior Marketing Manager, Liban Post
Mr. Maher Ezzeddine Mrs. Olga Bitar	Chief Executive Officer, Engagement Consultant, Ideanco
Mrs. Nada Abi Saleh	Managing Director, Leo Burnett Beirut
Mrs. Isabelle Mansour	ESG Communication Consultant, Capital Concept
Mrs. Joanne Chehab	Chief Executive Officer, Malia Holding
Mrs. Sallama Naamani Mr. Vartkes Keutelian	Program Manager, Administrative Program Manager. Makhzoumi Foundation
Mrs. Tania Rizk Mrs. Rana Haddad	Assistant General Manager, Head of CSR & Internal Communications Unit, Banque Libano-Fraincaise
Mrs. Gacia Apikian Bazhouni	Sustainability, Governance & Strategy Manager, Indevco
Mr. Imad El Hajje	PR & External Affairs Executive, Children Cancer Center

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UNITED NATIONS, New York, 15 March 2022 – The private sector must do more to advance gender equality in the workplace, marketplace, and community, as it continues to be impacted by a range of interconnected emergencies Sanda Ojiambo, the CEO and Executive Director of the United Nations Global Compact, noted in her opening remarks at TARGET GENDER EQUALITY LIVE, which took place today during the 66th Commission on the Status of Women.

“It is more important than ever to have this discussion as the world continues to face a range of interconnected emergencies: the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the climate crisis, rising inequalities, financial instability and, of course, the war and humanitarian emergency in Ukraine” Sanda Ojiambo, CEO & Executive Director of the UN Global Compact told the virtual gathering of over 3,200 business, civil society, and government leaders.

The UN Global Compact announced it has developed a Business Guide to provide concrete action for businesses to support the UN Secretary-General’s three-month Flash Appeal for people in Ukraine, and the Regional Refugee Response Plan as women and children bear the brunt of the crisis.

Dmytro Sakharuk, Executive Officer of DTEK, a Ukrainian utility company, joined the event live from Ukraine and spoke about the impact of the war.

The President of the UN General Assembly,  Abdulla Shahid, noted the need to prioritize gender equality as we look towards recovery from the pandemic: “As we craft and implement recovery policies, we must prioritize the gender dimension. Not only because it is right, but because we need all hands on deck to finally put this pandemic behind us. Only with the full and unhindered involvement of women can we truly recover better.”

This year’s TARGET GENDER EQUALITY  LIVE was held as research recently released by the UN Global Compact, UN Women, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and BSR showed businesses are increasing their efforts to promote gender equality as they continue to tackle pandemic challenges but levels of implementation, measurement, and transparency remain low. 

Climate and gender activist, Julieta Martinez, speaking from Chile, noted how the business will be much more effective in fighting climate change if it promotes climate-resilient solutions with a focus on women: “For years, we’ve been trying to solve problems from isolated agendas, from boards of ten or five people deciding our future and presence. It’s time to change our way of creating solutions. It’s time to connect gender equality with the climate crisis. It’s time to say loud and clear that the climate crisis has a woman’s face.”

To address these concerns, UN Global Compact CEO & Executive Director Sanda Ojiambo also announced that the TARGET GENDER EQUALITY Accelerator initiative, which has already supported more than 800 companies to set and meet ambitious targets for women’s representation and leadership, is now open for new registrations from participating companies of the UN Global Compact in over 50 countries. As Adam Roy Gordon, Director of the Global Compact Network USA pointed out at the event “It is encouraging to see that more than 90% of TARGET GENDER EQUALITY participants around the world either have targets for gender equality in place, are adapting existing targets, or drafting new targets.” 

Moreover, the event showcased a new video launching the organization’s new workstream focusing on gender-responsive procurement (GRP), developed in partnership with the Women’s Entrepreneurship Accelerator. The video features a UN Women report that builds the business case for adopting GRP. The workstream will offer learning materials on the integral role business has to play in working with more women-owned businesses in their supply chain, as well as supporting suppliers to adopt more gender-responsive business practices.

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In collaboration with the UN Women, Connecting the dots event will take place virtually on the 31st of March. This event aims to highlight the initiatives available for the private sector in Lebanon to prioritize women’s empowerment at the workplace and in the community despite the ongoing economic and financial crisis.

It will give the chance for the participating gender actors to highlight their main programs and initiatives and present the opportunities for the private sector (Large enterprises, SMEs, Startups), to engage with them in the upcoming months.

The participating gender actors will present opportunities in the form of funding resources, technical assistance, and engagement to support women at the workplace and in the community. 

Agenda

15:00 – 15:10	Opening Remarks – Rachel Dore-Weeks, Head UN Women in Lebanon – Deenah Fakhoury, Executive Director, UN Global Compact Network Lebanon
15:10 – 15h20	Situation and Needs of the Private Sector – Asma Zein, Advisor to the Board, Lebanese League for Women in Business (LLWB)
15:20 – 16:00	Panel 1: Technical Assistance, Internal Policy Review, and Engagement Opportunities to Promote Gender Inclusion at the Workplace and in the Community – Tamara Azar, Consultant, Gender and Economic inclusion at the International Finance Corporation (IFC) – Lea Traboulsi, CDOs Specialist at LEBCAAP – Carmen Geha, Founding member, Center for Inclusive Business and Leadership for Women (CIBL), and Associate Professor of Public Administration at the American University of Beirut – Caroline Fattal, Founder of Stand for Women and Shareholder at Fattal Group
16:00 – 16:20	Panel 2: Funding Opportunities for Women-Led Enterprises and Companies – Sonia Sanchez Quintela, Private Sector Expert EU4WE at Expertise France – Yolla Serieddine, Deputy General Manager at Kafalat
16:20 – 16:30	Q&A and closing remarks

This event is only dedicated to the private sector. To register please click here.

For more information, please contact our Senior Programmes Manager Susu Smaili at susu@globalcompact-lebanon.org

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TGE Module 3, Measuring & Communication Progress, took place on Wednesday, January 26th, 2022, in partnership with Global Compact Network UAE and Jordan. This session was facilitated by Mrs. Nadine Al Achy and Mrs. Maria Kidney from Out of the Box, with a remarkable interaction from the UN Women.

The UN Women intervention showcased the progress of the Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs) implementation in Lebanon. They outlined the WEPs journey and demonstrated the importance for each company to be a WEPs signatory. At the end of their intervention, they gave a glimpse of the WEPs plans for 2021-2022 in Lebanon.

In this session, the participants learned how to measure the diversity progress to assess their implemented DEI actions in their workplace, as well as the importance of communicating this progress to the different stakeholders.

Major points discussed in this Module:

• Learn about what and how to measure progress of diverse representation in your workforce.

• Learn how to course correct when progress stalls.

• Understand the role of accountability and transparency in tracking progress.

• Understand the importance of communicating progress to key stakeholders.

• Action planning for measuring the progress of key strategies at your organization.

Congratulations to all the participants for achieving a milestone in the road of the gender equality journey.

Participating Companies from Lebanon

Participating Companies from UAE

Participating Companies from Jordan

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The second module of SDG Ambition, entitled Business Case & Metrics, was held on Thursday, January 20nd, 2022, in collaboration with the Global Compact Network UAE and KSA, and focused on developing supporting metrics and becoming equipped to build a business case for an SDG Ambition Benchmark.

Objective

In this session, participants were able to understand and identify the pathways, actions, and sub-goals needed to achieve their set SDG Ambition Benchmarks and learned how to generate buy-in at their company.

They discussed the different pathways built, achieve their ambitious targets, as well as the risks and disruptions that may occur to their current business process, in order to have a better understanding of the support needed to achieve their SDG Ambition Benchmark.

Outcome of this Module

• Apply their learnings from the previous on demand session
• Build out potential pathways and actions for their SDG Ambition Benchmark
• Create a short list of possible internal stakeholders to engage with

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Lebanese Participating Companies

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Advancing the 2030 Agenda through Youth empowerment

• Global Compact Networks of UAE, Lebanon and Egypt gathered at the UN Hub at Mission Possible – Opportunity District, EXPO 2020 for a regional discussion on socio-economic progress through the youth.
• The session introduced a lineup of expert speakers from Accenture, SAP Next-Gen, Endeavor, Ideanco. and CSR UAE Fund.
• A youth-centric dialogue led by young professionals entrepreneurs, and university students coming from Chalhoub Group, ENGIE, Emirates, University of Sharjah, First Abu Dhabi Bank, UNFPA, Accenture, ENOC, Sorbonne University, RTA, DEWA and Youth SDG Council.

Dubai, UAE, November 21 — On Monday, December 13, 2021 the Global Compact networks of UAE, Lebanon and Egypt joined forces at the UN Hub – Expo 2020 in Dubai for a panel session aimed to tackle the significant role youth plays in contributing to the achievement of the SDGs through their inclusion in the workforce and public frameworks with the support of academic institutions.

The session gathered a regional panel discussion of expert speakers to talk about their personal experiences, their entrepreneurial mindsets, and their advice to the younger generation in their career path. The session was then followed by a youth circle composed of young professionals from the public and private sector, academic institutions, and civil society organizations who continued the conversation and shared their views around the topic of youth empowerment and the SDGs.

Now more than ever, the world needs the youth to solve its greatest challenges. As an ambitious catalyst for change and innovation, their inclusion in the workforce is crucial in advancing our societies towards sustainable development. Yet, many young people face challenges with regards to economic inclusion notably driven by a lack of academic support and public-private partnerships schemes.

The session was opened by Deenah Fakhoury, Executive Director of the Global Compact Network Lebanon who shared insights on how they are mobilizing young people towards the SDGs. She shared some alarming numbers on youth unemployment worldwide, which remained high during the last 15 years. 30% of young women and 13% of young men remain uneducated and/or unemployed.

Dunia Bou Nader, Marketing and Sustainability Director at ideanco. facilitated the panel and welcomed the speakers for a 40-minutes interactive session about advancing sustainable development through youth entrepreneurship and socio-economic empowerment.

The panel first tackled the importance of multi-stakeholder partnerships schemes in fostering youth empowerment. Wissam Kadi, Global Initiatives Director at SAP Next-Gen and University Alliances at SAP shared how their program is connecting industries in the private sector to young talent and academic students to foster partnerships and engage both worlds for a greater purpose. “Multi-stakeholder partnerships is the way forward to promote skill-building. At SAP, we have partnered with several schools to promote computer science and programming to young women as well as working on programs to foster dialogue around skills development with schools from developing countries that are usually not part of the discussion.”

However, the role of academic institutions, be they high schools or universities, do hold a particular and significant role in shaping the next generation of bright minds, to begin with. Not only does it provide the youth with hard skills, but it also equips them with soft skills much needed to enter the workforce. Maryam highlighted that “getting an academic education should not be for the sole purpose of finding a job. Instead, we should approach it as a way to learn and develop to cultivate resilience and become an active agent of change”

The conversation then moved towards the role of entrepreneurship as a model for economic growth, and how the former can be best supported to thrive in today’s challenging environment. “Entrepreneurs are the engine of the economy simply because they have the ability to change and adapt to global challenges much faster than any large corporations” highlighted Ayman Ismail, Chairman of Endeavor Egypt. Samar Alamro, Associate Director and Strategic Operations looked at the question from an innovative perspective, and added that “innovation represents a significant catalyst for both economic growth and youth empowerment in the workforce because it allows young people to go from job seekers to job makers”. On another hand, Maryam AlQassab, Member Board of Trustees at CSR UAE, emphasized the importance of multi-stakeholder partnerships in supporting young entrepreneurs. “Entrepreneurship model cannot be successful in an environment lacking a dynamic relationship between the private sector, the public sector, and financial institutions”.

The session then moved into a youth-centric dialogue led by young professional entrepreneurs, and university students coming from Chalhoub Group, ENGIE, Emirates, University of Sharjah, First Abu Dhabi Bank, UNFPA, Accenture, ENOC, Sorbonne University, RTA, DEWA, the American University of Sharjah and Youth SDG Council. Facilitated by Wissam Kadi, they shaped the conversation around entrepreneurship and education in the GCC. Many highlighted the importance of fostering entrepreneurial skills at a young age, and many agreed on the role that families and surrounding communities play in building the perseverance and ambition of young minds. On an educational level, most of the youth participants agreed that the integration of the Sustainable Development Goals into academic curriculums will forcefully advance the way forward towards Agenda 2030.

To watch the full session, please visit the link below.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NhP9aFN-YjerOD_-a5yjX-v5zd8hGKTh/view?usp=sharing

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On the 8th of December, 2021, a delegation from UN Global Compact – Network Lebanon visited the Lebanese Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), His Excellency Mr. Fouad Chehab Dandan.

Mr. Dandan stated that they “had the pleasure of welcoming today a delegation from UN Global Compact – Network Lebanon and SDG council, headed by PM Mrs. Dima Jamali, to discuss and learn about “The SDG Council” which is a network of the world’s most influential Lebanese business leaders driving change around sustainability and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Sincere thanks and appreciations for the efforts and initiatives made, and encourage everyone to support as part of our responsibility towards better future for our children’s wellbeing.”

Global Compact Network Lebanon was honoured to meet His Excellency, Mr. Fouad Chehab Dandan.

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Joining forces at the UN Hub for Gender Equality

Challenges, Opportunities and Best Practices at Expo 2020

• Global Compact Local Networks gathered at UN Hub at Mission Possible – Opportunity District, EXPO 2020 for a regional panel discussion on advancing gender equality.

• Target Gender Equality by the UN Global Compact has become an essential framework to support companies when striving for gender equality in the workplace, marketplace, and community.

• Gender Equality has become a key priority for most businesses worldwide and many of them are working towards setting and reaching ambitious corporate targets for women’s representation and leadership.

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Dubai, UAE, November 21 – On Sunday, November 21, the Global Compact local networks of UAE, Lebanon, and Jordan joined forces at the UN Hub – Expo 2020 in Dubai for a panel session focused on Gender Equality in the context of the Arab World. The session gathered a regional panel of experts to talk about advancing SDG 5 on Gender Equality in the workplace and communities.

As global movements for Gender Equality are reaching all corners of the world, and as the pandemic has pushed back the gender agenda by 20 to 30 years, the need to advocate for women’s empowerment has become crucial today. 

The session was opened by the Executive Director of the Global Compact Network UAE, Mrs. Rachel Panaino who welcomed the participants and introduced the objective behind this session. 

Mrs. Layla AlQasim then followed with opening remarks for the session. As a Women’s Empowerment Principles specialist, she went over the gender landscape in the Middle East in terms of opportunities and challenges. She also informed the audience about the benefits of rolling out the Target Gender Equality, a programme by the UN Global Compact. 

The session was moderated by Mrs. Ayla Bajwa, Founder of ampUz and Head of Sustainability and Impact at DP World. The lineup of speakers included four experts from a range of organizations and perspectives, which made it possible to scale the progress on gender equality through various lenses. The one-hour panel covered a number of topics around gender equality in the Arab World. It started by highlighting gender-responsive policies implemented in the workplace and how companies bring these policies to life by turning their commitments into implementations. 

Mrs. Lamisse Muhtaseb spoke about factors that Deloitte is initiating to facilitate greater gender diversity in leadership. “A number of policies and practices have been developed in a number of areas and that does include pay, benefits, progression but one thing that is truly day-to-day is the opportunities that are given to women in the workplace.” 

Women continue to encounter challenges when it comes to advancing in the workplace—and in many facets of society. “Our projects are in developing countries, emerging markets, and they tend to be located in rural areas. Having little exposure to international development and not meeting high-level job requirements makes women trying to join the workforce a big challenge” said Patricia Gimenez Marti, Environment & Social Manager at Alcazar Energy. Leadership opportunities will need to be created equally by increasing jobs that offer career advancement. Today, women still get offered fewer of the high visibility, mission-critical roles, and international experiences that are important to reaching the highest levels of leadership.

The discussion then moved towards sharing success stories and showcasing examples from their companies that demonstrate the advancement and contribution of women’s leadership within the organization. Sharing best practices helped open further discussion on how vital it is to leverage the culture of business in order to drive change by investing deeply in all aspects of diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

Mr. Raji Hattar, Chief Sustainability Officer at Aramex shared how the company implemented a system in which employees and recruits are evaluated solely based on their competencies and not their gender, in any role that might be. Moving away from the conspiracy of setting the quota, and instead focusing on implementing daily aspects that give more space for inclusive leadership behaviors within the organization is a key aspect of delivering on gender policies. 

Ms. Christina Khater, Founder and Managing Director of Kristie’s Lab emphasized the importance of employee growth and development for a greater impact on both entities. “We should give the platform for everyone to feel that they matter and they are part of a second family”.

“There’s no one cookie-cutter approach. The model is different in consideration of the size of your business, the industry of your business, in which your KPIs might look different. And so with that, what the common denominator this conversation has brought is how elevated this dialogue has been. We are all human, we all want the same things, which is to be seen, to be heard, to have opportunities, and to have pathways to growth. Any man or woman will agree that this is what they want. However, their pathways will look different.” Ayla Bajwa, Founder of ampUz and Head of Sustainability and Impact at DP World. 

Gender-responsive procurement can make an enormous impact which accelerates the inclusion of women throughout the supply chain. Advocating for women entrepreneurs as the role models needed by the economy and the society and emphasizing the critical mission for all businesses worldwide. This will encourage the public and private sectors to make inclusiveness a priority and a catalyst for the systemic change that women need. Supporting women entrepreneurs is critical for sustainable growth.

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The second TGE Module, Strategies for Success, took place on Wednesday, November 17th, in partnership with Global Compact Network – UAE and Global Compact Network – Jordan, where participating companies had the opportunity to learn and assess diversity, equity, and inclusion within their working space. This Module was facilitated by Mrs. Nadine Al Achy and Mrs. Maria Kidney from Out of the Box.

In this Module, participants were able to have a deeper understanding of DEI strategies and activities that can help them attain diversity targets and gender equality within their organization.

Major points discussed during this Module:

• Learn about the key success factors of effective diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives that can accelerate progress towards set targets.

• Understand the importance of a holistic approach to diversity and inclusion.

• Gain ideas from real world examples of effective DEI initiatives.

• Action planning for DEI efforts at your own organization.

By sharing their thoughts, ideas, and experiences through reflection exercises, participants had the opportunity to learn and gain influential approaches from one another.

The Target Gender Equality Module 3 entitled “Measuring & Communicating Progress” will take place on January 26th, 2022.

Participating Companies from Lebanon

Participating Companies from UAE

Participating Companies from Jordan

SDG Ambition is a six-month accelerator that aims to challenge and support participating companies of the UN Global Compact in setting ambitious corporate targets and accelerating the integration of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into core business management. SDG Ambition enables companies to move beyond incremental progress and step-up transformative change, unlocking business value, building business resilience, and enabling long-term growth.

The launching of the SDG Ambition accelerator took place on October 13, 2021.

The first module, Goal Setting & Prioritization, was held on Wednesday, November 3rd, 2021 focusing on the way that companies can assess their current landscape and set ambitious goals aligned with priority SDG Ambition Benchmarks.

This Module aims to discuss participating company’s sustainability goals and assess the most strategic SDG Ambition Benchmark for their company.

It tackled the below main points:

– Introducing the SDG Ambition Accelerator
– Understanding Ambitious Goal Setting
– Principled Prioritization
– Aligning Company’s Goals with SDG Ambition
– Industry Perspectives on SDG Ambition
– SDG Ambition for 2030

In this session, each participant applied a completed homework activity from the Principled Prioritization on-demand session.

The SDG Ambition Module 2, entitled Business Case & Metrics, will take place on January 20th, 2022.

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Lebanese Participating Companies

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Beirut, October 14, 2021 – The Global Compact Network Lebanon held its Annual General Assembly virtually on Thursday 14th of October, 2021. 

The session started with an opening note by Dr. Dima Jamali, President of UNGCNL, and followed by Mrs. Deenah Fakhoury, Executive Director of UNGCNL, covering the activity report for the year 2020 and the roadmap for the year 2021. 

An audited report was then delivered by auditors Semaan & Gholam by Mr. Antoine Gholam. It was followed by a presentation of the financial report by Mrs. Isabelle Naoum, BoD member of UNGCNL representing Blom Bank. 

The announcement of the newly elected (by acclamation) board member Mr.Maher Ezzeddine, CEO at Ideanco, was pronounced by Mr. Vartkes Keutelian, Secretary of UNGCNL representing Makhzoumi Foundation.  

Mr. Ezzeddine shared a few words with the participants of the assembly and was warmly welcomed by the UNGCNL Board. 

Following the Assembly, BDO Semaan, Gholam & Co. were appointed to be the official auditors for UNGCNL for the year 2021.

Thank you to our participants, board members, and secretariat. 

The next General Assembly meeting will be held in the first trimester of the year 2022. 

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Target Gender Equality is a gender equality accelerator programme developed by the UN Global Compact. This programme aims to assist and support companies to deepen the implementation of women’s empowerment and foster ambitious targets for women’s representation within the company at all levels by engaging them in WEPS (Women’s Empowerment Principles), capacity building workshops, peer-to-peer learning, and multi-stakeholder dialogue at the country-level.

The first Module, Diversity Targets & Defining Ambition was held on Wednesday, October 20th, in partnership with Global Compact Network – UAE and Global Compact Network – Jordan, featuring experts in the Gender Equality Sphere.

This Module aimed to provide the participating companies with the best practices and needed knowledge through which it enabled them to channel their thinking on Gender Equality. Moreover, it helped them align with effective target-setting guidelines and determine the next steps aiming to create ambitious diversity targets for their organization.

The Module was facilitated by Mrs. Nadine Al Achy and Mrs. Maria Kidney from Out of the Box, who tackled and explained deeply the below main points:

–         Discuss women’s representation in leadership and businesses.

–         Understand the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

–         Learn about the importance of target setting and what it means to set ambitious targets for your organization.

–         Action planning to set targets for your own organization.

At the end of the session, participants have exchanged practices and insights through a group discussion in which they shared best practices and success stories of setting targets in relation to diversity and equality.

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Participating Companies from Lebanon

Participating Companies from UAE

Participating Companies from Jordan

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United Nations Global Compact’s #UnitingBusiness LIVE addressed practical ways aimed at encouraging and scaling up sustainability efforts, discussing practical approaches and local solutions for businesses to embed the Sustainable Development Goals in their processes and practices.

Speakers at the Global Impact Forum noted that every company needs to weave the SDGs into the fabric of their work, taking advantage of innovation, creativity, new ideas, and talent. Small and medium-sized enterprises, they said, are a key segment of the global economy, especially in developing nations, for the promotion of sustainability.

While sustainability has risen to the top of nearly everyone’s ‘to-do’ list, experts cautioned that promises can outweigh progress. One called it the “say-do divide.” Leadership might think it is driving the charge, but others in the company may not share the perception that the board, CEO, C-suite, or senior managers are truly committed to action. The most effective leaders are those who lead by example, one panelist noted.

The best-placed companies, they agreed, are those that recognize and measure sustainability goals, and that the significance of the goals is much more than simply appearing to be socially responsible.

Business leaders said that barriers include the slow pace of change in corporate culture, organizational complexity, a lack of drive from top leadership, and a lack of organizational investment and commitment.

Following opening remarks by the German Chancellor, Prime Minister of Sweden, and UN Deputy Secretary-General, today’s sessions featured a deep dive into efforts at gender equality and inclusion in Asia, where one local business leader noted that companies that are not moving forward will be left behind. Such companies become less attractive to investors, have higher risk profiles, lose their competitive edge, and have fewer interesting markets. They also risk losing top talent as employees increasingly seek jobs aligned with their values.

The UN Global Compact launched a new LGBTIQ+ assessment tool that helps companies identify and improve their progress in promoting diversity and inclusion. Similarly, leaders of the Global Compact’s SDG Ambition Accelerator shared examples of how it supports companies in integrating the SDGs into core management and strategies.

In parallel, the inaugural Young SDG Innovators Summit, showcased the extraordinary work of hundreds of talented young business professionals developing solutions to SDG-related challenges at companies around the world.
The day wrapped up with a panel on the International Day of Peace, in partnership with Peace Day LIVE with me joining private sector leaders to underscore how peace and sustainable business are linked.

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The United Nations Global Compact’s Private Sector Forum kicked off as part of Uniting Business LIVE on Monday 20 September with the UN Secretary-General, five Heads of State and dozens of CEOs and business leaders highlighting how the COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare global inequities and set back progress in reaching the Sustainable Development Goals. 

They cautioned that as countries battle the pandemic and look to the future, the crisis calls for an urgent rethinking and transformation in how Governments, civil society and the private sector work together to strive for sustainability and inclusivity. 

Business leaders noted that an unprecedented collaboration between the public and private sectors has been key in global efforts to end the pandemic, especially in terms of COVID testing and the development, production and distribution of vaccines. They noted that a similar spirit of collaboration can be applied to tackle issues in the future such as climate change, poverty and public health.

Health experts warned, however, that a lack of progress in supplying developing nations with vaccines threatens not only those countries but the world at large by constraining supply chains and economies and fostering tensions and unrest.

Interest is growing in corporate boardrooms and among shareholders in increased social responsibility and in instilling sustainability within business plans and strategies, company leaders told the meeting, and investing in sustainability is increasingly seen as an opportunity for businesses to grow value and make a positive difference. 

One such opportunity for the private sector is a new and ambitious Africa Strategy launched on Monday by the UN Global Compact to mobilize businesses in the quest for equity and sustainability in the resource-rich, geographically vast and politically diverse continent. Under the Africa Strategy, the Global Compact will establish a hub in Abuja, Nigeria. It will recruit and support the continent’s most exemplary and promising companies, focusing on the Ten Principles of the Global Compact and on Sustainable Development Goals critical to business success — gender equality; decent work and economic growth; climate action; peace, justice and strong institutions; and partnerships.

The day ended with a call for unity and a lively performance by Rocky Dawuni, an international reggae star and humanitarian from Ghana.

Embedding the learnings and skills from the programme into real company strategies!

August 20th marked the last of 5 Sustainable Innovation capacity building camps of the Young SDG Innovators Programme (YSIP). 
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Over the course of the year, our cohort of young SDG innovators were equipped with the needed knowledge and skill set on sustainability, lean startup, and design thinking, to help their companies identify opportunities in the many challenges the country’s facing and develop solutions to foster sustainable innovation within the corporate ecosystem. 
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The solution themes ranged from e-waste, to environmentally friendly construction, and mental health and wellbeing (among many others). All geared towards serving the Sustainable Development Goals put forth by the UN.⁣
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We cannot be any prouder of the teams or humbled by their willpower, motivation, and grit to pursue this path considering all the hardships they’re already facing. 

The Global Compact Network Lebanon, represented by its Senior Programmes Manager, Mrs. Susu Smaili, took part in the UN Women’s retreat focused on Lebanon’s Civil Society Feminist Platform.

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The retreat revolved around three key domains:

1. Endorsing the feminist platform governance mechanisms
2. Prioritizing the demands
3. Drafting the advocacy-based 12 month action plan

Together we will renew our joint commitment towards advancing the #GenderEquality pipeline on the national scale.

35 high-impact sessions with bold discussions, actionable business takeaways, great networking avenues with a twist of musical performances.

20-22 September 2021

Overview

Uniting Uniting Business LIVE connects the high-level multi stakeholder dialogues of the Private Sector Forum, the grounded local knowledge and implementation strategies in the Global Impact Forum, and partnership and leadership examples of the SDG Business Forum, into one inclusive, impactful and innovative all access global event.

Over the course of the three days at the start of the high-level opening week of the next UN General Assembly session, leading Chief Executives, Heads of State and Government, corporate sustainability experts and business leaders, plus heads of UN agencies and civil society organizations will come together to take stock of the state of the world, address gaps in progress, drive business ambition on the SDGs and highlight cooperative and actionable solutions that are ready — today. These themes will run throughout multi-stakeholder panels, live General Assembly presentations and CEO interventions, and will encourage a global cross-sector dialogue through interactive breakout-sessions and exposition booths. 

This year we will also be hosting LIVE panel sessions and keynotes from our Local Network hubs around the world. We will break the digital “fourth wall” by streaming a mix of virtual and LIVE stages, and host both virtual and in person networking sessions in select areas. Join the United Nations Global Compact as we continue to Unite business for a better world.

What to expect at the Uniting Business LIVE?

• Bold Discussions: During virtual plenaries you will hear directly from the voices shaping our world — CEOs of companies you know and admire,  Heads of State and heads of UN agencies.
• Actionable Business Takeaways: Over the course of three days, you will learn and take home actionable solutions from companies that are driving progress on climate, gender equality, COVID recovery, and more.
• Great Networking Avenues: Imagine the possibilities when you virtually meet and network with thousands of global leaders from diverse backgrounds chats and one-on-one conversations and meetings.
• Musical Performances: Rocky Dawuni, International music star and humanitarian activist and DJ Tessa will be hitting the stage at Uniting Business LIVE.

Three days of meaningful inspiration, connection and actionable takeaways

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Highlighted Speakers

Strategic Partners

Young SDG Innovators Programme

On July 15 and 16, the fourth Young SDG Innovators Program (YSIP) camp took place under the name of “Solutions Testing and Validation”. The Solutions Testing and Validation camp was organized and facilitated by Hany Rizk; Founder of No BS Innovation, and Nadim Choucair; Founder of the 2030 Cabinet.

Building on the three previously held camps, this camp revolved around refining and validating problem solutions related to the innovators’ specific company challenges. Through this camp, innovators where equipped with the needed knowledge and tools to effectively measure and communicate the SDG impact of their proposed business solutions and projects

The broader aim of this camp was to inspire and enable our cohort of young innovators to further accelerate innovation through their development work with an emphasis on collaboration and creativity for greater societal good.

Knowledge exchange, prototyping and collective brainstorming shaped the dynamics of this camp through which the innovators explored the choices of innovative solutions and the details that centered on them.

This camp prepared the innovators for their final camp, the off-boarding camp, which will focus on guiding innovators on how to embed the learnings and skills from the programme into their companies.

More than 20,000 business leaders joined Heads of State, civil society leaders and UN Chiefs to call for increased corporate ambition to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 and net-zero by 2050 during extraordinary Leaders Summit.

UNITED NATIONS, New York, 16 June 2021 – UN Secretary-General António Guterres was joined by Heads of State and dozens of Chief Executive Officers and UN Chiefs at this year’s United Nations Global Compact Leaders Summit to address the converging crises of climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, worsening social and economic inequality and unchecked corruption in order to offer a roadmap for a sustainable recovery.

Opening the Summit, UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Chair of the Board of the UN Global Compact remarked: “Only through global cooperation at an unprecedented level can we build back from the pandemic, get on track to achieve the SDGs and avert the worst impacts of climate change. Business has a central role to play. Your efforts and leadership can lift the entire world. But you need to embrace transformational change. In every sector, a much deeper, faster and more ambitious response is needed to unleash the social and economic changes demanded by the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement on climate change.”

Sanda Ojiambo, CEO & Executive Director of the UN Global Compact noted that: “Events in the extraordinary year since our last Leaders Summit have proven how fragile our systems and how unequal our societies really are. Amidst a pandemic, an economic crisis and a climate emergency, business as usual is no longer an option. Instead, this is a time for ambition.”

Sanda Ojiambo also announced that Expo 2020 Dubai and the United Nations Global Compact are joining forces to hold a Sustainable Development Goals Business Forum during Expo’s Global Goals Week (16-22 January 2022), to spur further action towards a sustainable and inclusive future.

Marking the first anniversary of the Race to Zero campaign, Alok Sharma, President for COP 26, issued a strong call to action to business leaders to accelerate the transition to a net-zero world by 2050: “Race to Zero is central to our COP26 Presidency. We are urging companies and investors, cities and regions, organizations of all kinds, to sign-up. To play their part in keeping 1.5 degrees within reach. And to make clear to governments that climate action will be welcomed and not resisted across the economy.”

Over 26 hours of continuous virtual programming — including more than 100 global, regional and local sessions – leaders from business, civil society, governments and the UN reflected on the importance of collaboration and public-private partnerships and pledged to increase their ambition to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and accelerate climate action.

In a series of sessions under the banner “Elevating Ambition for Corporate Action” the UN Global Compact’s new strategic plan for the next three years was launched to galvanize bold, rapid progress on sustainability through business transformation. It calls for enhanced corporate accountability, including cutting carbon emissions in line with a pathway to net-zero by mid century and envisions regionally-balanced growth of the UN Global Compact network. It also enables greater flexibility for business action at the local level, with companies adapting to each country’s unique context as well as seeking to harness the energy of small and medium-sized enterprises as the foundation of national and local economies. And it promotes stronger business engagement with UN partners, including partnerships to finance the 2030 Agenda.

It was also announced that the UN Global Compact SDG Ambition Accelerator programme will now be open to further participants to set and meet bold, tangible targets for sustainability. Paul Polman, Vice Chair of the UN Global Compact presented on the results of the UN Global Compact 2021 survey of companies and CEOs, in partnership with Accenture, which revealed 79 per cent of CEOs believe the pandemic has highlighted the need to transition to more sustainable business models.

During the plenary session “Financing the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement”  which explored how linking “ESG” to meaningful corporate sustainability action will benefit investors and companies, the UN Global Compact CFO Taskforce committed to key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure their progress towards the implementation of  the CFO Principles on Integrated SDG Investment and Finance.

Further corporate action was called for during the CEO panel discussion “Accelerating Progress Towards Setting Science Based Targets” which looked at the key role the private sector has to play in sending strong market signals and scaling innovative solutions to present concrete, realistic plans towards a zero-carbon economy while advocating for a green recovery. The session built on the findings of a recent report from the Science Based Targets initiative, the UN Global Compact and CDP which showed that none of the Group of Seven countries’ main stock indexes are aligned with goals to limit global temperature rises to 1.5 or 2 degrees Celsius.

The session “The Road to Transformational Governance: Launching the Business Framework for Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions” discussed how to accelerate action on the “G” in ESG to strengthen business culture, ethics and performance and support public institutions, laws and systems building on the recently released SDG 16 Business Framework: A Blueprint for Transformational Governance”.

The high-level session entitled “Uniting Against Corruption: Launch of the UN Global Compact Anti-Corruption Collective Action Playbook” looked at how companies and other stakeholders from civil society and the public sector can come together to tackle corruption through a six step approach drawn from the collective action methodology.

The UN Global Compact Leaders Summit also recognised the work of ten “2021 SDG Pioneers”  who are doing an exceptional job to advance the Global Goals through the implementation of the UN Global Compact Ten Principles on human rights, environment, labor and anti-corruption. Government speakers who participated in this year’s event included President of the Republic of Singapore, Mdm Halimah Yacob; Prime Minister of Jamaica, H.E. Andrew Holness; Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea, H.E. Kim Boo-kyum; Dr. Monique Nsanzabaganwa, Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission; Mr. Erick Thohir, Minister of State Owned Enterprises, Indonesia;  Ms. Marina Sereni, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Italy; Mr. Ville Skinnari, Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, Finland; Niels Annen, Minister of State, Federal Foreign Office, Germany;  Ms. Birgitta Tazelaar, Vice Minister for International Cooperation, Netherlands; Ms. Jarosińska-Jedynak, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy, Poland; Ms. Anna Karin Eneström, Permanent Representative, Mission of Sweden to the UN; Dr. Wissanu Krea-Ngam.

Deputy Prime Minister, Thailand; Mr. Soltan bin Saad Al-Muraikhi, State Minister for Foreign Affairs, State of Qatar; Howard Boyd, Chair, UK Environment Agency.

Other speakers included UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina J. Mohammed;  Inger Andersen, Executive Director, UNEP; Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; Sharan Burrow, Secretary-General of the International Trade Union Confederation and Darren Walker, President of the Ford Foundation as well as more than two dozen leading CEOs including Julie Sweet, CEO, Accenture; Roberto Marques, CEO, Natura &Co; Jean-Pascal Tricoire, CEO, Schneider Electric; Francesco Starace, CEO, Enel; Paul Polman, Chair of Imagine and Vice Board Chair of the UN Global Compact; Jane Karuku, Managing Director and CEO, East African Breweries Ltd and Olukayode Pitan, CEO, Bank of Industry, Nigeria.

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The UN Global Compact Network Lebanon, UN Global Compact Network UAE, UN Global Compact Network Egypt and UN Global Compact Network Jordan joined forces and organized a regional plenary session that took place on the sidelines of the United Nations Global Compact Leaders Summit on June 16, 2021.

Aligned to Goal 17 of the UN 2030 Agenda focused on partnerships for the goals, this session aimed to exchange leadership knowledge, take stock of progress and explore avenues for greater influence and impact in relation to strategic and collaborative partnerships. With the spirit of peer-to-peer learning and cross-regional exchange, this session convened edge cutting business leaders working on advancing the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the Middle East context. 

This session assembled Robin Richa, General Manager of Arcenciel, Lebanon, Sina Habbous, Executive Director of the Regional Center for Sustainable Finance, Financial Supervisory Authority, Egypt, Mazen Watha’efi, CEO of Amman Stock Exchange, Jordan and last but the least Hana Al Rostamani, Group CEO of First Abu Dhabi Bank.

Our esteemed line up of plenaries drilled deeper into the interplay between strategic partnerships and innovation. They delved into the importance of exploring opportunities for financing of partnerships through diversification of sources to upscale collective impact around the 17 SDGs. They shared their leadership approaches, tools, valuable guidelines and recommendations, which have emerged from partnership monitoring and analysis around the SDGs.

Key takeaways for business leaders from this cross-regional dialogue:

• Knowledge sharing, developing a clear understanding of mutual benefits and establishing accountabilities are the fundamentals of successful partnerships
• Collaboration and forging necessary partnerships with the legislative and regulatory bodies is an absolute necessity to accelerate real tangible impact around sustainable development through policies and transformational governance
• Developing a clear and a robust framework for cross-sector partnerships is an ultimate prerequisite to set a common ground and capture long term value

“A robust and a clear framework is pivotal for effective and efficient #partnerships.”
Robin Richa, CEO of Arcenciel says @globalcompact #LeaderesSummit. pic.twitter.com/rvbcFkwLUk

— Global Compact Lebanon (@GCNLebanon) June 16, 2021

Global challenges are better tackled when joint efforts and collaboration from different sectors come together; hence, partnerships often manifest better outcomes. Now more than ever, we urge our responsible business leaders to work alongside their partners from the public and private sector to accelerate impact and scale up the progress on the SDGs and the United Nations Global Compact’s ten principles.

Only together and with consolidated efforts, we can set fully-fledged roadmaps on how to rebuild a just, equitable and resilient world.

“Knowledge sharing, clear understanding of mutual benefits and sharing accountability are key pillars of successful #partnerships.”

Mazes Wathaefi, CEO of Amman Stock Exchange, says at the @globalcompact #LeadersSummit! pic.twitter.com/ittykNliWF

— Global Compact Lebanon (@GCNLebanon) June 16, 2021

SDG Pioneers are business leaders who have demonstrated progress and commitment towards advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

BEIRUT, Lebanon, 16 June 2021 – The United Nations Global Compact today recognized Mireille Chrabieh Co-Founder of Special Miles as one of the ten Global 2021 SDG Pioneers.

This year’s global search focused on professionals working at any level in a company participating in the UN Global Compact and the winners selected come from every continent.

This honor comes in recognition of Mireille’s work to advance innovation in education #SDG4 . Special Miles has been a signatory of the UN Global Compact since 2018. To learn more about the SDG Pioneer for Innovation in Education, please visit the UN Global Compact website: https://unglobalcompact.org/news/4708-06-16-2021

“Business has a critical role to play in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals at a time when progress has been set back by the Covid-19 pandemic. These ten exceptional professionals show exactly what can be done by business to make a difference that not only serves shareholders but also society at large. I hope our ten 2021 SDG Pioneers will also inspire others to join them in uniting business for a better world.”

Sanda Ojiambo, CEO and Executive Director of the UN Global Compact

An expert panel composed of previous SDG Pioneers and representatives from the UN Global Compact Expert Network, academia and UN agencies judged the SDG Pioneer entries. The selection criteria included the individuals’ commitment to embedding the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact into their companies’ core strategies, their efforts to advance the SDGs, as well as their engagement with the UN Global Compact and its Local Networks. The 2021 SDG Pioneers were announced during the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit 2021 on 16 June.

For more information about the UN Global Compact, please visit www.unglobalcompact.org

Creating Value through Partnerships: the Case of the Middle-East

This session will shed light on efforts made by change makers as well as on pioneering approaches that leverage the global goals to build innovative and experimental partnerships.  

3 key takeaways for businesses to use following the session:

• Promote an active dialogue among stakeholders on ways to leverage partnerships so as to generate impact on the SDGs 
• Discover valuable guidelines and recommendations which have emerged from partnership monitoring and analysis around the SDGs 
• Explore opportunities for financing of partnerships through diversification of sources

Robin Richa will address the power of partnerships and their impact in generating collective solutions to complex problems. He will highlight how the civil society can leverage capacity building to institutionalize public-private partnerships on national and regional levels. His intervention will delve into the interplay between partnerships and innovation in both financial and technological sectors. He will dive into the pivotal role of establishing a clear and robust framework for effective and efficient partnerships.

Register today: https://na.eventscloud.com/website/23790/?fbclid=IwAR3kH2M9GtD3ZCndFz-8JfYJ4mKjrVUbTfcr67kj_dpERkupyhjoStmo83Y

Situational Overview

The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected the countries and populations around the world, including Lebanon, adding to the burden of vulnerable groups and people living in poor conditions even prior to the pandemic.
On the national level, COVID-19 has further intensified, highlighted and exposed fundamental inter-sectorial complex problems in various areas of social, economic, civil and political life. And with COVID-19 continuing to surge, now more than ever we are in an immense need to boost vaccination rates at the local scale. With that being said, successful implementation and robust vaccination campaigns require the ultimate optimization of public-private partnerships.
Driven by the aforementioned, Global Compact Network Lebanon and in line with the #OnlyTogether campaign of the United Nations (UN) and on the occasion of World Immunization Week (24 to 30 April) has rolled out a digital campaign aimed at creating awareness on the importance of public-private partnerships in strengthening domestic resource mobilization towards boosting the local vaccination campaign.

Why we joined forces with the #OnlyTogether Campaign?

The broader aim of this digital campaign was to amplify the word of #OnlyTogether and create awareness on the instrumental role the private sector assumes in boosting the vaccination campaign and rates at the local level. It came as a corporate activism aimed at forging the necessary public-private partnerships as a strategic way to strengthen domestic resource mobilization in the vaccination processes.
This digital campaign was able to endorse and feature top notch experts from the health, academic and corporate sectors.

Blog Contribution by Dr. Samer Sakr; Assistant Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at the Lebanese International University : HOW TO SUCCEED THE VACCINATION CAMPAIGN? PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTORS HAND IN HAND!

Blog Contribution by Malia Group: MALIA GROUP: THE FIRST PRIVATE COMPANY IN THE REGION TO MOVE THE LEBANESE VACCINATION CAMPAIGN A STEP FORWARD!

Special digital intervention by Dr. Randa Hamadeh; Head of the Social Health Services and Primary Healthcare Department, the manager of the Immunization and Essential Drugs Program and the National Coordinator of Universal Health Coverage 2030 at the Ministry of Public Health in Lebanon. 

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Convened on Friday March 19^th, the Young SDG Innovators Programme’s (YSIP) Training of Trainers (TOT) explored the tools and approaches for developing and sustaining a systems mindset.

“Reflect to ensure you learn to integrate and speak your own framework, not subordinate to someone else’s framework.” That was the hallmark that represented the core essence and dynamics of the training.

Curated and delivered by YSIP Mentor; Fadi Naffah, this training aimed at exploring systematic approaches for using the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a strategic lens for innovation. This training served as a deep dive into systematic analysis through which it helped participating trainers expand their systems thinking capacities and delve in-depth into structures, patterns and cycles rather than perceiving only specific events within the system.    

During the session, our expert line up of mentors shared the key insights and tools needed to develop and advance a systems mindset for dealing with complex problem solving when addressing thorny challenges.

Key pillars that make up a systems mindset: 

• Interconnectedness: A fundamental principle of systems thinking is that everything is interconnected. Consequently, everything is reliant upon something else for continuity. For instance: Humans need food, air and water to sustain their bodies, and trees need carbon dioxide and sunlight to thrive.
• Feedback Loops: Since everything is interconnected, there are constant feedback loops and flows within the elements of a particular system. Systematic thinkers tend to observe, understand and intervene in feedback loops once they understand their types and dynamics.
• Systems Mapping: Systems mapping is one of the core ingredients of a systems thinking mindset. Systems thinkers identify and map the elements of things within a system to understand how they interconnect, relate and interplay in a complex system. Consequently, unique insights and discoveries can be used to develop tangible solutions, transitional shifts and policy adjustments that will dramatically change the system in the most effective and dynamic way.

Want to know more about our expert line up of our YSIP Mentors?

Read more at: https://www.globalcompact-lebanon.com/hub/meet-our-expert-line-up-of-ysip-mentors/

New York, NY, United States of America

UN Global Compact’s Target Gender Equality programme to expand from 19 to 45 countries 

UNITED NATIONS, New York, 17 March 2021 — The world needs the talent of women and men equally to solve global challenges such as racism, climate change and economic recovery from COVID, the UN Secretary-General told TARGET GENDER EQUALITY LIVE, a virtual gathering of business, civil society and government leaders, on Tuesday.

“Gender equality is essentially a question of power. We live in a male dominated world with a male dominated culture in the public and private sector alike. In the private sector women’s equal participation and leadership is both a moral duty and a business imperative. The world needs the talent and perspectives of all women to solve our biggest challenges from rebuilding the global economy to fighting systemic racism to tackling climate change,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said.

More than 4,500 people participated in the first TARGET GENDER EQUALITY LIVE event organised by the UN Global Compact. Convened during the 65th Commission on the Status of Women, this interactive gathering sought to inspire and engage business and other stakeholders to take concrete action to advance gender equality at a time when concern is growing that the gender gap is widening due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Business leaders including  including Wendy Clark, CEO of Dentsu International, Michel Khalef, CEO of Metlife, Paul Polman, Co-founder of IMAGINE,  Ann Cairns, Executive Vice Chair of Mastercard, Aakanksha Bhargava, CEO of PMR, Meshvara Kanjaya, CEO of PT Supra Boga Lestari, Roberto Marques, CEO of Natura &Co, Sally Gilligan, Chief Information Officer and Head of Strategy

Gap Inc., Olukayode Pitan, CEO of Bank of Industry, Deborah Gibbins, Chief Operating Officer, Mary Kay and Cristiano Cardoso Teixeir, CEO of Klabin, discussed how the private sector can help bring down barriers to gender equality by respecting and supporting the rights of women and girls. 

“We believe companies should be accountable, transparent and need to encourage women’s empowerment in business,” Roberto Marques, CEO of Natura &Co said. 

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka Executive Director of UN Women noted that the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), established by UN Women and the UN Global Compact, provide a useful framework to guide business action.

“We have seen how adopting the WEPs has marked an important turning point in many companies. The Principles have served as signatories’ moral compass, blueprint and framework to lay out their gender equality ambitions. They have also offered access to a global network of companies with similar values. And they have helped signatories invest in their future by contributing to creating an equitable world and to removing barriers that never should have been there in the first place,” she said.

UN Global Compact CEO & Executive Director Sanda Ojiambo announced that the Target Gender Equality programme which has already helped more than 300 companies in 19 countries to set and meet ambitious targets for women’s representation and leadership, would be expanded to 45 countries. 

“Through our Target Gender Equality programme, the UN Global Compact is calling on all companies to set ambitious targets for women’s representation and leadership. As this programme rolls out and expands to more countries, I am optimistic that many more businesses will take up the challenge to create systemic, holistic change,” she said. 

Sessions organized by Global Compact Networks running the Target Gender Equality programme also provided an opportunity to understand the challenges and unpack the strategies and solutions needed to advance progress towards gender parity. At a session organized by Global Compact Network Kenya, Soraya Narfeldt, CEO and Chairperson of RA International, one of Africa’s leading remote site service providers, spoke about the challenges of recruiting women to non-traditional jobs and navigating cultural barriers, especially in remote communities. Kariuki Ngari, Managing Director & CEO, ‎Standard Chartered Bank Kenya Limited, highlighted the importance of setting the tone from the top and adopting robust accountability measures, noting that “In the corporate world, whatever gets measured gets done”. 

Notes to Editors: 

United Nations Global Compact

As a special initiative of the UN Secretary-General, the United Nations Global Compact is a call to companies everywhere to align their operations and strategies with Ten Principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. Our ambition is to accelerate and scale the global collective impact of business by upholding the Ten Principles and delivering the Sustainable Development Goals through accountable companies and ecosystems that enable change. With more than 12,000 companies and 3,000 non-business signatories based in over 160 countries, and 69 Local Networks, the UN Global Compact is the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative — one Global Compact uniting business for a better world.

For more information, follow @globalcompact on social media and visit our website at unglobalcompact.org.

Organized on the 16^th of March and on the sidelines of the International Women’s Day and Commission on the Status of Women events, Target Gender Equality LIVE demonstrated the leadership of UN Global Compact on Gender Equality by showcasing the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), promoting Target Gender Equality global impact initiative and engaging women-led businesses. This high level international event featured a dynamic mix of live plenaries, global networking and actionable practical tools and resources.  

On the sidelines of this international event focused on Goal 5 calling for Gender Equality and the empowerment of women and girls, Global Compact Network Lebanon and in collaboration with the regional networks in Egypt, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Jordan organized a regional breakout session entitled: Scaling Business Ambition to Achieve Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in the Middle East.

This regional breakout session convened high-level leaders who are strong advocates of scaling business ambition to achieve women empowerment in the workplace, market and communities within the MENA region. This session assembled Caroline Fattal; Senior VP and Board Member at Fattal Group – Lebanon, Rana Al Kwailt; Corporate Communication and PR Manager at Hygienic Holding and Ruba Al Zaubi; Executive Director – Jordan along with Kate Willoughby; Head of Group Sustainability and Impact at DP World – UAE.

Facilitated by Mireille Chrabieh; Special Education Consultant at S-miles and the 2020 Global Compact Network Lebanon SDG Pioneer, the session allowed convening leaders and advocates to delve in-depth into the gender equality challenges and barriers in the MENA context. Featured experts highlighted the incremental role of the private sector in advancing and deepening the implementation of the Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs). They provided diverse examples about the many strategies that their companies have taken to achieve gender balance in leadership and ensure that women’s perspectives are equally valued in the decision-making processes.

Going forward with the key highlights of this dynamic mix of intersectional perspectives on Gender Equality, there’s only one truth to say:  Women empowerment is smart business! Evidence based research shows that it improves the bottom line, promotes innovation and enhances the decision making capacities. It enables organizations to be representative of, attractive to, and more likely able to meet the needs of clients, shareholders and communities.

Enhance your sustainability pathway on Gender Equality and keep an eye on our Target Gender Equality Programme to learn more about the corporate policies and best business practices in the Gender Equality context.

That’s a wrap on #TargetGenderEquality LIVE!

Thank you to all our speakers, partners and participants for joining these dialogues showcasing the important role the private sector has to play in achieving #Goal5: #GenderEquality. pic.twitter.com/eE8QACPKyt

— UN Global Compact (@globalcompact) March 16, 2021

Gender equality is both a fundamental human right and a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. Yet, at the current rate of progress, it will take over 10 generations to close the economic gender gap.

In celebration of International Women’s Day, the UN Global Compact Academy is excited to promote this 30-minute e-learning course to help companies understand the role of business in advancing gender equality and the concrete steps that can be taken to help accelerate the pace of change.
Your entire company has access to the course offered in English, Chinese, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and German. Share with your colleagues today and discover how your company can start taking action on gender equality in the Decade of Action.

By completing this course, you will be able to:

• Learn why gender equality and women’s empowerment is a prerequisite to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals
• Encourage your company to contribute to the achievement of SDG 5
• Understand how to build the business case for gender equality in your company
• Discover how the Women’s Empowerment Principles and other key frameworks, tools and resources can support your business
• Take concrete steps that your business can take to mainstream gender equality into strategy and operations
• Gain a certificate of completion after successfully completing the course

Get started now and register on this link: info.unglobalcompact.org/genderequality

Mahdi Nehme

Lynda Mouawad

Lara Khabbaz

Lara is co-founder and managing partner at INSIGHTS’ For Consultancy and is currently occupying the role of Director of Marketing at Notre Dame University-Louaize.  In this YSIP journey, Lara is mentoring the Fattal’s Innovators Team.

Ursula Hage

Fadi Naffah

With 17 Years of International experience, Fadi works across multiple fields in developing entrepreneurship and today specialises in working with companies in the fields of Growth Strategy and Tech Innovation. He is also actively involved within the World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF), where he acts as both a business mentor helping start-ups in the five continents and as the WBAF Business School Secretary general for the Mentorship Department. 

He is a business consultant on the Stanford Seed Transformation program, and Business Mentor with the European Business and Innovation Centre Network (EBN), The Purpose Alliance – Luxembourg, Mowgli Foundation – UK, Tony Elumelu Foundation – Africa and Askybird – Middle East. On top of being the Director of Lebanon Enterprise Development program at Berytech, the leading business and innovation centre in Lebanon.

Fadi was the Program Manager of Agrytech, the first Agri-Food Innovation Hub in the Middle East funded by the Dutch government. In the Agrytech portfolio, Fadi supported more than 40+ start-ups to validate in the market and scale-up and helped more than 30+ SME’s to integrate innovation into their value proposition. 

With an Executive MBA from ESCP Europe, backed by a Master of Engineering in Telecommunication and Computer Science, along with Project Management Certification (PMP) and Business Incubation Management certification, Fadi strives to make a difference by Helping Start-ups, Scale-up, and SME’s delivering results. In this YSIP journey, Fadi is mentoring the Innovators team of ITG.

Patricia Kebbeh

Patricia Kebbé is a business marketing development Consultant, Trainer and Mentor with more than 25 years of experience inspiring people, moving products and brands forward. 

Patricia has spent most of her career with major multinational companies and agencies, holding a number of senior strategic and management positions in marketing and offline/online communications. 

During that time, she has worked with such well-known multinational brands as Unilever, Nestlé, L’Oréal and Johnson & Johnson. 

She than founded, developed, managed and franchised a unique F&B Concept: “GOU Restaurant & Salon de Thé” for which she was Finalist to the “Business of the Year”​ Award and won the First Prize of “How to be an Entrepreneur”​ Workshop.

Today, she brings the thinking and discipline of big business marketing and product development to train, coach and consult Entrepreneurs, SMEs, Social Enterprises and NGOs. 

Recent projects undertaken for: Fair Trade Lebanon (MEPI and UN Women), OXFAM (Badael), AUB Faculty of Agriculture ESDU (WFP, UNDP, ENI CBCMED- European Union) and Berytech (Coach at Impact Rise Program). In this YSIP journey, Patricia is mentoring LBACC’s Innovators Team.

Rudy Shoushany

Maurcie Mouawad

On top of the advisory / consultancy services, Maurice has been delivering training and coaching sessions through different programs and different disciplines.

Currently Maurice is an CFA candidate working on the Investment Program in finance on top of two masters degrees acquired, one in Computer Science and another in Business Administration, further, a member of the CMC global institute.

As a consultant and true believer in experience and knowledge sharing, coaching and training, Maurice considers tacit knowledge transfer an imperative for guidance and leadership. Thus, he highly cherishes teamwork and apply interpersonal skills in favor of team development and support.

An entrepreneur by instinct, a social vibrant advocating economic impact and sustainability, enjoys identifying and developing business opportunities professionally while collaborating  and  stakeholders’  matchmaking,  building  bonds  and  raising  awareness  on opportunities that can generate spillover effect. In the 2021 YSIP journey, Maurice is mentoring Engineering & Building Co. EBCO (BITAR) Innovators’ Team.

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On February 18^th and 19^th, the 1^st camp of the Young SDG Innovators Programs (YSIP) capitalized on the systematic process of analyzing and creating tangible business solutions leveraging on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a catalyst for change and innovation.

Due to the inconvenient health situation, the 1^st camp was held virtually using meetbutter through which our YSIP Innovators where distributed into different groups to accelerate their knowledge sharing about sustainable business strategies, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices and emerging business challenges.

The 1^st day revolved around breakthrough innovation for the SDGs. It capitalized on a creativity exercise aimed at addressing priority areas for the SDGs within the innovators business ecosystem.

The ultimate goal of this exercise was to help participants acquire an in-depth understanding on how businesses can upscale their sustainability targets into an exponential level. This exercise also aimed at helping innovators identify specific SDG challenges within their companies and frame potential solutions in alignment to the defined challenges.

The second day concentrated on helping innovators explore systematic approaches of using the SDGs as a lens for innovation. The first segment of the day emphasized on applying some critical analysis and strategic solving skills on challenges faced by the actual companies of the participants. This has been followed by a Systems Thinking Talk. Through this inspirational talk, innovators gained the opportunity to acquire a profound knowledge on Systems Thinking as a strategic way to help them perceive systems from a broad perspective that includes seeing overall structures, patterns and cycles rather than seeing only specific events within the system.

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The second segment entailed group sharing and discussions through which all innovators’ teams were given the sufficient time to pitch their ideas and share their outcomes and the ideation process they used to highlight their companies’ SDG business challenges.

This educational and practical exchange of the participants and their renowned mentors helped in assessing the propositions, building on the gaps and expanding the systematic thinking horizons of our 2021 cohort of Young SDG Innovators beyond the given.

The actions we take now will shape our society’s future. Facing an unprecedented crisis, one thing is clear – we need to reformulate the equation.

Now more than ever, we need to disrupt the old traditional ways of doing business and leverage on the young generation to unlock innovative and transformative business solutions. Today like never before, the world is in a massive need to a new type of energy and leadership.

The Young SDG Innovators Program aims to activate future business leaders and change makers to rethink traditional business models and deliver tangible solutions aimed at solving SDG challenges within their corporate ecosystem.

This 10 months accelerator program serves as an enrichment track with a blend of learning opportunities. It provides participants with the unique skills aimed at driving sustainability efforts within their companies while utilizing on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a catalyst.

On January 29^th, UNGCNL hosted the YSIP kickoff event allowing teams from 8 different companies to engage with each other. It was an opportunity for innovators to reflect on their aspirations and expectations of the program amongst the entire UNGCNL team and our implementation partners; Nadim Chouicair; Founder of 2030 Cabinet, and Hany Rizk; Founder of NO BS-Innovation studio.

The Kickoff event was inaugurated by an inspirational welcoming remark delivered by our President; Dr. Dima Jamali, highlighting the incremental role of resilience and stress management in times of distress and ambiguity. Dr. Jamali left the participants with a motivational message: “Continue to believe in yourself. Continue to believe in your potential. Continue to believe in your beloved country, Lebanon.”

The floor was then given to Pablo Varela, Global Compact Initiatives Advisor at the UN Global Compact. During his intervention, Pablo emphasized on the importance of developing and adopting a global collective sustainable business agenda aimed at accelerating the way for transformative sustained actions.

The broader aim of this Kickoff event was to enable participants to acquire an in-depth knowledge on this SDG learning journey that paves the way towards optimal results at the end of the YSIP 2021 edition.

The introductory session provided by our Programs Manager; Bruna Elias, capitalized on the scope of work and roles of the pillars of the program: Innovators, Champions, and Mentors. The track of the entire program was then explained including a briefing on the different camps and the topics that will be addressed in the future.

We look forward to seeing what big ideas, transformative business models and innovative new approaches to technology our 2021 YSIP cohorts will unlock and unleash through the program.

Through facilitated performance analysis, capacity building workshops, peer-to-peer learning and multi-stakeholder dialogue at the country-level, Target Gender Equality  is supporting companies in setting and reaching ambitious corporate targets for women’s representation and leadership, starting with the Board and Executive Management levels.

The programme enables companies to engage in accelerated learning opportunities specific to the Lebanese context to strengthen women’s representation and leadership in their business.

To set ambitious and realistic corporate targets for gender equality and communicate their commitments to their employees, partners, peers, investors and other stakeholders, TGE offers a series of three modules developed by Catalyst.

The first module, Diversity Targets: Defining Ambition was held on Tuesday, January 26^th featuring top notch experts with a long standing experience in the Gender Equality and the Women Economic Empowerment spheres.

The broader aim of this module was to provide participating companies with the strategic and tactical guidance and orientation for Gender Equality target-setting.

The session was inaugurated by our president; Dr. Dima Jamali, who urged the private sector in her welcoming speech to collectively and jointly pursue concrete and bold steps to empower women and proactively close the gender gap. During her speech, she stressed that “only with our sustained actions, we can create a snowball of change. We must move forward and not backward.”

The floor was then given to our Programs Manager; Ms. Bruna Elias, who introduced the core objective of the session and the program in general among participants and then facilitated the way to the convening expert speakers.

Ms. Yara Nassar; Program Manager of the Women Economic Empowerment Program at UN Women in Lebanon, explained to the participants that the key to a successful diverse and inclusive workplace is setting targets. Through her intervention, Ms. Yara walked the participants through practical and in-depth guidelines for target-setting.

One of the core ingredients that shaped this session is the display of real-world examples. This has accelerated the exchange of insights and best practices among participants through a participatory group exercise analyzing relevant company examples.

This session prepared participants to the second module; Strategies for Success, which will help participants, attain further progress by moving forward from target-setting to strategy formulation.

The United Nations ESCWA and the United Nations Global Compact hosted the third webinar of the series Sustainable Development Dialogues in the Arab Region entitled “The Private Sector and the Arab Region’s Path to Sustainable Development”.

This ultimate goal of the webinar was to present the findings of the Arab Sustainable Development Report (ASDR2020) and the Global Compact Progress Report 2020.

About the  Arab Sustainable Development Report 2020

The Arab Sustainable Development Report 2020 is the first in the region to review the status of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the 22 Arab States. The report presents quantitative and qualitative analysis of the SDGs, identifies the main barriers to progress, the groups and countries at risk of being left behind, and proposes entry points to dismantle barriers and accelerate action to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Broadly, ASDR 2020 finds the Arab region not on track to achieve the SDGs by 2030. A number of structural barriers across the different dimensions of sustainable development hamper efforts and stunt progress.

About the Uniting Business in the Decade of Action

The Global Compact Progress Report 2020 provides an assessment of how companies participating in the UN Global Compact are adopting the Ten Principles and taking action to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This report takes stock of how businesses are performing on critical sustainability topics. For the first time, the 2020 report reviews data from a sectoral perspective. It also dives into the current state of progress for specific industry contributions to the SDGs. Broadly, the report finds that companies need to take more ambitious actions, at scale, to meet the objectives of the 2030 Agenda and create the world we want.

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This session convened Arab sustainability experts from the private sector and other stakeholders who raised awareness and discussed the challenges and opportunities in the SDG implementation across the region. During the session, the following questions were addressed:

• What are the main barriers preventing businesses from taking transformative and ambitious steps to contribute to the SDGs?
• In a post-COVID era of disrupted and realigned supply chains, what opportunities exist to embed the SDGs into sustainable corporate practices?
• Which kind of support is needed by SMEs in the Arab region, including those embedded in regional and global supply chains, to align with the SDGs?
• What practical steps can be taken by businesses, governments, and other stakeholders to help progress towards the SDGs?

The main findings of the webinar are that the Arab private sector is pivotal to an inclusive and sustainable path out of COVID19 and towards greater shared prosperity. Speakers emphasized on the important fact that sustainability is not a tick pocket exercise; sustainability is a strategic exercise. Therefore, business leaders must initiate a principle based approach aimed at enhancing integrated policy making, aligning to the universal rights and ending conflict to enhance governance structures.

In conclusion, without a social contract between the institutions and the citizen, actions on the development and fiscal fronts will remain insufficient.  Businesses carry immense opportunities to reforms, prosperity and sustainable development.

This webinar demonstrated the strategic fit that we cannot privatize profits and socialize losses. 

Recording link to the webinar

Click here to access the recorded session.
We do hope you found the session beneficial and we look forward to organizing more opportunities in the future. 

Global Compact Network Lebanon organized on Thursday October 21 an “Introductory workshop for CSOs in Lebanon on NGO Empowerment for Poverty Reduction Program”, in partnership with Live Love Beirut, the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development (ISFD).

NGO Empowerment for Poverty Reduction is a project financed by ISFD, managed by IsDB and implemented by UNDP. Under this project, IsDB and ISFD launched the Tadamon platform, whose objective consists in empowering Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). This platform is already active in 57 countries.

Tadamon is a web-platform that lists high-quality CSOs and provides them with visibility; the initiative also embodies an educational program that makes CSOs better at what they’re doing. Tadamon additionally consists in a bridge between different countries, CSOs and stakeholders. In this way, Tadamon counts on all the necessary tools to be the platform where “good organizations become better” as it is stated in their motto.

This project arrives to Lebanon at the most opportune moment, in a country where the August 4 blast devastated families, homes and businesses, who were already struggling in a context of economic crisis, social instability, and COVID pandemic. The country needs its NGOs to act in a renewed and more efficient way and this is precisely what is achieved through the Tadamon community. This project includes a process of mapping national CSOs, a program to build the capacity of these CSOs, the promotion of innovative and transformative projects and a crowdfunding academy with a platform to access finance and donors’ communities.

The workshop was enriched by the insertion of brief presentations on highly interesting topics. Firstly, Samer Jamal, from the Instagram team, shared his insights on how CSOs can benefit from social media to collect funds efficiently and effectively. Rawad Rizk (UNDP) talked about supporting CSOs with alternative finance, focusing on crowdfunding. Eddy Bitar (Live Love Beirut) offered a stimulating presentation on how Live Love Beirut jumped from social media to social action and how they create impact precisely by building communities. Finally, Assem Abi Ali, General Supervisor of LCRP, discussed the essential role of CSOs in the exit plan for the current crisis.

UNGCNL will spare no opportunity for the sake of mobilizing domestic resources and building bridges on relief and economy betterment. We encourage our Members and friends to sign up and become part of the Tadamon community.

About the program

The Young SDG Innovators Programme (YSIP) is an accelerator program established for young professionals that are working in participant companies of the United Nations Global Compact.

This program aims to provide them with the unique skills to drive sustainability efforts and innovation and deliver tangible sustainability solutions to their significant companies by using the 17 SDGs as a catalyst.

Hence, the goal of the program is to encourage SDG innovation by using bottom up approaches in order to develop breakthrough solutions with specific market values.

The program targets employees, aged 35 and under, who have a passion to transform their companies into more sustainable entities of society. These representatives must show drive and passion for sustainability, creativity and teamwork skills.

YSIP 2019-2020

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Kickoff

On October 8, 2019 Global Compact Network Lebanon (UNGCNL) hosted the first YSIP Kick-off Workshop where different teams met to discuss and align their expectations of the program. The workshop was inaugurated by inspirational messages from UNGCNL President Mrs. Dima Jamali and CEO and Executive Director of the UN Global Compact Ms. Lise Kingo through a video-call.

This kick-off session enabled the participating teams to capitalize on an introductory and clarification session that paves the way towards optimal results at the conclusion of the YSIP Program. The introductory session emphasized the different characters and roles of each of the following: Innovators, Champions, and Mentors. The course of the entire program was explained including a briefing on the different camps that will be held in addition to both the topics and skills that will be addressed.

In general, the floor was available for the YSIP Innovators, Champions, and Mentors to introduce themselves and their field of expertise, facilitated by UNGCNL Executive Director Mrs. Dina Harake.

The workshop introduced a constructive panel, moderated by Strategic Advisor Dr. Hasan Youness, where the YSIP mentors explained how they can contribute to the enhancement of the program and the participants’ learning process, based on their entrepreneurial spirit and their professional experience.

Onboarding

On November 21, YSIP innovators met at the first Innovation Camp to brainstorm, analyze and create solutions for their companies based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Challenge Definition

On December 16 and 17, the second Young SDG Innovators Program (YSIP) Camp emphasized the process of defining and refining challenges of the private sector, building on the previous Challenge Identification camp.

Solutions Development

On January 29 and 30, the third Young SDG Innovators Program (YSIP) camp took place under the name of “Solutions Development”. It followed the two previously-held camps that entirely focused on identifying, defining and refining challenges of the private sector from a sustainable outlook. It allowed the innovators to start transforming the identified challenges in their companies to sustainably-constructed solutions.

Solutions Testing and Validation

On March 26 and 27, the fourth Young SDG Innovators Program (YSIP) camp took place under the name of “Solutions Testing and Validation”. Following the three previously-held camps, this camp focused on  refining and validating problem solutions related to their specific companies. It helped innovators measure and communicate the SDG impact of their proposed solutions and be inspired on how to further build innovation into their development work.

Offboarding

The last camp took place on May 28th and 29th, concluding the months of work done with our Innovators.

1. Negotiating a Space for Innovation: Ms. Christine Francis discussed how Innovators can build connections with key stakeholders and how to navigate their corporate environment to be an agent of change even within the most rigid structures.
2. Making the Case – Storytelling: Dr. Linda Adra Yamak explained that the key to a successful pitch is being able to tell a good story. This interactive session offered guidance for Innovators on how to develop skills and strategies to frame and communicate their ideas in compelling and authentic ways.
3. Managing Resilience: With the moderation of Mrs. Dina Harake, guest speakers Dr. Fouad Zmokhol, Ms. Hasmig Khoury, Ms. May Rihan, Ms. Maissa Abou Adal, and Dr. Hasan Youness shared insights into innovation best practices and common traits from successful innovative organizations.

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Companies involved in last year’s program

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https://www.instagram.com/tv/B8GltDwJKF2/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

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2019-2020 masterminds

Meet the Mentors

Meet the Champions

Meet the Innovators

YSIP Experts

Sinan Noureddine: Web and Mobile developer at Lelabodigital. He is also the co-founder and CEO of Vee Smart, an AI company responsible for automating customer service analysis for different industries.    

Randa Farah: Founder of I Have Learned Academy and Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Lebtivity.com, she is a Specialist in Human Resources Management. Also, she is a University Instructor at USJ of HR and Organizational Psychology courses.

Mario Hachem: Co-Founder & CEO at TEDMOB, he is a Dynamic Innovator & Entrepreneur. Hachem has experience in assisting companies, startups, and entrepreneurs to realize their potential in the mobile space.

Mahdi Mansour: An educational developer and coordinator at the Lycee national schools, a lecturer at the Lebanese University, a Content Manager at Pearson Education Limited. Dr. Mansour has innovated a new teaching strategy, the Light Ball Strategy (LBS).

Lamia Chamas: Senior Project Officer at the Project Administration Office at Berytech, and a unit at the Presidency of the Council of Ministers. Lamia also holds expertise in environmental policies and strategies.

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The Global Compact Network Lebanon has organized the 2020 General Assembly on Tuesday, July 28.

We congratulate the newly elected Board of Directors and we will spare no effort to advance the stand of Lebanon visa vis the SDGs.

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On June 15^th and 16^th, the 2020 Leaders Summit happened virtually for the world to take part of. The 26-hour 20th anniversary Leaders Summit was a one of a kind experience that was built on inclusivity and innovation.

More than 20,000 people had the chance to take part in panels, plenary discussions and regional sessions, and engage in global networking with UNGC members and sustainability leaders from around the world.

Under the slogan of “Recover better, Recover stronger, Recover together”, the Summit allowed international leaders to come together to decide how business can help in facing the adversities that have arisen due to Covid-19. This was achieved through a 26-hour conversation between leading voices from all sectors of society.

Regional Youth Session: 

On the second day, Tuesday June 16^th, a Regional Youth Session took place. It was hosted by our own President Dr. Dima Jamali and featured two of our local members, Omar Itani the co-founder FabricAID and Maya Terro the co-founder of Foodblessed. In addition, two speakers from two other networks were featured, Kevin Chalhoub, Founder & CEO of EV Lab, and Lynn Malkawi, Founder & Director Wasel for Awareness & Education.

The panel focused on the importance of youth dialogue during Covid-19. It also focused on how the youth hold the key to a better recovery. Challenges faced by young people mount, and many respond with resilience and with innovative solutions. Hence, the session showcased the youth’s perspective of the COVID-19 pandemic, risks, concerns, and solutions for both the private sector and Government. 

Over the course of an hour, Dr. Dima Jamali moderated the session and directed her question to the four panelists. The questions focused on the themes of Recovery and Sustainability of Youth Efforts. The session, then, ended with a final question directed to all speakers – what is the post-COVID-19 future that you want to see?

This regional session took place on the main stage, which gave the chance for 1,700 people to attend. It was the only session in the Summit focusing on the youth, allowing it to stand unique amongst the rest. Hence, it turned out to be a great success and yielded a great deal of positive feedback.

On June 15^th and 16^th, during the 2020 Leaders Summit, participants from the Young SDG Innovators program took part in two major events of the virtual summit, the YSIP Lounge and the SDG Futures Lab 

Innovators and champions from different teams and mentors that participated in the program. had a chance to participate in the global summit. They took the virtual stage and shared their projects and experiences with fellow YSIP participants from all over the world.

• YSIP Lounge

The YSIP lounge was a dynamic virtual stage that showcased the latest thinking around youth and innovation for the SDGs. Attendees had the chance to hear from leading innovators, intrapreneurs, and entrepreneurs on how to build sustainable business models and technologies focused on SDG innovation.

Some of our YSIP mentors – Ms. Mona Itani, Ms. Aseel Honein, and Mr. Imad Abou Khalil – had the chance to be part of the opening session of the YSIP lounge through a panel discussion moderated by our programs manager Ms. Bruna Elias.

Our YSIP Teams – Alfa, IDS, Fransabank, Holdal and Touch – had the chance to take part in the closing session of the YSIP lounge and pitch their final solutions to the entire audience. 

• SDG Futures Lounge

The SDG Futures Lab was an opportunity for YSIP Innovators to showcase breakthrough innovations developed during the YSIP program. The projects presented were set to deliver business models that acted as a tipping point for the world we want.

YSIP Team Nokia took part in an SDG Futures session to share the project they developed during YSIP and talk about their experience during the program.

On Monday June 8, United Nations Global Compact w hosted a YSIP Global Celebration event on Zoom. It was done in honor and celebration of the end of the YSIP program, and featured our own Innovators as speakers during several panels.

Taking place during the Global Intrapreneurs’ Week, this event acted as a great opportunity for innovators from around the world to share and discuss their unique experience during the first ever YSIP program.

Over the course of 2 hours, 3:00pm to 5:00pm local time, the event featured Innovators speaking on their experiences, in addition to several distinctive speakers such as Lise Kingo, Executive Director of UNGC, Anne-Marie Skov, Chairwomanof Tuborg Foundation, and John Elkington, Founder of Volans.

In the first hour of the event, Joseph Matta from team HOLDAL was featured in the session Reflections on Leadership and Innovation, where selected innovators had the chance to share their experiences with other fellow YSIP participants, and pose a question to one of the keynotes.

This was followed by 3 breakout sessions, which presented opportunities for YSIP Innovators to share their experiences for future interested participants. Under the title of “Breakthrough Breakout Sessions”, which focused on YSIP Solutions, breakout sessions fell under the categories of Breakthrough Mindsets, Breakthrough Business Models, and Breakthrough Technology.

• Breakthrough Technology

The session focused on disruptive technologies and their ability to help achieve the SDGs within the decade. This session also featured Abdul Hamid Meri from team Arabia GIS.

• Breakthrough Mindsets

The session focused on how to change the way one thinks in order to bridge the gap between existing ways of managing business and achieving the impossible. This session featured Hassan Abou Okdeh from team Fransabank as a rapporteur, and Sary Khachouf from Team BLC.

• Breakthrough Business Models

The session focused on the importance of sustainable business to capture social values and meet on the world’s needs in time

This high-level webinar, part of the special Academy Series on Uniting Business against COVID-19, took place on May 12, 2020.

The special UN Global Compact Academy series on business and COVID-19 took a trip around the world to spotlight perspectives on leadership in a global crisis across six regions. Throughout the sessions, participants called for a strong multilateral approach to lead the world out of this crisis. Each session emphasized the importance of blending regional efforts to coordinate sustainable and locally-led solutions to deliver the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The impact of COVID-19 is multi-faceted and presents an opportunity for the private sector to redefine its role as a responsible force for good. This involves flexibility, humility, and adaptation, including thinking outside of the box to strengthen multilateralism and south-south cooperation. As businesses are faced with the challenge of protecting workers and ensuring continuity, they are encouraged to explore new opportunities for impact investing and use technology to integrate regional efforts to recover better.

The Middle East Spotlight Session

On May 12, the Middle East Webinar on Leadership in a Global Crisis addressed the exacerbating economic challenges in the region, as a result of COVID-19. Together, the panelists brainstormed for solutions to maintain the previous sustainability efforts and achievements, and for ways which the region’s business community can still achieve the Sustainable Development Goals amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are proud to announce that Ms. Maissa Abou Adal, Board Member of Holdal Group, and an active member of the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon (GCNL) participated as a panelist among other leaders in the Middle East region

Don’t forget to watch the entire session

Published on May 20, 2020

With 30 days of our NPTP campaign behind us, it is with great joy that we announce that we have raised an approximate amount of 200 million LBP. All the money that has been donated and will be donated is going to help Lebanese families living under the poverty line, with only 4$ or less a day per person.

We’d like to reiterate that we have started this campaign in partnership with the World Food Program, a very credible partner, and seeking to demonstrate the role of the private sector in Lebanon in undertaking sustainability initiatives and assuming a leading socially responsible role especially in times of crises.

Our campaign has been running on classical and social media, encouraging Lebanese citizens to send in and rack up funds and support. As a campaign started by UNGCNL, and since we represent the private sector, it is now in your hands to show support and help to alleviate poverty and hunger (SDG 1 and 2).

Poverty rates in Lebanon are rising every day, reaching almost a staggering 50%, and more and more people are in need of dire help to afford a simple meal on their table. With that said, this campaign is not over and is still in need of your active support and encouragement.

Hence, we urge you to show some support for our campaign through the donations that you can afford and share our online campaign on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, by using the hashtag الليرة_ بتشبع#. Donations can be symbolic, or substantive, and they can be channeled through the company budget, through employee donations,  through encouraging your supply chain partners, or any number of creative ideas you might find suitable.

The above visual holds all needed bank information for donations.

These workshops are exclusive to WEPS signatories. Join the Target Gender Equality Program today!

On the 21st of April 2020, HR, CSR and legal professionals from 13 Lebanese companies from the private sector joined the first 2-hour orientation remote workshop on the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), an initiative launched in 2010 by UN Women and the UN Global Compact, to mobilize business action to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment at the workplace, marketplace and communities.

The workshop aimed at equipping the participants with the know-how and the skills to move from theory to practice in order to better advance gender equality and women’s empowerment. It also aimed to raise awareness about the current status of gender diversity within the corporate world, and to further develop recommendations for concrete initiatives to close the gender gap in business leadership.

The workshop covered a session on Sexual Harassment in the Workplace. Participants were encouraged in developing strategies to recognize, report and appropriately respond to and prevent sexual harassment at work, despite the lack of a national legislation that states the role of employer in ensuring gender safety and health at work.

A special session was held on COVID-19 impact on businesses, and participants had the opportunity to share their company’s stories responding to the outbreak. Holdal Group, ITG Holding, LibanPost and BLF Bank shared with their colleagues some of the strategies they implemented to keep their employees on the payroll, and told us more about safety measures they took to reassure employees and ensure business continuity.

What did we learn?

• Women are still underrepresented on boards of directors. Education is the main pathway towards gender equality.
• Women are on the frontline to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. The health sector is female-dominated, but not enough is being done to support them.
• In order to gain control and shape localized gender policy changes, measuring indexes are crucial: recruitment, retention, and advancement sex-disaggregated data must be collected.
• Only 6 out of 22 MENA countries (21%) have legislations tacking Sexual Harassment in the Workplace – Lebanon is not among the 6 countries.
• Employers feel there is not a national alliance with policies set.
• Most employees do not feel comfortable enough to report harassment, because they know it’s poorly legislated on a national level.
• Companies should advocate for legislation on a national level that will give employers obligations under the law to take all reasonable measures to create a safe working environment for women – There have been 6 attempts already to create a law on Sexual harassment, unfortunately, it hasn’t been voted yet.
• The private sector is encouraged to come up with innovative mechanisms to protect their female workforce and ensure their safety at work.
• There is an entire debate about how to identify and penalize harassers, while not falling under false allegations. Holdal Group came up with an innovative strategy which states that it is the duty of the person accessed of harassment to prove he/she is innocent, and not the other way around.
• The rise of gender-neutral branding is crucial, it reflects a mind of state and raise awareness within each company’s sphere of influence – BLF Bank modified the name of one of their products – i.e. key man to key person.
• Exclusivity clauses in the Lebanese commercial law are not encouraging companies to source from women-owned businesses. However, LibanPost is leading by example: it has been favoring as much as possible suppliers in their request for quotation.

The following is the official press release on the launching of the الليرة بتشبع campaign in support of the National Poverty Targeting Program (NPTP)

Beirut | April 15

The UN Global Compact Network of Lebanon (UNGCNL) officially launched its new campaign “الليرة بتشبع” in collaboration with the World Food Programme (WFP) to support a two-month crowd-funding campaign, led by the private sector in Lebanon, in support of the National Poverty Targeting Program (NPTP).

The NPTP is an ongoing social assistance program developed by the Office of the President of the Council of Ministers to support the most vulnerable Lebanese families living under the extreme poverty line. Led by the technical partners, the World Bank and the World Food Program (WFP), the NPTP is intended to provide the poorest 44,000 families in Lebanon with holistic support in three core areas, namely, health, education, and food assistance. The mentioned target was identified based on transparent scientific criteria and proper needs-assessment monitored by the World Bank.  

In 2018, the poverty rate in Lebanon was reported as 30% of the population. Today, and with the exacerbating economic crisis and the social repercussions of the corona-virus pandemic, the poverty rate in Lebanon has escalated to an alarming 45%, with almost half of the population living beneath 4$/day. In collaboration with WFP, UNGCNL realized the urgency to reinforce and support the National Poverty Targeting Program particularly the food assistance component, as an emergency approach to counter the increase in poverty.

Since last year, the outreach of the NPTP was 15,000 families (out of 44,000) all of whom receive assistance from the Electronic Card Food Voucher System, monitored by the World Bank and WFP. Given the deteriorating socio-economic situation in Lebanon, thousands of families dropped beneath the poverty line with no available means for social support. In this regard, the “الليرة بتشبع” crowd-funding campaign was designed to financially support the food assistance component of the NPTP, and to scale up the distribution of the electronic food voucher cards to benefit more struggling families, beyond the 15,000 already covered. In the span of two months, donations will be open to both the local citizens and the Lebanese diaspora. As a result, the collected money will directly and immediately be transferred to WFP’s fund.

The الليرة بتشبع crowd-funding campaign is led by UNGCNL (representing the private sector in Lebanon) in collaboration with the WFP.  UNGCNL is a UN-affiliated network, which comprises more than 140 of the largest and most credible businesses in Lebanon, under the leadership of their progressive CEOs, working to support various social and environmental projects. The private sector in Lebanon was keen on assuming a distinctive responsibility in endorsing this campaign. Therefore, the support of the private sector is fundamental and indispensable as we kick-off the الليرة بتشبع campaign.  

In parallel to the crowd-funding website, a TV commercial and social media campaign involving 100 social media influencers were designed as a package to attract an optimal amount of engagements and contributions. Promoting the message will be the nation’s most admired influencers and public figures who will not only donate but also ask their viewers to contribute with as many or as little as 5,000 LBP.

All funds will be collected on the subaccount UNGCNL (NATIONAL POVERTY TARGETING FUND) with the respective information:

New York, United States of America

The following is an article by Lise Kingo, CEO & Executive Director, UN Global Compact published on 16 March 2020.

As the world wakes up to the full global threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has declared war on this virus. His message is clear: As a human family, we are in this together and we will get through it together. The spread of the virus will peak, and our economies will recover.

In the meantime, we must act together to slow its spread and look out for each other, not least those who are most at risk — the elderly and the sick, the poor and the marginalized. Also, we must pay close attention to those most vulnerable to its economic impact: small businesses, workers in the supply chain and women, who often shoulder a disproportionate burden of care.

Amidst the real and rising risk of a global recession, financial markets are plunging, and the UN Secretary-General has urged us to stay calm and collected, stating that “this is a time for prudence, not panic. Science, not stigma. Facts, not fear.” 

As a global business community, let’s be guided by this message of determination, solidarity and prudence in the weeks and months ahead. Let’s draw from the power of the Ten Principles of the United Nations Global Compact and stand united and face the COVID-19 pandemic.  

A Special Appeal from the UN Global Compact to stand united

Today, the UN Global Compact is issuing a special appeal for a corporate response to the pandemic: For all companies to take collective action to stem the COVID-19 outbreak and stand together to facilitate business continuity for a fast recovery.

As the virus continues its spread across the world, we must stand behind the global effort taken by the World Health Organization, Governments and health authorities to prevent, detect and manage the pandemic — practically, financially, and through the stable provision of affordable supplies of life-essential commodities, utilities and services.

At a minimum, we must ensure that employees have access to a safe working environment with every precaution taken to limit exposure to the virus, also looking out for the workers in the global supply chain, who often live and work in close quarters without access to health facilities. We must unite in solidarity and take action to protect employees and workers in the supply chain from catastrophic healthcare costs, unpaid leave of absence, unemployment and long-term economic recession.

Fast recovery hinges upon business continuity

In a connected global economy, we are already seeing trade and supply chains being disrupted, threatening the financial stability of businesses and economies. UN economists recently estimated that the COVID-19 virus could cost the global economy more than one trillion US dollars.

Our economies will bounce back faster if we provide support for business continuity. But it will require that we help each other out. Even in the face of recession, businesses must find ways to honour current contracts, allowing for flexibility on delivery and quotas. Together with the financial sector and policy-makers, we must find ways of making available special credit lines and relaxing repayment.

We must think out of the box to come up with new blended financial instruments to fund commercial enterprises that support critical prevention and mitigation activities required by the pandemic. Our actions will define stakeholder trust, reputation and legitimacy as we weather this storm.

Coming at the start of the Decade of Action to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals, COVID-19 is a real test. If we can come together in solidarity to turn the tide on this pandemic, surely we also have what it takes to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and create the world we want.

A Special Appeal from the United Nations Global Compact

Updated 19 March 2020

The power of the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact to guide business leaders in responding to the crisis

As the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative, the United Nations Global Compact is calling on business leaders everywhere to unite to support workers, communities and companies affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

A coordinated international plan involving the business sector will be critical in efforts to support people and companies affected, limit further disruption to the economy and facilitate business continuity for a swift recovery.

For every decision maker, the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact can provide ideas and inspiration in uncertain times.

In the spirit of solidarity and international cooperation, the UN Global Compact encourages business leaders everywhere to use the Ten Principles as their guide in responding to the crisis.

Human Rights

Principle 1: Businesses should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights; and

Principle 2: make sure that they are not complicit in human rights abuses.

For example:

• Ensure that any measure implemented to address COVID-19 is accessible to people without discrimination of any kind such as race, colour, disability, age, gender, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, sexual orientation, gender identity or other status.
• Ensure that the needs of those most marginalized and/or vulnerable are given the necessary and appropriate attention.

Labour

Principle 3: Businesses should uphold the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining;

Principle 4: the elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labour;

Principle 5: the effective abolition of child labour; and

Principle 6: the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation.

For example:

• Respond with flexibility, compassion and solidarity to the impact on your employees and your business partners, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Your efforts to limit financial impacts should not be made at the expense of workers’ rights and welfare.
• Ensure a stable continuation of income and benefits despite flexible working arrangements: Staying off work because of illness, quarantine or caring for a sick family member may result in lost pay or lost jobs. Ensure a continuation of income in these cases with special attention to female workers who often take the burden of care and workers in precarious employment situations, such as low-paid workers, contractual workers and workers without any social protection coverage.   
• Current contracts should be honored to the greatest extent possible. Engagement with suppliers is essential to ensure decent working conditions in global supply chains while providing support for business continuity by allowing flexibility in delivery and quotas. 
• Apply the principles of prevention and ensure a safe working environment by limiting employee exposure to coronavirus in the workplace through putting in place personal protective measures (hand hygiene), environmental measures (cleaning of surfaces) and work arrangements (work from home arrangements to the maximum extent possible, reduced person-to-person contact).

Environment

Principle 7: Businesses should support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges;

Principle 8: undertake initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility; and

Principle 9: encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies.

For example:

• Encourage telecommuting and virtual meetings which can reduce negative impacts on the environment caused by travel. Ensure tracking of the positive environmental impacts of telecommuting and virtual meetings on your carbon footprint in order to assess which practices could be encouraged long-term to reduce emissions.
• In a very short period of time, the COVID-19 crisis has had a positive impact on the environment by reducing global carbon emissions. While travel will no doubt bounce back, we encourage travelers to consider travel options less harmful to the environment, such as train travel, and to choose ecotourism, which can support ecosystems and local livelihoods.

Anti-Corruption

Principle 10: Businesses should work against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery.

For example:

• Build trust through communications and policies that are consistent, inclusive and transparent. 
• Ensure that products and services are distributed and sold in an ethical manner.

Further guidance for those working in banking, insurance and finance:

• Companies and their Chief Financial Officers can work together with banks and investors to ensure business continuity and mitigate the impact of the pandemic on operations, especially where there is a risk of disruption of essential products and services, including in the health, food and logistics industries. 
• Banks can make available special credit lines and relax repayment terms for existing credit products for the most at-risk populations and the businesses that deliver essential products and services.
• Commercial and development banks can structure blended finance instruments leveraging philanthropic and donor funds and impact investments to fund commercial enterprises that support critical prevention and mitigation activities required by the crisis.
• Insurance companies can ensure prompt and seamless payments of short-term disability and unemployment insurance benefits for employees and other workers affected by COVID-19.
• Healthcare and health insurance companies can work together to alleviate the financial burden on patients requiring critical care associated with the outbreak.
• Investors can relax temporary repayment terms for outstanding fixed income products for businesses that deliver essential products and services. 
• Impact investors can invest in commercial enterprises that support critical prevention and mitigation activities needed for COVID-19 response.

Other actions you and your company can take:

Support the global effort by contributing to the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund which has been created to support the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners in a massive effort to help countries prevent, detect, and manage COVID-19 — particularly those where the needs are the greatest.

Raise awareness by sharing information from the WHO on precautions and other preventive measures.

On March 26 and 27, the fourth Young SDG Innovators Program (YSIP) camp took place under the name of “Solutions Testing and Validation”. Following the three previously-held camps, this camp focused on refining and validating problem solutions related to their specific companies. It helped innovators measure and communicate the SDG impact of their proposed solutions and be inspired on how to further build innovation into their development work.

Due to the Covid-19 outbreak, the fourth camp had to be converted from physical to virtual, to ensure the safety and health of all participants. The workshop facilitators were Mr. Nadim Choucair, Canadian Ecosystem Builder and Founder of 2030 Cabinet, and Mr. Hany Rizk, an Experience Strategist and Founder of No BS – Innovation Studio. The facilitators used many interactive tools such as Zoom, Slack and Mural in order to make the remote easier to manage, and as interactive and educational as it could be.

On day 1, facilitators used the sailboat technique to lead the teams in identifying the opportunities and problems they faced in the different stages of their YSIP journey so far. The positives were meant to help sail the boat, while the negatives were meant to sink it. First off, innovators focused on the advantages and disadvantages of the process of work. Then they focused on the ones relating to their SDG solutions. This in turn, helped innovators prioritize their problems, and then reframe them to become challenges that can be tackled.

Consequently, Mr. Choucair followed by teaching the innovators how to assess the SDG impact of their solutions. Accordingly, each team was given a specific template to use as an outline, in order to present the details on their SDG solutions and which SDGs they focused on.

On day 2, the camp facilitators led a discussion with innovator teams on each of their solutions. They explored the choices of innovative solutions and the details that centered around them. With that, Mr. Choucair introduced the concept of theory of change. The theory of change is a methodology used by companies that helps plan, participate and evaluate decisions, which lead to social change. Based on that template, innovators assessed and pitched their solutions to everyone, including peers, and were then met with some feedback and advice.

At the end of day two and camp 4, the facilitators wrapped up by going back to the sailboat technique, used on day one, to redo the same tasks. End results on the sailboat were different, affected positively by the activities and teachings of camp 4. This camp prepared the innovators for their final camp, Off-boarding, which will focus on guiding innovators on how to embed the learnings and skills from the program into their companies.

Lebanon, March — Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Global Compact Network Lebanon (UNGCNL) transformed the annual ‘Ring the Bell for Gender Equality’ Ceremony, which was scheduled for March 10^th, into a digital campaign that ran from March 8 to March 21, 2020.  In collaboration with UN Women, the Canadian Embassy, World Bank, IFC, and Beirut Stock Exchange, UNGCNL launched the campaign on International Women’s Day (IWD 2020) on March 8, and then concluded it on Mother’s Day on March 21, 2020.

Under the hashtags GenerationEquality and SHE_Earned _It, the campaign encouraged Lebanese women from different professions, ages, and cities, to tell their stories in relation to Gender Equality/Inequality, specifically the good practices or challenges they faced in the workplace. The objective behind this campaign was to elicit support from both men and women towards empowering women in the workforce, and increasing both their representation and leadership in the field of business.

To this day, women face discrimination at work such as stereotyping and harassment.  Many of these challenges and constraints continue to haunt competent women worldwide, not just in Lebanon. With this said, the digital campaign is part of a broader collaboration with UN Women on mainstreaming the Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs) that offer guidance to businesses on how to promote gender equality and women empowerment at work and in society. Read more>>

The campaign kicked-off with posts from celebrities, influencers, and leading women who shared their inspiring journey and anecdotes of the strategies they have used in defying gender-based challenges and thriving against all forms of discrimination. This justifies the chronic use of the hashtag #SHE_Earned_It along with #GenerationEquality. In addition to that, famous male identities in Lebanon contributed to the campaign by supporting gender equality as a stance and the accession of women to positions of leadership.

Every participant had to abide by the Generation Equality frame when posting their gender-related story. In parallel, a specific caption was circulated while promoting the campaign: “Business is in need of Equality. We should stand together and build a chain of change. This is my story, what is yours? I nominate XYZ to take this challenge. #GenerationEquality #SHE_Earned_It”.  All these factors shaped an exclusive identity for the campaign, and served as an eye-catching tactic that attracted more people to engage in the following social media platforms: Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. 

Due to its visibility, the campaign was supported by different international agencies such as the United Nations Lebanon, UNIC, UNDP, and UNSCOL. Additionally, LebTalks a local debate platform continuously promoted pieces from the campaign.

Overall, the social media campaign garnered tremendous attention, reaching 700,000 engagements in a span of 14 days, and resulting in an aggregate of 201 social media posts on all platforms. Such information was retrieved from the insights feature available to all business accounts for both Instagram and Facebook which helps businesses record accurate data on post impressions and engagements. Similarly, and through manual tracking, we discovered that more than 60 Lebanese public figures got involved in the campaign, as the following examples will show. Famous Lebanese singer Ragheb Alama with 3.9 million followers on his Instagram received 11,680 likes and 145 comments on his Generation Equality post. Similarly, the talented Lebanese Actress Dalida Khalil with 1.5 million followers on her account gathered 42,195 likes and 355 comments on her post.

Do not forget to watch the Campaign’s Wrap Up Video:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9_j1ASpzul/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Global Compact Network Lebanon calls for companies to set ambitious corporate targets for women’s leadership in business with the launch of the new Target Gender Equality initiative

Lebanon, February — Global Compact Network Lebanon today launched Target Gender Equality, a new initiative to mobilize and support companies in setting and meeting ambitious corporate targets for women’s representation and leadership in business.

Open to all participating companies of the Global Compact Network Lebanon, Target Gender Equality will drive business action in support of Sustainable Development Goal 5.5, which calls for women’s full participation and equal opportunities for leadership, including in economic life, by 2030.

The programme builds on the United Nations Global Compact’s work in developing and promoting the Women’s Empowerment Principles by helping participating companies set concrete targets and take action to advance women’s leadership in their organizations, starting with the Board and Executive Management levels. Participating companies will benefit from facilitated performance analysis, capacity building workshops, peer-to-peer learning and opportunities to engage in multi-stakeholder dialogue.

“The economic gender gap is widening and will now take 257 years to close. Business must help reverse this trend and take bold action to advance gender equality. This is the moment to ensure that targets on women’s participation are accomplished as part of balanced scorecards and corporate strategies in all companies,” said Lise Kingo, CEO & Executive Director of the UN Global Compact.

“Ranking 145^th out of 153 countries in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index, Lebanon is in need of steadfast reforms towards Gender Equality. In light of the desperate need for such change, we should start with the increased implementation of equal opportunities for women in the private workforce. Hence with Target Gender Equality, companies are able to set the right path towards women’s leadership in business,” said Professor Dima Jamali, President of Global Compact Network Lebanon.

The Target Gender Equality programme will be rolled out in twenty countries in 2020.

About Target Gender Equality

Target Gender Equality is a gender equality accelerator programme for participating companies of the UN Global Compact. Through facilitated performance analysis, capacity building workshops, peer-to-peer learning and multi-stakeholder dialogue at the country-level, Target Gender Equality will support companies engaged with the UN Global Compact in setting and reaching ambitious corporate targets for women’s representation and leadership, starting with the Board and Executive Management levels.

https://www.globalcompact-lebanon.com/hub/target-gender-equality/

Join the conversation on social media using #TargetGenderEquality

About Global Compact Network Lebanon

Global Compact Network Lebanon (UNGCNL) is one of the 68 Local Networks around the world that operates through a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the UN Global Compact HQ (HQ). We are independent and self-managed entities with the unique mandate to provide direct local support to UN Global Compact participants based in our respective country with direct communication and guidance from UN Global Compact HQ. Global Compact Network Lebanon (UNGCNL) works closely with the UN Global Compact (UNGC) headquarters to provide opportunities for learning, policy dialogue, and partnerships on the Ten Principles of responsible conduct and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

https://www.globalcompact-lebanon.com/

For more information contact UNGCNL Programs Manager Ms. Bruna Elias bruna@globalcompact-lebanon.org

TAKE MEANINGFUL ACTION AND TRACK YOUR PROGRESS ON THE SDGS

While real progress has been made by the business community, action to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is not advancing at the speed nor scale required. Developed by B Lab and the United Nations Global Compact, the SDG Action Manager is a web-based impact management solution to enable businesses to take action and track progress on the Sustainable Development Goals through 2030.

The SDG Action Manager brings together B Lab’s B Impact Assessment, the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact, and the Sustainable Development Goals, to enable meaningful business action through dynamic self-assessment, benchmarking and improvement. It is informed by the work and feedback of a range of stakeholders including experts in corporate sustainability, civil society, UN and academia and it is inspired by the participating companies of the UN Global Compact and Certified B Corp community.

SDG ACTION MANAGER ENABLES YOUR COMPANY TO:

• Find your starting point: Learn which SDGs matter most to you based on your company profile and how to take action today.

• Understand and share your impact: Get a clear view of how your operations, supply chain and business model can create positive impact and identify risk areas for each SDG.

• Set goals and track improvement: Set ambitious goals and visualize your company’s progress on the SDG Action Manager dashboard.

• Collaborate across your company: Invite colleagues to join the SDG Action Manager, contribute expertise and track real-time progress and performance.

• Learn at every step: Access relevant resources and determine high-impact action based on thought-provoking, actionable assessment questions, and improvement guides.

• Trailblaze together: Join a global movement of companies working to build a better world for people and the planet by 2030.

HOW IT WORKS:

The SDG Action Manager is structured as a series of distinct modules, beginning with a “Baseline Module” that provides a starting point for users and expanding to modules for each Sustainable Development Goal from Goal 1 through to Goal 16. Each module is structured into subsections and features a series of questions designed to offer concrete actions for businesses to improve their impact, a performance framework to track their progress and internally benchmark against others and supplemental resources to assist in their implementation.

“The private sector has an opportunity to impart real change for those who face poverty, inequality and injustice – and to safeguard our environment. We are calling on businesses around the world to go “all in” over the next decade so we can deliver on our promise of a shared, durable prosperity for all people. The SDG Action Manager is a critical tool on this journey.”

Lise Kingo, CEO & Executive Director of the UN Global Compact

February 16-17, 2020 || Dubai

With regards to Global Compact Network Lebanon (UNGCNL)’s mission of mainstreaming the 17 Global Goals, our Executive Director Mrs. Harake and Programs Manager Ms. Elias traveled to Dubai to attend the Women in Technology Forum which was organized by the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Complex in cooperation with the ‘Women In Tech’ foundation.

The forum mainly focused on women’s leadership in both scientific research and technological innovation. The purpose was to shed light on the role of women in technology and innovation which contributes greatly to social and economic development, leaving a significant impact on a global level.

The forum also introduced an “innovative package for women” initiative inspiring businesswomen to open companies in the technology sector.

To know more about this event, you can watch the video below.

February 16-17, 2020 || Dubai

On February, Global Compact Network Lebanon (UNGCNL)’s Executive Director Mrs. Dina Harake and Programs Manager Ms. Bruna Elias traveled to Dubai to attend the WE-FI Mena regional forum and the Global Women’s Forum (second edition)

The forum was organized by the African Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Islamic Development Bank, the World Bank Group and the International Finance Corporation. 

Building on the theme ‘The Power of Influence’, the GWFD 2020 offered a global platform to influence policies and foster partnerships that further women’s positive impact.

The Forum discussions inspired dialogues on the role of women across four main areas:

• Government
• Economy
• Society
• Future

To read more about the forum, visit this page.

Interested to know more about The Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi)–the global platform dedicated to advancing women entrepreneurs in emerging markets?

Mitigate Risks and Advance Decent Work in Your Global Supply Chain

At Global Compact Network Lebanon, we recognize that procurement teams have a key role to play in creating sustainable supply chains. Companies that commit to advancing decent work conditions in their supply chain not only prevent risks of adverse impacts but can also significantly improve lives and lift millions out of poverty.

To help empower procurement officers to adopt sustainable practices that will impact their suppliers’ capacity to advance decent work, the UN Global Compact is introducing the Decent Work Toolkit for Sustainable Procurement. In this toolkit, you will find practical resources that enable companies, procurement professionals and suppliers to develop a common understanding on how to advance decent work through purchasing decisions and scaling up efforts to improve the lives of workers in global supply chains. 

So what really did our innovators work on in their Third Camp?

Day one of the camp was facilitated by Dr. Bijan Azad who elaborated on how disruptive technologies can impact the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and can help the innovators push their potential solutions to new levels of innovation. Accordingly, Dr. Azad portrayed real-life examples of companies that capitalize on disruptive technologies, ranging from robotics to blockchain, specifically for SDG innovation.

Following the informative lecture, the innovators indulged in a Challenge Lab, where they met with their mentors to develop their ideas by applying the different disruptive technologies and sustainable business models to their challenges. The afternoon was marked with overall creativity as the innovators surpassed and transcended beyond traditional business-thinking boundaries and instead elaborated on their solution with inventive and sustainable means.

Day two of the Solutions Development Camp was facilitated by Dr. Fouad Zablith who emphasized the different steps of persona-based prototyping that can be achieved through the design thinking methodology. The innovators learned how to define a persona’s point of view, explore different alternatives through the process of ideation, and successfully prototype a solution. Additionally, most of the day was allocated to effectively testing and experimenting with the teams’ proposed solutions, empowering the participants to improve their ideas.

The remainder of the day introduced the SDG Solutions Challenge Lab where the innovator teams built on their previous challenge and selected their strongest solutions to present in front of Dr. Zablith, the YSIP Mentors, Executive Director of Global Compact Network Lebanon (UNGCNL) Mrs. Harake, and UNGCNL Programs Manager Ms. Elias. The different teams creatively used role-playing techniques to share their potential solutions for the designated challenges that they have successfully refined in the previous camps. Consequently, the innovators were advised on the subsequent steps they need to leverage in order to finalize their solutions.

More than 20,000 sustainability champions attended the
UN Global Compact’s 20th anniversary Leaders Summit online

UNITED NATIONS, New York, 16 June, 2020 — German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Presidents of Botswana, Colombia, Costa Rica and Ethiopia joined the President of the UN General Assembly and UN Secretary-General alongside dozens of Chief Executive Officers and UN chiefs at the United Nations Global Compact Leaders Summit to address the private sector’s response to three unprecedented and interconnected global crises — health, inequality and climate change.

Over 26 hours of continuous virtual programming — including more than 100 global, regional and local sessions — the Summit was the UN’s largest, most inclusive and most sustainable convening of purpose-driven business leaders committed to tackling societal challenges and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). More than 20,000 business and sustainability leaders from over 180 countries participated in their local time zones and languages.

Under the theme of “Recover Better, Recover Stronger, Recover Together,” the event marked the 20th anniversary of the UN Global Compact, providing a platform of platforms where leaders from business, civil society, Governments and the UN were challenged to reflect on the importance of collaboration and public-private partnerships, and increase their ambition to achieve the SDGs.

“I am encouraged to see so many companies, of so many sizes and from so many sectors and countries, recognizing the urgent need for global unity and international cooperation. Our shared aim is to see businesses integrating the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact into their core strategy and operations, taking strong steps to support the SDGs, and reporting publicly on progress,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres in his opening remarks from UN Headquarters in New York.

The Leaders Summit marked the transition to new leadership for the UN Global Compact, with Sanda Ojiambo of Kenya taking over from Denmark’s Lise Kingo as Executive Director.

Reflecting on five years of leadership as the UN business chief, Ms. Kingo said “The Ten Principles and the SDGs must inform every decision and action — big and small, in every part of business. All the way into the supply chain. We need many more businesses to adopt this approach, so it becomes the new normal.”

“While the COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented global crisis, let us not forget that climate change and growing inequalities continue to shake the very foundations of business and of humanity. Now more than ever, business can and should play a central role in societal transformation,” said Ms. Ojiambo in her concluding remarks.

During an Asia-Pacific plenary session, the UN Global Compact launched the Action Platform on Sustainable Infrastructure for the Belt and Road Initiative to Accelerate the SDGs. With more than 100 SDG targets linked to infrastructure, the world can benefit from leveraging the Belt and Road Initiative — expected to impact 60 per cent of the world’s population, 40 per cent of world trade and 30 per cent of world GDP — as a collaborative mechanism to further the advancement of the SDGs.

Speaking on the launch, Ren Hongbin, Vice Chairman SASAC and UN Global Compact Board Member, said, “I hope that the Action Platform launched by the UN Global Compact today will serve as a key international mechanism to facilitate the business community’s contribution to boost sustainable infrastructure and investment along the Belt and Road Initiative countries to accelerate the SDGs.”

At the event, the UN Global Compact, in collaboration with DNV GL, released UN Global Compact 20th-Anniversary Progress Report: Uniting Business in the Decade of Action — an analysis of progress businesses have made in embedding the Ten Principles in their strategies and operations to align with the universal values of the UN, and in contributing to the 17 SDGs. Based on annual survey data supported by interviews with UN Global Compact participants, the report takes stock of how businesses are performing on critical sustainability topics. Broadly, the report finds that companies need to take more ambitious actions, at scale, to meet the objectives of the 2030 Agenda and create the world we want. For example, while 84 per cent of companies participating in the UN Global Compact are taking action on SDGs, only 46 per cent are embedding them into their core business and only 39 per cent have targets that are sufficiently ambitious, science-based and/or align with societal goals.

Together with Russell Reynolds Associates, the UN Global Compact also launched Leadership for the Decade of Action. The report sets out to discover what can be learned from business leaders who are integrating sustainability across strategy, operations and stakeholder engagement and what this means for how board and C-suite leaders are selected. It reveals an urgent need for transformational business leaders who look beyond near-term profits to make the long-term sustainability and resilience of our world a top business priority — both within and beyond their firms and broader ecosystems.

The UN Global Compact also released Introducing Business Benchmarks for the Decade of Action, featuring an initial set of best practice business benchmarks to gauge whether corporate activities are aiming at the necessary level of ambition to deliver on the SDGs. The announcement comes as part of the SDG Ambition initiative, a partnership with Accenture and SAP, which aims to enable the world’s leading companies to embrace ambitious targets and advance the integration of the SDGs into core business management, business processes and information technology landscapes.

As part of these efforts to call for more ambitious action across the SDGs, speakers at the Leaders Summit called for companies to take specific action across a range of issue areas, including on gender equality, with Manny Chirico, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of PVH Corp., announcing the company’s patron support for Target Gender Equality which will support participants on their journey to achieve gender balance in business leadership.

Other speakers at the event included: Her Excellency Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General; Mark Carney, UN Special Envoy on Climate Action and Climate Finance; Al Gore, Founder and Chairman of The Climate Reality Project; Ban Ki-moon, former UN Secretary-General and Deputy Chair of The Elders; Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; Alicia Bárcena, Executive Secretary, ECLAC; Sharan Burrow, General Secretary of the International Trade Union; Roberto Marques, Chief Executive Officer of Natura & Co; Sandra Wu Wen-Hsiu, Chairperson and CEO of Kokusai Kogyo; Julie Sweet, CEO of Accenture; Helena Helmersson, CEO of H&M Group; Ilian Mihov, Dean of INSEAD; and Fiona Reynolds, CEO of PRI, amongst others.

• Watch the 20th anniversary UN Global Compact film
• Explore the new resources launched at the event:
  • UN Global Compact 20th-Anniversary Progress Report: Uniting Business in the Decade of Action
  • Leadership for the Decade of Action: A United Nations Global Compact – Russell Reynolds Associates study on the characteristics of sustainable business leaders
  • Introducing Business Benchmarks for the Decade of Action, part of the SDG Ambition initiative

Learn more about the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit 2020

Join the CFO Taskforce for the SDGs

There is collective recognition from investors and Governments that corporates are uniquely positioned to reshape the future of corporate finance and investment as a catalyst for growth, value creation and social impact. As the stewards of trillions of dollars in corporate finance, Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) have a critical role to play in ensuring that companies’ financial strategies are aligned to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The UN Global Compact is convening a taskforce of CFOs for 24 months to provide a platform to interact with their peers, investors, financial institutions, and the United Nations to share ideas, develop new concepts and frameworks, and provide recommendations to unlock private capital and create a market to mainstream SDG investments.

Why You Should Join

As part of the CFO Taskforce, you will work with peers on a programme of activities that create tremendous impact for companies globally and empowers them to contribute meaningfully to the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

• Create a set of principles: Establish guiding principles and best practices for SDG-aligned corporate finance and investment opportunities
• Pioneer financial innovation to drive value: Develop innovative financial instruments and create a broad market of diversified investment opportunities in the SDGs
• Share outputs with stakeholders: Communicate ideas with investors, policymakers and other stakeholders in securing the financial capital needed to finance the SDGs at scale

For more information, you can download the Press Release, and Brochure.

The second Young SDG Innovators Program (YSIP) Camp consecutively took place on December 16 and 17 at the Beirut Digital District (BDD) and emphasized the process of defining and refining challenges of the private sector.

This Challenge Definition Camp builds on the previous Challenge Identification camp which mainly concentrated on desiring and discovering a company challenge that can be addressed through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The key facilitators of the second camp were Mr. Wissam, Global Director SAP Next-Gen and Ms. Mona Itani, Founder of Riyada for Social Innovation (UNGCNL Ambassador).

On December 16, the facilitators introduced the SDG Ideation Tools and Methods in addition to Breakthrough Business Models to the innovators.

The YSIP innovators were exposed to different design thinking ideation tools and were offered a “toolbox” that assists in developing solution concepts, beneficial to the process of defining challenges. Throughout the day, participants continued to assess their tools for ideation, an essential component of validating the challenge they have chosen.

Challenges that are well-defined are those that are followed by a facilitated concept generation process.

The teams worked around the above-stated logic. For motivation, they focused on loving the challenge instead of the solution because the importance lies in the defining the challenge properly at first in order to generate apt solutions in consequent stages.

Additionally, the first day of this camp illustrated the most common Breakthrough Business Models, as a build-up on the first camp that focused on Breakthrough Mindset. The facilitator introduced six business model attributes that are most prevalent among sustainable and breakthrough companies to empower the process of defining company challenges within this framework.

On December 17, the main emphasis of the day was on the Challenge Lab where innovators were given the opportunity to test out the concept ideation methods, breakthrough business models, and also dig deeper into concept selection and validation by pretotyping it.

Through pretotying, the innovators established how to construct a rapid prototype in order to test their SDG Challenges.

The facilitator introduced several pretotyping methods that drive innovation, which the participants were willing to use in testing out new concepts and business models, without wasting too much time and many resources.

Pretotyping is a prior stage to prototyping since it is all about clarifying the general concept of the idea. Prototyping is then all about concretizing the idea.

The Challenge Lab of this camp was a continuation of the former one with an objective to design SDG Concepts for the virtual company Zink, Inc.

The teams successfully embodied their fictional roles as members of the design team for Zink. They experimented with pretotyping and generated, modified and validated new concepts pertaining to the challenges they have already identified in Camp 1. Creativity was blooming on the second day in terms of concept generation and design, and there was no limit to their innovation.

At the end of the challenge lab, the teams updated their the Breakthrough Pitch for Zink by including in their presentations a new component that wasn’t available in the previous camp, a defined challenge with the strongest pretotype.

Eventually, team presentations were not exclusive to the findings relevant to the virtual company ZINK INC. The innovators were enabled to connect the dots between what they learned and tested in their design teams on ZINK INC to challenges in their real companies. On an individual level, the participants had the chance to pitch in their ideas in front of the YSIP Mentors Mr. Imad Abou Khalil, Ms. Krystel Khalil, Ms. Aseel Honein, Mr. Gilbert Tegho, and Ms. Sarah Abdallah, all of whom were very eager to guide and clarify the strengths/weaknesses in ideas suggested by the innovators.

Besides the intense material, many activities took place to ignite creativity among the innovators, and many moments were devoted to celebrating the Christmas theme and sharing both kind wishes and optimistic promises for an improved Lebanon in 2020.

Madrid, Spain

The following is a joint press release from the United Nations Global Compact, the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and the We Mean Business coalition.

At COP 25, corporate climate movement grows exponentially as new companies announce plans to align with a 1.5°C future

177 companies commit to set 1.5°C-aligned science-based targets across their operations and value chains, as movement doubles in size since September

MADRID, 11 December, 2019 — 177 companies have pledged to set highly ambitious emissions reduction targets to help limit the worst effects of climate change — more than doubling in size since the first group of early movers was announced at the UN Climate Action Summit in September.

As part of the “Business Ambition for 1.5°C — Our Only Future” campaign, new signatories have pledged to set climate targets that align with limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and reaching net-zero emissions by no later than 2050. 

The 177 companies collectively represent over 5.8 million employees, spanning 36 sectors and with headquarters in 36 countries. The companies have a combined market capitalization of over US$2.8 trillion, and represent annual direct emissions equivalent to the annual total CO2 emissions of France. 

The companies are committed to setting science-based targets through the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), which independently assesses corporate emissions reduction targets in line with what climate scientists say is needed to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.

The announcement was made at the 25th annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 25) and represents the major business contribution to the Climate Ambition Alliance: a growing multi-stakeholder group convened by the COP 25 Chilean Presidency that brings together countries, businesses, investors, cities and regions working towards achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

With this announcement, these companies are leading the way in creating a positive feedback loop known as an “ambition loop” — with Government policies and private sector leadership reinforcing each other, and together taking climate action to the next level. Ambitious corporate action helps to send strong market signals, and should give Governments confidence to urgently ramp up their national climate plans, including Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and long-term strategies, in line with the latest climate science. By setting policies and targets in line with a 1.5°C trajectory, Governments give business the clarity and confidence to invest decisively in the zero-carbon economies of the future.

The news comes on the occasion of the annual High-level Meeting of Caring for Climate, convened by the UN Global Compact, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and UN Environment. As a high-level stakeholder consultation — with a focus on private sector engagement — the event helps to identify key levers of action necessary to help increase corporate support for enhanced Nationally Determined Contributions and the Sustainable Development Goals.

“We need businesses to unite behind the science by taking rapid and ambitious action across their operations and value chains,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres. “I am encouraged that 177 major companies have committed to set scientific, verifiable emission reduction targets aligned with a 1.5°C future through the “Business Ambition for 1.5°C” campaign. By stepping up and setting science-based targets, these companies are pioneering new ways of doing business and driving systemic change throughout the global economy.”

“We are quickly nearing our last opportunity to be on the right side of history. The climate emergency is already disrupting people, business operations, economies and ecosystems around the world,” said Lise Kingo, CEO and Executive Director of the UN Global Compact, one of the SBTi partners. “As countries prepare to enhance their national climate action plans next year, business leaders have a critical role to play in challenging Governments to urgently match their climate ambitions. We need all businesses to be activists for our only future.”

The latest cohort of companies joining the “Business Ambition for 1.5°C” campaign includes: Abreu Advogados, Aguas Andinas, Ambev, An Post, Auchan Retail Portugal, BanColombia, Beiersdorf, BIAL, Carlsberg Group, Cellnex Telecom, Chanel, CTT – Correios de Portugal, Decathlon, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Dutch-Bangla Pack, Ecolab, EcoVadis, Efacec Power Solutions, EPAL – Empresa Portugesa das Aguas Livres, Europa Mundo Vacaciones, Europcar Mobility Group, Everis Portugal, Givaudan, Green Innovation Group, Grundfos, Henkel, Iberia, Ignitis Group, Infraestruturas de Portugal, International Airlines Group (IAG), Intrepid Travel, Landsec, Lojas Renner, Lundbeck, Multiplex Construction Europe, NOS, Novo Banco, NR Instant Produce, Olam International, Ono Pharmaceutical, Orbia Advance, Orkla, Qalaa Holdings, Red Electrica de España, REN – Redes Energeticas Nacionais, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, Sopra Steria Group, South East Water, Storebrand, Tendam Retail, TenneT Holding, Tesco, The Lux Collective, TMG Automotive, Univar Solutions, Uxua Casa Hotel & Spa, and Yarra Valley Water, amongst others.

These companies are joined by a group of investors managing close to US$4 trillion in assets who have committed to converting their investment portfolios to net-zero emissions by 2050 through the UN-convened Net Zero Asset Owner Alliance, in addition to over 50 companies in the fashion industry that have committed to align with a 1.5ºC future through the Fashion Pact.

November 18 & 21, 2019

On November 18, an Innovation Webinar was open to all YSIP participants as a guideline on the first innovation camp that was held later that week. The Webinar was navigated by guest speakers Ms. Nkiruka Chiemelu, Senior Manager of UN Global Compact and Mr. Wissam Kadi, Global Director of SAP Next-Gen Labs. The guest speakers reflected on two important themes: Breakthrough Innovation for the SDGs and How to use the SDGs as a Lens for Innovation.

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On November 21, our YSIP innovators met at the first Innovation Camp to brainstorm, analyze and create solutions for their companies based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The camp was held at the College Hall of the American University of Beirut where our YSIP Innovators sat in different groups to share knowledge about sustainable strategies, corporate social responsibility, and addressing business challenges through innovation.

The first segment of the day revolved around prioritizing several SDGs to tackle for a fictional company ZINC INC. The goal of this exercise was to help participants better understand how a company can push its sustainability ambitions to exponential levels to achieve the SDGs. The exercise also aimed at giving participants an initial opportunity to work using the breakthrough pitch format to develop for a fictional company.

The second half of the day concentrated on applying the same critical analysis, and strategic solving skills on challenges faced by the actual companies of the participants. All teams were given sufficient time to pitch in their ideas and share their outcomes and the ideation processes they used to reach their SDG business challenges. This educational exchange of ideas among the participants and the mentors helped in assessing the propositions, building on the gaps, and expanding the thinking horizons of the innovators beyond the given.

The First Innovation Camp was a vibrant guide to young professionals who were empowered to develop skills in communicating SDG business challenges and opportunities to different stakeholders. This will help them at a later stage to identify business challenges in their own companies, allowing them to draft sustainable practices and SDG-oriented policies accordingly.

Leading up to the second innovation camp planned on December 16 and 17, YSIP innovators will be defining and refining their challenges with the help of their champions and mentors.

6-8 November 2019

On November 6-8, our team attended the Eastern Europe & Middle East regional meetings that were held this year in Culturgest, at the Caixa Geral de Depositos, Lisbon, Portugal. The key themes for the 2019 meetings were manifested as regional and global priorities with an overarching ambition that remains to reinforce global-local collaboration within a unified Global Compact climate.

The 2019 Goals that were addressed in those meetings revolve around the following: creating more space for both learning and sharing experiences among the different local networks; advancing growth strategies and programmatic collaboration; strengthening the networks by focusing on proper resource utilization and process optimization to complement robust strategic planning.

During the three days, important workshops and discussions were held on the Young SDG Innovators Program (YSIP), Target Gender Equality, Value Proposition of regional collaboration, UN Relations & Country Team Engagement, implementing the 2020 Strategy, and reviewing the business model.

During the first day, our team attended several sessions on the Web-summit, which is the biggest Tech Platform in the world. As an educational opportunity, the Web-summit revealed how major Tech firms nowadays act responsibly in alignment with the criteria of Sustainable Transformation and the Theory of Change. 

At the Making Global Goals Local Business Iberia (Spain & Portugal) Forum, our Executive Director participated as a guest speaker in the panel ” The World We Want” to shed light on the challenges that the Middle East region has been facing with respect to the UN 2030 Agenda, and to discuss the promising progress that UNGCNL has demonstrated in the past 5 years.

Our team also attended the United Nations Global Compact Council Meetings held at that time in the presence of CEO & Executive Director of UNGC Ms. Lise Kingo, and Global Compact representatives from USA, Asia, Europe, Africa, and Latin America to discuss the global strategy of 2020.

The Council meeting explored the Growth Strategy for 2019 and 2020, focused on enhancing the Value Proposition, and addressed the necessity of expanding and bolstering the Supply Chain. 

Local networks were encouraged to improve and clearly define their relationships with governments and other UN agencies. In Lebanon, we have been following through these footsteps, and this year we are launching a joint project with UN Women tailored to implementing the WEPs (Women Empowerment Principles). 

Finally, the Global Compact vision for 2020 can be summarized by the following initiatives:

October 15, 2019

The morning exactly after the MGGLB Forum, we the Global Compact Network Lebanon (UNGCNL) hosted a Power Breakfast Meeting with our board of directors to discuss how to strengthen recruitment of corporations to our Local Network. Our guest speaker who came all the way from the Newyork, Ms. Susan Allchurch is the Chief, Outreach and Engagement Officer of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC). 

Ms. Allchurch emphasized the importance of widening our local network and inviting more companies to join, as a means to raise awareness on our common mission of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She successfully delivered a presentation on the value proposition of joining the global compact network describing the added prosperity that corporations can achieve if they work on the SDGs. Therefore, corporations will assume a new social responsibility that helps improve the welfare of the country and contribute to sustainable development that benefits their organizations as well. 

In parallel, our board of directors invited their own partners to understand this value proposition and extend their willingness to join the local network.

On October 3, the Global Compact Network Lebanon Team took a pivotal role in the PMI 50th Anniversary Celebration & Monthly Talk to introduce the ‘ Global Compact ‘ including their programs, projects, and challenges.

This monthly talk session was dedicated to “Building a Breakthrough Mindset for the UN Global Goals Agenda”. The session began with an overview of PMI Lebanon Chapter pledge to the SDGs, and its collaboration with Global Compact Network Lebanon on that matter.

The event introduced the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the UN 2030 Agenda which many organizations in Lebanon have been working to achieve in the past three years, in collaboration with Global Compact Network Lebanon. In this sense, the attendees of the event had the opportunity to understand the role of people from inequality to poverty, to health and human rights, as well as the importance of sustainable development. The session revealed the importance of working around the SDGs which inspired many individuals and companies to initiate their contribution to sustainability in Lebanon.

Everyone left the room to wisely consider this win-win situation of harnessing sustainable development in Lebanon and nurturing sustainable prosperity for corporations that contribute to the SDGs.

Background Information: The Young SDG Innovators Programme (YSIP) is an accelerator to engage your company’s brightest and best talent in not only advancing your sustainability efforts but also driving innovation and delivering tangible solutions with potential market value for your company. During the YSIP, young professionals in Global Compact companies work in teams to explore new innovations and learn how to identify opportunities and develop solutions that are relevant to their companies and advances the SDGs. Companies are able to take advantage of the UN Global Compact’s global-local structure, teams will have the opportunity to work with and learn from other young professional teams and leading sustainability and innovation thinkers in their country and across the world.

On October 8, Programs Manager of Global Compact Network Lebanon (UNGCNL) Ms. Bruna Elias hosted the first YSIP Kick-off Workshop where different teams met to discuss and align their expectations of the program.

Ms. Elias emphasized and clarified the different characters and roles of each of the following: Innovators, Champions, and Mentors. She also explained the flow of the entire program and accordingly answered all inquiries that were raised.

The session was inaugurated by UNGCNL President Mrs. Dima Jamali and this was followed by a video message from the CEO & Executive Director of the UN Global Compact Ms. Lise Kingo.

In general, the floor was available for Innovators, Champions, and Mentors to introduce themselves, as facilitated by UNGCNL Executive Director Mrs. Dina Harake.

Eventually, this kick-off session enabled the participating teams to capitalize on an introductory and clarification session that helps them deliver optimal results at the end date of the YSIP Program.

Organized by Global Compact Network Lebanon (UNGCNL), the Making Global Goals Local Business (MGGLB) Middle East forum brought together regional and global leaders from business, civil society, government, and Global Compact Local Networks in the Middle East to catalyze a collective action affecting the Ten Principles of UN Global Compact and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Making Global Goals Local Business Middle East was hosted in the Grand Serail under the patronage and in the presence of H.E President of the council of ministers Saad Hariri and included the following key-note speakers: CEO & Executive Director of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) Ms. Lise Kingo, President of the Global Compact Network Lebanon and Member of Parliament Dr. Dima Jamali, UN Deputy Special Coordinator, Resident & Humanitarian Coordinator Mr. Philippe Lazzarini, and H.E Minister of Environment Fadi Jreissati among other esteemed guests.

His excellency and the other keynote speakers addressed an audience of more than 800 attendees emphasizing on the importance of advancing Agenda 2030 and achieving the targets of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals via serious work and collaboration between private sector, public sector, academia and NGOs.  Lise Kingo in her first visit to Lebanon expressed her appreciation of the great work of the local Network presided by Jamali and ended her inspiring statement by quoting Khalil Gibran, the great poet and artist, “Progress lies not in enhancing what is but in advancing toward what will be.”

The MGGLB Forum included several panel discussions which tackled different aspects pertaining to sustainable development and achieving the UN 2030 Agenda. The panels covered the following themes to ensure an inclusive understanding of sustainable progress in Lebanon: The National Poverty Target Plan by UNGCNL’s SDG Council, Partnerships between the Government, Businesses, and International Agencies, Ambassadors’ interventions regarding Sustainability, Fireside Chat between Global Compact Network Lebanon and Global Compact Network Turkey, and the Youth’s role in advancing the SDGs.

The event introduced a Zero Plastic campaign, an initiative on gender equality, a campaign on poverty by UNGCNL’s SDG Council, honored the Milestone Award Winners, and released the newly published book Zooming on SDG Trends in Lebanon.

To download the Press Release, available in both Arabic and English versions:

To read about Making Global Goals Local Business Middle East Forum from different sources:

Watch our interview with MBC Hope

September 23-26, 2019 | New York  

Background Information:
Every September, the United Nations member states convene at the General Assembly in New York to elaborate on pressing issues of global concern.

This year, Global Compact Network Lebanon proudly sent a delegation to participate among world leaders in a week loaded with high-level meetings and summits dedicated to reinforce action on climate change and consolidate global initiatives in sustainable development, in alignment with the UN 2030 Agenda. 

The main theme for the action week was the Sustainable Development Goals, which were adopted by global leaders in 2015. 
The 17 interconnected goals constitute a universal campaign to terminate both poverty and hunger, widen access to education, health-services, employment opportunities,and justice, while simultaneously precluding the environmental degradation of our planet, and saving life both on and off-shore.

Our Executive Director Mrs. Dina Harake, National Network Coordinator Ms. Sarah Issa, and Programs Manager Ms. Bruna Elias participated in the following programs that were available during the 2019 Leaders Week.

• Private Sector Forum
• Climate Action Reception
• SDG Solutions Showcase Breakfast
• Leadership for the SDGs: Featuring the Young SDG Pioneers
• Trailblazing Women Reception

September 23, 2019| New York

The United Nations Global Compact arranged a Climate Action Reception that was open to the high-level executives, national & international leaders, U.S governors, young entrepreneurs and other stake-holders who attended the UN Climate Summit, the pivotal event hosted by the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Gutteres. 

Our UNGCNL team had the opportunity to attend the reception, and to engage with other world-leaders on interesting discussions on climate action, and sustainable development. The reception was built around tackling three SDGs, fundamental to saving our planet from the environmental repercussions: ” Life on Land, Life Below Water as well as Responsible Consumption and Production”.

September 23, 2019 | New York  

How do you want to impact our world?

A subsidiary event for the UN Climate Summit, the Misk-OSGEY Youth Forum was held during the UN General Assembly Week to capitalize on the opportunity of having youth leaders from all around the world available to convene and discuss “Changing Businesses for Good”.

Our National Network Coordinator Ms. Sarah Issa, and Programs Manager Ms. Bruna Elias attended this exclusive meeting, after an official selection process, and invested in strong partnerships with other youth participants, all of whom aim to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals as stated in the UN 2030 Agenda. 

The event was a platform to inspire the increase in social entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs working for a global rejuvenation from a socio-economic aspect. Interesting points were raised regarding the interconnection of sustainable business and social good, and experiences were shared on how to spur positive change into businesses. 

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September 24, 2019 | New York

In collaboration with United Nations Global Compact, the USA Global Compact Network held its regional meetup in New York as a half-day event at at SAP Next-Gen Innovation Lab during the UN General Assembly Week. 

A high-level conference, Making Global Goals Local Business USA welcomed UN officials and corporate sustainability leaders, among them our Executive Director of Global Compact Network Lebanon to raise awareness on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), engender concrete business actions, and spur potential partnerships in the USA.

UNGCNL Executive Director Mrs. Dina Harake participated on a panel including representatives from the different global compact networks of the world. She gave a concise idea on how our local network in Lebanon operates, and delved into both the achievements delivered in 2019, and the programs, initiatives, campaigns, and partnerships planned for 2020. Mrs. Harake also discusses future partnership and collaboration with the Global Compact Network of USA. 

On September 17, 2019 the American University of Beirut (AUB) hosted in collaboration with the Global Compact Network Lebanon (UNGCNL) the conclusory phase of a two-year ongoing program which is the development of research projects focused on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The first year revolved around analyzing several proposals from AUB Faculty Members to choose the winning teams eligible for the generous financial sponsorship provided by UNGCNL, all in favor of mobilizing action-oriented research.

In the second year, the designated teams invested in comprehensive and elaborate research to support the manifestation of SDG projects that have practical and tangible applications.

And then again on September 17th, the teams proudly presented the findings of their valuable research in a celebratory and informative event held at AUB.

The following is an overview of the research projects, some of which have already been launched on the ground.

Project 1: Turning our office paper waste into nutrients for plants

Abstract This proposal is an action-oriented research that will set the ground for the development of a low-cost method to replace plastic materials used in agriculture by waste paper from our office bins. In particular, we will assess the possibility of using waste paper to help solve the problems of the immense use of plastics in agriculture and its negative environmental impact. Farmers and gardeners use mulching as a method to improve the condition of agriculture by covering the cultivated soil surface with different kinds of materials. The mulch (or covering) contributes to better plant production. However, mulch is now the largest use of plastics in agriculture which created the problem of plastic disposal and the negative impact that it has on the environment. Here we propose to collect waste paper from FAFS offices and later on from other AUB offices, to shred them and apply them in replacement for plastic mulch in agriculture. The shredded paper will be topped with compost to keep it in place. An experiment will determine the efficiency of the shredded paper mulch to protect crops from weeds, provide organic nutrients to the plants, and keep the moisture and temperature of the soil in which the plants are produced. Confirming the benefits of the shredded paper mulch will set the stage to a large scale operation where collected waste paper from offices are gathered and recycled into a new product, an organic mulch to be used in agriculture, landscape and gardens. Credits: Dr. Mirella Aoun

Project 2: Solar Heated Poultry House, PRO-Shield

Abstract The cost of heating a poultry house is majorly increasing the cost of food production; farmers tend to use fuel and electrical heaters for the purpose of maintaining the appropriate temperature for the poultry house. Solar heated poultry house is an innovative heating plan for the poultry where solar water heaters are used as an alternative green energy source, considering that the solar system can provide the required temperature for the various poultry growth stages. This plan uses solar water heaters and equips them with an innovative product (PRO – Shield) which is mounted on any solar water heater to solve the worldwide problem of overheating it face. Furthermore, introducing PRO – Shield will ensure the solar water heaters efficiency, turning this plan to a long run plan with negligible maintenance and operation costs, transforming Lebanon into an industrial country with a leading innovative mentality and enhanced economic cycle through reducing the Lebanese poultry’s cost. Credits: Dr. Haytham Dbouk

Project 3: Sustaining the landscape of cemeteries: Enhancing religious institutions’ contribution to sustainable cities and communities in Beirut

Abstract While religion has influences on several of the Lebanese community’s social, political and economic activities, little is known about religion institutions’ impacts on the environmental conditions of our cities. This study will shed light on the potential of religion, and more specifically religious institutions, in promoting and advancing sustainable cities and communities (Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11), through the management of the scared landscapes of urban cemeteries in Beirut. This study will investigate how religious institutions (both Christian and Muslim) view these sacred sites, their approach to the management, design and planning of cemeteries in general as well as how these align with the concept of sustainability of these urban landscapes. By conducting in-depth interviews with the different religious institutions and leaders who own/manage cemeteries in Beirut, as well as through site observations, we aim to (1) present new empirical insights from the Lebanese multi-religious context in relation to how religious institutions influence the protection and safeguard of natural and cultural heritage sites such as cemeteries as well as affect the availability, accessibility and sustainability of such green spaces in the city and (2) present recommendations and design guidelines that could enhance their contribution to SDG 11. Credits: Dr. Nayla Al Akl

Project 4: Towards Sustainable Business Models of Waste Management in Lebanon

Abstract Lebanon was affected deeply by the waste management crisis in 2015. This crisis had negative impact on the economy, health, and the environment. In response to this crisis, we have seen the emergence of several recycling initiatives led by different stakeholders such as NGOs, private sector, and even local public authorities. The objective of this project is to look at the different business models of recycling initiatives in Lebanon. Knowing that recycling as an activity is seldom economically viable, we aim to find how sustainability is achieved, and the types of value co-creation generated by the different business models. In order to answer the research questions, we will undertake a study with the objective of surveying different organizations in the ecosystem. Anchored in the SDGs, and in particular SDG 12, we hope to have a clear image of the factors enabling/jeopardizing the development and scaling of sustainable business models tackling recycling in Lebanon. From a theoretical perspective, this will contribute to research on sustainability and business models. From a practical perspective, this project will contribute to understanding recycling in Lebanon and inform policy makers and stakeholders on best practice. Credits: Drs. Alain Daou & Randa Salamoun

Project 5: Towards an organized colorectal cancer screening program: An action-oriented research

Abstract In this proposed project, AUB faculty members and graduate students, SAID NGO representing the civil society and with the support from the Ministry of Public Health through the Department of Primary Health Care will be working together to address an often overlooked but fatal non-communicable disease, the colorectal cancer (CRC). The proposed project is an action-oriented study. In line with implementation research framework [15], we propose to implement a systematic invitation approach using text messages for registered individuals receiving care in four primary health care systems in four different geographic regions of Lebanon. This intervention will be coupled with a social marketing campaign and capacity building training sessions for health care providers. The implementation will occur between October and December 2018, preceding the proposed date for launching the National Awareness Campaign in March 2019. The implementation will take place after ethical approval from the AUB Institutional Review Board. Credits: Dr. Gladys Honein

Project 6: Sustainable Is The New Healthy: The Healthy Lebanese Mediterranean diet: Is it Sustainable?

Abstract The overall goal of the proposed study is to pave the way towards the formulation of evidence-based recommendations towards not only healthy but also sustainable diets, recommendations that are at the core of the water, food, energy, and health nexus. The specific objectives are 1) to evaluate and compare the environmental footprints (EFP) of existing dietary patterns in Lebanon, including the ‘healthy’ LMD and 2) to examine and compare the economic cost associated with consumption of these dietary patterns. The results of this study will provide the evidence-base for the development of interventions to promote balanced and sustainable diets that have a positive impact on health as well as on the environmental and economic aspects of sustainability, hence contributing to the commitment of the country to achieving the SDGs. This project will provide the first country-specific evidence for sustainable and balanced diets to combat NCDs in Lebanon. As such the proposed work addresses SDG 3: ‘Ensure healthy lives and promote well- being for all at all ages’ and SDG 12 ‘Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns’. In addition, the proposed study tackles the sustainability of the Lebanese traditional diet. The latter was presented as a variant of the Mediterranean diet in a study featured in the European Journal of Nutrition [10]. Mediterranean diets were recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in November 2010. Therefore, this study relates to SDG 11, more specifically 11.4 ‘Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage’. Credits: Dr. Farah Naja

Project 7: Earth construction in the East Mediterranean region

Abstract The aim of acquiring this fund is to develop research and practice concerning the construction methods of rammed earth. The study would include the examination of possible mixes, actual full-scale applications and providing a comprehensive rammed earth building guidebook. The research is tailored to the needs and capacities of Lebanon and the Mediterranean region and aims to introduce this method as a viable option in the construction market. The grant will be needed to purchase essential local material and minor equipment, transportation to sites of intervention in Lebanon, and to support a Master’s thesis graduate student and undergraduate research assistants. Credits: Dr. Aram Yeretzian

On Thursday 19 2019, the Global Compact Network Lebanon Team took a booth at Balamand University to partake in the Zero Hunger initiative.

On a sunny day outdoors, our team helped raise awareness on the general functions of the Global Compact Network Lebanon, inspiring many students to take action and get involved in our national mission of achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and fulfilling the 2030 agenda.

Our team was also happy to share all of our ongoing programs such as that of the Young SDGs Innovators Program (YSIP) , and also explained the steps to register for our flagship event Making Global Goals Local Business Middle East Forum.

The participating NGOs in this community fair had all focused their projects on SDG 2 : Zero Hunger. People who walked around the booths had the opportunity to learn about the different means that each NGO was exercising to confront and terminate the social evil of hunger.

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Our Programs Manager Ms. Bruna Elias paid a kind visit early August to the Modern University for Business and Science (MUBS), to attend and partake in determining the winning teams for a specific end of semester project.

Within the framework of the Global Compact, MUBS has revolved many of its lectures and activities around certain Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) including the latter.

Through the “Health Promotion and Intervention” course, several groups of students delivered concept notes that address public health issues in line with achieving one of the 17 SDGs. In her visit, Ms. Bruna helped decide on the winning teams and inspired them to advance their efforts towards real-life projects.

Why & How to report on the SDGs

On September 6, our very own National Network Coordinator and Contact person Ms. Sarah Issa conducted an effective reporting workshop for our network members on WHY & HOW to report on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In general, Ms. Sarah Issa gave a technical yet beneficial lecture on the COPs and the COEs to facilitate how companies and organizations measure and report on impact and progress.

Furthermore, Ms. Sarah explained how integrating the SDGs into business and reporting processes helps in improving an organisation’s decision-making and driving it’s performance. Likewise, she explained how reporting also helps firms meet the increasing demands from stakeholders — such as Governments, investors, employees and customers.

In the other half of the session, a panel discussion was introduced which reflected on practical examples from leading companies that discussed: how to identify and prioritize SDG targets most relevant for your organisation, and how to define SDG-related report content in alignment with recognized principles and standards.

The Panel was moderated by UNGCNL Strategy Adviser Hasan Youness and included insightful interventions from the following speakers: Ms. Claudine Feghaly (Banque Bemo), Dr Lara Khabbaz (NDU), Ms. Tracy Bakhos (ITG Holding).

Throughout the entire workshop, participants were encouraged to engage, ask questions and to reflect on how the shared lessons can be applied to their own organisational’s context. 

Ultimately, participants left the UNGCNL Reporting Training with an acquired set of necessary skills to use in authenticating the impact that their organizations already generate in achieving a sustainable agenda

On August 21 and 22, Global Compact Network Lebanon (UNGCNL) in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Green Mind and Lebanon Climate Act (LCA) hosted a workshop under the title Accelerating Action Towards SDG 13, to raise awareness on climate change and encourage network members from the private sector to engage in climate action.

On the first day of the workshop, UNGCNL President Dr. Dima Jamali, Green Mind President Mrs. Nada Zaarour, and LCA President Mr. Wael Hmaidan inaugurated the workshop with opening remarks that emphasized the importance of transformational change through sustainable practices. Our opening speakers based their arguments in alignment with the “Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report”, the Paris Agreement, and the principles of the Climate Action Summit, taking place in the UN headquarters this September, to validate the significance of progressing towards a low-carbon global economy.

In the words of UNGCNL Executive Director Mrs. Dina Harake: Nature does not negotiate and the cost of inaction exceeds the cost of climate action.

In this spirit, and among two days, 50 of our highly devoted network members participated in our workshop, to establish a tangible vision on how each member can efficiently contribute to not only saving the future of our planet, but also that of their companies’ prosperity. 

Mrs. Yara Daou (UNDP) explained generally about climate change as an introduction. In line with the core objective of her lecture, she illuminated on the concept of climate action as a viable strategic business opportunity; in this manner, she further explained how to incorporate such action into a company’s business agenda.

Moreover, Mrs. Daou elaborated on how companies can assess their carbon footprint, and opened the room for group exercises that allow the participants to test their understanding of how to carry on such significant calculations.

One of the many benefits of holding these group-works is having network members build on potential partnerships over the Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs).

Moreover, Mrs. Lea Kai (UNDP) elaborated on the steps to develop a climate action plan, how to make it reactive to the needs of
governments, communities and investors, and lastly how to monitor and measure this impact.

As the two days passed, leaders of the private sector went back to their companies with a capacity-building opportunity that thrives to not only support climate action but also sustain business profits in a transformed economy that nurtures on low-carbon sustainable policies.

On July 10, Global Compact Network Lebanon hosted a focus group on SDG 14 Life Below Water in partnership with the Swedish Embassy and the support of UNDP. The discussion focused on challenges and updates regarding the SDG 14 in Lebanon and presented recommendations on the report drafted by the network. Stakeholders from several sectors attended this event, including MP Georges Okaiss and representatives from the public sector, private sector, academia, non-governmental organizations and UN agencies.

Dr. Dima Jamali, president of Global Compact Network Lebanon, started the discussion by highlighting the importance of the SDG 14, the least tackled SDG by the public and private sectors. His Excellency Mr. Jorgen Lindstrom, ambassador of Sweden in Lebanon focused on all factors that need to be taken into consideration concerning the protection of the Life Below Water and towards achieving the UN2030 agenda. These considerations include but are not limit to solid waste, waste water, sea filling, over fishing.

Ms. Yosra Albakkar, regional program manager in the MENA unit, Sida introduced recent water projects in the MENA region. The opening remarks were followed by a roundtable discussion to identify problems, solutions, recommendations and insights related to the SDG 14.

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Ever since going through a diving accident, Marc has been in a wheelchair. In 2018, he was unable to attend an event related to the SDGs held at the Grand Serail due to the size of his wheelchair, which was larger than a standard one. Through this experience, he has become an advocate of the rights of persons with disabilities. He urged the Cabinet Secretary-General to make the Grand Serail accessible to people with special needs. “Being able to overcome my accident, I wanted all people with special needs to surmount the challenges they face in their daily lives,” said Marc.

As part of his effort to push the agenda of bringing better access to people with special needs, Marc has contributed to the implementation of article number 85 of law 220, which stipulates that shipping an accessible modified car to Lebanon is free from custom fees for its owner. After a four-month procedure with continuous follow-ups, the law has finally reinforced and became available for all the disabled Lebanese citizens.

Also, his role at Banque Libano-Française is just more than being a Senior Banker. Marc has consulted the bank on how to create better accessibility and accommodation for people with disabilities, as well as which NGOs to support to achieve the goal of reducing inequalities.

For his upcoming project, Marc will be working on “Accessible Badaro” to advance the goal of reducing inequalities for persons with disabilities. He has already collaborated with more than 120 restaurants and pubs, and will be meeting with the Minister of Social Affairs of Lebanon to explain the draft business plan. He will also engage BLF employees with this project as volunteers and aims to replicate this project to the rest of municipalities in Lebanon.

In addition to the Goal 10 on Reduced Inequalities, Marc has also been advocating three other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) including Goal 1 on No Poverty, Goal 3 on Good Health & Well-being, and Goal 4 on Quality Education.

In efforts to combat poverty, Marc joined Offre Joie, a nongovernmental humanitarian organization, and has served as a volunteer leader for 15 years. He has encouraged over 1,600 youth from all faiths across Lebanon to help the poor and disadvantaged, and contributed to improving the quality of life of over 20,000 citizens in Jabal Mehsen and Beb al Tebbaneh neighborhoods (the country’s poorest areas). Also, he helped provide football courts and playgrounds, rehabilitating seven out of 19 prisons in Lebanon (Batroun, Amyoun, Jbeil, Tyr, Tebnin, Aley and Barbar Al Khazen) and enhanced the conditions of prisoners.

To improve quality education, Marc has worked in the social field with Offre Joie that included his participation in youth summer camps to sensitize over 5,000 young people on civil society issues including public health, social work, as well as promoting of citizenship to reinforce civil peace. In addition, he contributed to the renovation of public schools- improving the lives of many students across Lebanon. Moreover, he led BLF to sponsor Offre Joie and run in the Beirut Marathon to support it along with other associations.

To promote good health and well-being, Marc has been participating in Donner Sang Compter (DSC), a non-profit organization that raises awareness on the importance of donating blood. He has inspired over 10,000 people, including BLF employees, in donating blood since 2009. DSC has organized more than 756 blood drives and collected more than 25,000 blood units, which were donated to 31 hospitals across Lebanon. The organization also conducted more than 1,000 awareness sessions.

In order to achieve the SDGs, collaboration needs to take place at a scale not witnessed before. The 2030 Agenda highlights the importance of strengthening institutions and governance in Global Compact Network Lebanon’s (UNGCNL) pledge to leave no one behind.

UNGCNL hosted the fifth edition of the Lebanon Collaboration for the SDGs on Wednesday May 29, 2019. The conference addressed ongoing initiatives dedicated for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Lebanon with a focus on Environment & Anti-Corruption through a line-up of highly acclaimed stakeholders. 

The event started with the opening speech, Mrs. Dina Harake, calling everyone to get involved in the fight against Environment and Corruption calling for more ambitious steps to be taken, and for appreciation of the urgent need for change in order to protect the planet.

Mr. Philippe Lazzarini, UN Resident and Coordinator gave his speech, saying that when talking about the  Environment,“ We shouldn’t talk anymore about Climate Change, we should talk about Climate Crisis. We don’t have a planet B”.

Mr. Khalil Daoud, Chairman & Managing Director of LibanPost , the second keynote speaker of the day, talked about the great accomplishments of LibanPost in fighting corruption. He emphasized on how “You don’t need to wait for a change, take actions “. 

UNGCNL showcased a video launching the Second Annual SDG Milestone’s Awards; this competition aims to recognize organizations and businesses who are doing exceptional work to integrate and advance action towards the 17 Sustainable Developmental Goals and the UNGC 2030 agenda! The results will be announced during UNGCNL’s 3rd annual Multi-Stakeholder SDG Forum in October.

On this note, UNGCNL will collect entries from businesses across sectors and highlight some of the amazing progress done by both the private and public sector towards solving the most pressing environmental, social & economic challenges of our time. These accomplishments will then be published in UNGCNL’s booklet: “Zooming on SDG Trends in Lebanon” which will showcase all the best practices of UNGCNL’s Network Members throughout the year.

Dr. Hasan Youness introduced the first panel participants and moderator Ms. Lea Abou Jaoude, Project Manager of Climate Change Projects at UNDP. The fist panel was on Environment featuring Marc Beyrouthy, CEO of Nature by Marc Beyrouthy,  Mrs. Michele R. Chammas Garouzim, CIO at MEDCO, Mr. Elie Gebrayel. Chairman and GM at Erga Group and Mr. Giles De Clerk, Executive Partner at Euromena Funds. The key comments of the panel revolved around the ways companies can implement climate change actions in their sustainability plan through sustainable architecture, sustainable investments targeted for the environment and many more initiatives taken at an individual level in the purpose of embracing the environment and changing consumption patterns and habits.

The second panel was on Anti-Corruption, moderated by Ms. Rania Uwaydah Mardini, Vice Chair of the Lebanese Transparency Association and lecturer at the American University of Beirut. The panelists were Mr. Teymour Salam, Dar Group General Counsel, Mr. Badri El Meouchi, Chairman of the Lebanese Transparency Association and the Head of Excellence in Governance Lebanon (Tamayyaz), Mr. Abdul Rahman Batakji, General Counsel at Deloitte Middle East and Mr. Frederic Chemaly,Corporate Secretary at Malia Group.  The panel’s key comments revolved around the need for corporations in correcting the attitudes towards corruption  by embracing the principles of transparency, accountability and good governance. Authorities should be accountable for their decisions and actions, and that those engaging in corrupt action should expect to be subject to the rule of law. In order to achieve a successful anti corruption policy, one has to have a lot of passion, perseverance and the ability to not take no for an answer.

Key takeaways were handed out after the closing, which highlighted all the best practices and guidelines for companies to protect the environment and fight corruption. They involved guidelines provided by UNDP and Dar Group. 

April 12, 2019

ABLE (Accessibility for a Bolder Learning Experience) is an initiative brought by the Office of Information Technology (IT) in collaboration with the Student Affairs Accessible Education Office at the American University of Beirut (AUB).

Powered by UNGCNL, the Governance & Regulations track took place on April 12 at the American University of Beirut, Olayan School of Business during the ABLE Summit. 
This track showcased two panels titled Governmental Policies  & Institutional Policies, Challenges & Priorities.

This summit represented a collaboration forum that brings together over 200 participants of experts, frontline workers, innovators, vendors and end users to share innovations, best practices, implementation strategies, research and education in assistive technology (AT) and accessibility.
You can find more information about ABLE here.

April 17 , 2019

“Our goal today is to mobilize our youth, YOU, to think with us about solutions to global challenges” – Dr. Dima Jamali, President of Global Compact Network Lebanon.

 On Wednesday April 17, around 250 students gathered in Charles Hostler Auditorium, American University of Beirut, impatiently awaiting for the results of the Sustainable Minds competition organized by Global Compact Network Lebanon in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. The students coming from various areas in Lebanon were even more excited with the presence of key figures: TV personality & journalist Mr. Neshan Der Haroutiounian, Olympic Trap Shooter Ms. Ray Bassil and Lebanese Basketball Champion & founder of Champs Mr. Fadi Khatib.

The ceremony started with kind words of appreciation from Ms. Sarah Issa, National Network Coordinator of UNGCNL, who applauded all the 150 teams that took part in the competition and submitted videos presenting a solution to various problems in Lebanon correlated with one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. UNGCNL then showcased a video that gave a summary of the competition, the SDGs tackled and glimpses of some of the videos of students.

MP Dr. Dima Jamali, President of UNGCNL, took the stage to talk about UNGCNL and its mission in depth.  Dr. Jamali talked about the importance of Global Compact’s mission around the globe and particularly in Lebanon, highlighting the role of the youth in joining the discussion around the global challenges of poverty, gender inequality, hunger, environment and many more related to the 17 SDGs. She expressed her appreciation towards the students and their hard work to making that first step in finding solutions to basic problems in Lebanon.

Dr. Fadi Yarak, Education from the Ministry of Education & Higher Education, talked to the students about the importance of this competition & sustainability in their lives. He mentioned how all social initiatives start with an idea and every idea and action towards the well being of the society is a great example of civic engagement.

Ms. Dina Harake, Executive Director of UNGCNL, introduced the inspirational speakers Mr. Neshan Der Haroutiounian, Ms. Ray Bassil and lastly Mr. Fadi Khatib. She asked each a question regarding what inspires them and what has been the most important key to their success.

Mr. Fadi Khatib started by saying how important sports and athleticism is and should be to everyone’s life.

Mr. Neshan Der Haroutiounian talked about the importance of passion and motivation is one’s life and their necessity for success.

Ms. Ray Bassil  talked about a person’s everyday passion in life and the importance of breaking barriers in a woman’s world.

Ms. Sarah Issa acknowledge the Jury Members who were representatives from Blom Bank, Holdal, Fattal, NEEDs, MEHE, Makhzoumi Foundation and TeachforLebanon.

The three top videos were displayed afterwhich Ms. Issa announced the top three winners; The third place went to La Cime school who won a drone, Second place went to Ghobeiry Public Secondary School for Girls who won an E-beam projector and the first place went to AGBU Schools who won an online course training from NEEDs. The jury and UNGCNL’s Board of Director’s members congratulated the students and distributed their awards. All the students in the top three teams received Eastpak bags from Fattal, gift vouchers from Holdal & certificates of appreciation.

March 26 – April 5, 2019

Global Money Week is an internationally recognized initiative by Child & Youth Finance International (CYFI), working to provide children and youth around the world with access to financial services, enhance their awareness of economic rights, and empower them to build their assets, invest in their future, and ultimately break the cycle of poverty.

Bank Audi undertook this initiative under the theme  “Learn.Save.Earn.” to empower the youth by being economically equipped and reduce the inequality gaps to help build a brighter future. 

UNGCNL took part of this program to share the mission of UNGC as part of the CSR initiative done by Bank Audi with approximately 600 grade 11 students from various schools (public & private) across Lebanon, during 5 days. Our team including Mrs. Dina Harake, Dr. Hasan Younnes, Ms. Sarah Issa, Ms. Bruna Elias & Ms. Eppy Kurkjian attended on each day during the week at the Beirut Head Office and presented amongst students, highlighting the importance and relevance of the youth to CSR, SDGs & UNGCNL’s mission.

March 31, 2019

Dr. Hasan Youness, UNGCNL’s strategic advisor participated in the Moushtarayat conference organized by Qatar Development Bank & major governmental entities of Qatar. 

Qatar Development Bank (QDB) announced the 4th edition of the Government Procurement and Contracting Conference and Exhibition (Moushtarayat 2019) at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC).

Building on the momentum of its preceding editions, Moushtarayat 2019 had the purpose of ushering in a wave of new opportunities for the government-private sector cooperation. The expo welcomed members of the private sector, particularly small and medium enterprises (SME), to attend and participate in a wide range of public tenders, publicly announced throughout the year.

Dr. Youness talked about the Ten Principles of UNGC in relation to SMEs and tackled the SDGs highlighting the success story of Global Compact Network Lebanon.

The Annual Women Mentoring Program Launch event was held on Friday March 22nd at ESA Business School organized by the Blessing Foundation in partnership with UNGCNL, UN Women with the support of ILS, under the patronage of HE Minister of State for Economic Empowerment of Women & Youth Mrs Violette Khairallah Safadi.

This event launched the program where achieved women in business will mentor 450 women from rural Lebanon by helping them achieve a goal they set and by give them inspiration to become change makers in their community.

UNGCNL’s Executive Director, Mrs. Dina Harake, gave a speech about the importance of this event & the role of companies in educating women from the rural areas and helping them develop their skills & capabilities through vocational trainings & other practices. With their help, these women will be able to learn the skills to use their business capabilities & products thus further becoming major change agents. 

March 18, 2019

The Lebanon Mine Action Center with the support of the UNDP project funded by the EU recently developed a socio-economic assessment of mine action in Lebanon. LMAC and UNDP, in collaboration with UNGCNL officially launched this study in the presence of Ministers, ambassadors  academics, banks, media and others on Monday March 18, 2019.

Mrs. Dina Harake, Executive Director of UNGCNL, participated in the launcing of the Socio-Economic study of mine action in Lebanon by the Lebanon Mine Action Center & UNDP. In her speech, Mrs. Harake highlighted the importance of the study in accordance to several SDGs and invited the private sector to contribute in its further development.

This study is crucial to understand the widespread impact of mine action and to make the case for sustained support which are in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. 

You can find the study on UNDP’s website here.

On Friday, October 18^th, 2018, Global Compact Network Lebanon hosted the second edition of the Multi-Stakeholder Forum, under the patronage of Prime Minister Saad El Hariri at the Grand Serail, to discuss and keep up with the latest trends and practices of Sustainable Development.

This forum was a unique opportunity and platform for all the stakeholders, leaders and individuals representing the public and private sector, civil society organizations and local authorities to promote multi-stakeholder dialogues, catalyze collaborations, explore innovative solutions to accelerate the SDGs in Lebanon, and work together towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals and 2030 Agenda.

Open to the public, the Forum’s agenda was packed with impactful presentations and live panel discussions consisting of prominent national and international pioneers to ignite a sense of awareness and urgency towards transforming words into action regarding the 17 SDGs.

The event started with an opening speech by Dr. Dima Jamali, UNGCNL’s President, which was followed by an aspirational remark from Ms. Pernille Kardel, the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon.

Then, the two prominent keynote speakers, Prime Minister Mr. Saad Hariri nd H.R.H. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden expressed their immense support to achieve the UN 2030 agenda.

Four panels followed this:

In the first panel that was moderated by Dr. Dima Jamali, UNGCNL’s Goal Leaders who are championing the SDGs, discussed exemplary actions towards reaching the 2030 agenda, where they delivered inspirational messages about topics such as access to quality education and decent economic growth, etc, to establish a connection and sense of urgency with the audience to reach the 2030 agenda.

Moderated by Ms. Dina Harake, the second panel, Sustainable Development, Reforms and Public Good Moderator.

The third panel, moderated by Mr. Sami Nader, Head of Levant Institute for Strategic Affairs, was about the Power and Impact of the Private Sector in Achieving the SDGs.

The fourth panel, moderated by Mr. Maurice Matta, revolved around the Role of classic and Digital Media in Mainstreaming the Notion of Sustainability Moderator.

UNGCNL’s latest competition winners were announced during the Forum; this included the top three winners of the National Sustainability Youth Competition, along with the winners of the SDG Milestone Awards.

UNGCNL hopes to always transform global goals into local business.

The BLOM BANK BEIRUT MARATHON (BBBM) is one of the most anticipated sporting events in the region, and their silver label road race is measured and accredited by the IAAF.

UNGCNL participated in the marathon that ignited the spirit of solidarity, strength and unity in a country with 18 different religions, backgrounds and political affiliations. The marathon brought everyone together to the same start, same course, same finish line. UNGCNL hopes to always participate in journeys that push them towards triumphs.

On Friday, October 5, 2018, 12 top CEOs from the private sector in Lebanon, along with H.E Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Member of the Parliament Dr. Dima Jamali, met at Bayt Al Wasat in a closed roundtable to facilitate, organize and guide the discussion for potentially tangible change in Lebanon regarding sustainability. Each of these CEOs champion one goal from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to actively achieve sustainable milestones and action plans in Lebanon.

Lebanon is committed to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and the UN 2030 Agenda, and Global Compact Network Lebanon (UNGCNL) is the driving force that connects and catalyzes insightful relationships that highlight and accomplish actionable and sustainable practices in the nation.

The Voluntary National Report was published in New York on July 2018, to facilitate the sharing of experiences, including successes, challenges and lessons learned in Lebanon, with a vision to accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda nationally.

With the fluctuating Lebanese economy, the roundtable inspired potential collaborations, action plans and recommendations, and particularly from Mr. Saad Hariri himself.

The Roundtable focused on the impactful role of the private sector in being the active force of change in Lebanon, and on the collaboration between both the private and public sector regarding the SDGs.

UNGCNL is always appreciative of the supporting role of Mr. Saad Hariri and his team, the unwavering dedication of its Goal Leaders, and is particularly willing to work towards SDG 17 to bridge the gaps between the private and public sector.

The conference was organized by the United Nations Economics and Social Commission for Western Asia (UN ESCWA), offering an important milestone ahead of the 2019 High-Level Dialogue on Financing for Development and the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.

The two-day conference was held over eight sessions, having a key theme of how to converge Fincancing for Development in line with the 2030 Agenda and take measures to combat Illicit Financial Flows.

The participants included our very own UNGCNL President Dr. Dima Jamali and Executive Director Mrs. Dina Harake. Dr. Jamali was a speaker in Session 5 Illicit Financial Flow (Motives, Drivers, Channels of Delivery & Emerging Challenges), and Mrs. Harake was a moderator in Session 6, Governance, Corruption & Transnational Crime related Illicit Financial Flows.

High-level dignitaeries, international experts and regional academicians participated in the discussions and findings on how to the guide the future work on IFFs and maintain global, regional and national action to eliminate them by 2030.

.اكد رئيس الحكومة المكلف سعد الحريري ايمانه الراسخ بأن “القطاع الخاص له دور مهم في تطوير أجندة التنمية في لبنان”

.وقال: “نحن نرغب في المزيد من الشراكة مع القطاع الخاص لتحقيق أهداف التنمية المستدامة على المستويات الاقتصادية والاجتماعية والبيئية”

كلام الحريري جاء خلال ترؤسه قبل ظهر اليوم في “بيت الوسط” طاولة حوار التي جمعت اثنتي عشرة مديرا تنفيذيا لأهم شركات لبنان في حضور فريقه الاستشاري وتم خلالها عرض أعمال وانجازات الشبكة الوطنية التي ترأسها النائب الدكتورة ديما جمالي وادار الحوار المستشار الاستراتيجي  للشبكة الوطنية لميثاق الامم المتحدة الدكتور حسن يونس

(SDGs)وتحدث الرئيس الحريري خلال الحوار وقال: “لقد سُررت بالاستماع اليوم إلى عمل كل واحد منكم عن أهداف التنمية المستدامة

اضاف: “إن قصص النجاح التي سمعتها اليوم هي مثال للشراكة الحقيقية والتكامل بين القطاعين العام والخاص. ومساهمتكم هي المفتاح لتطوير مجتمعنا وتحقيق التنمية المستدامة والنمو الشامل لجميع المواطنين

إنني أؤمن إيماناً راسخاً بأن القطاع الخاص له دور مهم في تطوير أجندة التنمية في لبنان. واليوم كل واحد منكم قد أكد هذا الاعتقاد”
وقال: “الجميع لديه أدوار مهمة ليلعبها سواء من خلال جهود المسؤولية الاجتماعية للشركات (CSR) أو من خلال تنفيذ مشاريع الشراكة بين القطاعين العام والخاص في لبنان. إن عملكم يكمل عملنا في الحكومة. ونحن نرغب في المزيد من الشراكة معكم لتحقيق أهداف التنمية المستدامة على المستويات الاقتصادية والاجتماعية والبيئية”

 
اضاف الحريري “أولويتي هي أن أدعمكم لكي تنمو أعمالكم بشكل أكبر، وهدفي هو تسريع اقرار التشريعات الحديثة وتوفير البنية التحتية الحديثة والاستقرار في لبنان وأنا سأستمر على هذا الطريق، تجدر الاشارة الى ان هدف هذه المبادرة تطوير سياسات و ممارسات مسؤولة تم اعتمادها من قبل القطاع الخاص و تحديداً من قبل المدراء التنفيذيين لعدد كبير من الشركات في لبنان من مختلف القطاعات لتطوير أهداف التنمية المستدامة ووضع لبنان على الخريطة العالمية. وتدعو الشبكة الوطنية القطاع الخاص و المجتمع المدني إلى الالتزام بالمبادئ العشرة للأمم المتحدة التي تتمحور حول حقوق الانسان،العمل،البيئة، ومكافحة الفساد”.

وقال: “قد التحق خلال هذه السنوات لدى الشبكة أكثر من 180 عضواً ملتزمين بتطبيق وتنفيذ أهداف التنمية المستدامة داخل مؤسساتهم. ويعتبر هذا الاجتماع نقطة انطلاق شراكة و تعاون بين الشبكة الوطنية و رئاسة مجلس الوزراء من أجل وضع خطة لأولويات هذه الأهداف المستدامة و إيجاد حلول للتحديات والمشاكل التي يواجهها لبنان، وكانت الشبكة الوطنية شاركت بإعداد التقرير الطوعي الوطنيVNR الذي عرض في نيويورك في شهر تموز، وهي تدعو الجميع إلى الانضمام إلى هذه المبادرة

Global Compact Network Lebanon (UNGCNL) in collaboration with UNDP organized a joint workshop, on February 12, 2018, that was hosted at AUB to discuss the latest developments on the national scene in relation to a topic that has attracted exponential attention in Lebanon over the recent period, namely the fight against corruption in Lebanon in the context of UNDP’s “Anti-Corruption and Integrity in the Arab Countries” project.

Following the success of our previous focus groups, our sixth topic was based on SDG 13 Climate Action, represented by Mr. Nadim Kassar General Manager of Fransabank Sal and Goal Leader for SDG 13. The round table focused on the study of the report for SDG 13 and on the problematic situation of Climate Action in Lebanon. The aim behind this focus group was to inspire urgent collective action towards issues like climate change that threaten irreversible consequences on our planet.

أكد رئيس الوزراء اللبنانى سعد الحريرى، إيمانه بأن القطاع الخاص له دور مهم فى تطوير أجندة التنمية فى لبنان، مشيرا إلى أن الدولة اللبنانية ترغب فى المزيد من الشراكة مع القطاع الخاص لتحقيق أهداف التنمية المستدامة على المستويات الاقتصادية والاجتماعية والبيئية، جاء ذلك خلال استقبال “الحريري”، 12 مديرا تنفيذيا لكبار الشركات اللبنانية، فى حضور فريقه الاستشاري

وقال الحريري: “إن قصص النجاح التى سمعتها اليوم هى مثال للشراكة الحقيقية والتكامل بين القطاعين العام والخاص، ومساهمتكم هى المفتاح لتطوير مجتمعنا وتحقيق التنمية المستدامة والنمو الشامل لجميع المواطنين”

وأضاف: “أؤمن إيمانا راسخا أن القطاع الخاص له دور مهم فى تطوير أجندة التنمية فى لبنان، واليوم كل واحد منكم قد أكد هذا الاعتقاد، فالجميع لديه أدوار مهمة ليلعبها سواء من خلال جهود المسئولية الاجتماعية للشركات أو من خلال تنفيذ مشاريع الشراكة بين القطاعين العام والخاص فى لبنان.. إن عملكم يكمل عملنا فى الحكومة”

وأشار الحريرى إلى أنه يدعم نمو القطاع الخاص، ويستهدف تسريع إقرار التشريعات الحديثة وتوفير البنية التحتية الحديثة والاستقرار فى لبنان

Under the patronage of the President of the Council of Ministers His Excellency Mr. Saad Hariri, IPT Energy Center (IPTEC) and e-EcoSolutions with the strategic support of Berytech, the Order of Engineers & Architects of Beirut, UNDP, UNGCNL, USJ, and the French Institute in Lebanon organized a press conference to launch the First Urb-Hackathon in Lebanon, under the theme “Data-Urbanism: Reducing City Air Pollution from Transport”. The Urb-Hackathon will be held for the First time in Lebanon and the Middle East, after France and Korea, with the support of La Cité Des Sciences Et De L’Industrie in Paris, and it will take place on March 1st, 2nd and 3rd, 2018.

The press conference was held on Tuesday 23 January 2018 at the French Institute of Lebanon in Beirut, and it was convened in the presence of Dr. Toni Issa (President of IPTEC), Mr. Gilbert Tegho (CEO of e-EcoSolutions), Mr. Ramy Bou Jaoudeh (Deputy General Manager of Berytech), Mrs. Bruna Elias representing Dr. Dima Jamali (National Representative of UNGCNL), and Mr. Luciano Rispoli (Deputy Cultural Counselor at the French Institute in Lebanon), in addition to media representatives. The conference started with a short video about previous Urb-Hackathons organized in France and Korea, followed by the speeches of organizers and key partners.

First, Dr. Toni Issa highlighted the significant role of IPTEC in promoting sustainable energy, and the successful partnerships established between governmental and non-governmental organizations, and between the private sector and civil society to implement collaborative projects. In this framework comes the Urb-Hackathon which also complements the “National Campaign for Air Pollution Reduction in Lebanon through Efficient Energy Use in Land Transportation” launched by IPTEC in 2014.

Mr. Gilbert Tegho stated that e-EcoSolutions was able to catch the interest of “La Cité Des Sciences et De L’Industrie” team in Paris to bring this international event to Lebanon after being organized in France and Korea, and to address a problematic that is of high interest to our communities, requiring vital innovative solutions and constructive actions. The participants will be allowed to bring their innovative project-ideas to life, and receive an international certificate that will enrich their portfolios and resumes.

Mr. Ramy Bou Jaoudeh confirmed that, over the past fifteen years, Berytech has been providing a dynamic environment for the creation and development of startups, therefore fostering innovation, technology and entrepreneurship. In this regard, he highlighted the importance of partnering with IPTEC and e-EcoSolutions to make the first Urb-Hackathon in Lebanon a success, and expressed Berytech’s pleasure to be part of this endeavor, while looking forward to the amazing ideas which will see the light during the event, and become real projects through the use of Berytech’s Fab Lab facility.

On Tuesday December 11, Global Compact Network Lebanon (UNGCNL) kicked off celebrations of the festive season with a ceremonial lighting of the Christmas SDG Tree in the halls of Beirut Souks. This marked the inclusion of a larger Lebanese community in mainstreaming the 17 Sustainable Development Goals by lighting up the heart of the city and working towards the UN 2030 Agenda. UNGCNL strives to stay true to their mission and further inspire a national movement towards responsible sustainability.

The event saw the debut of a stunning 7m high natural rooted Christmas Tree, designed by the leading Lebanese designer Zuhair Murad. Mr. Murad designed the tree exclusively for this event, highlighting on the natural aspect of the tree, which will then be replanted in Mount Lebanon. Solidere was the ardent supporter to this event.

UNGCNL is proud to be the driving force that connects and catalyzes insightful relationships that highlight and accomplish actionable and sustainable practices in the nation. Not only was the theme of the event related to sustainability, but so were the products used to orchestrate it. Wooden donation boxes for food, clothes, and toys were set up for the public to contribute to.

The event was held under the patronage of H.E. Mr. Saad Hariri, represented by MP Ms. Bahia Hariri, who embodied the P.M.’s commitment to the 17 SDGS.

MP Dr. Dima Jamali welcomed the guests to the event, and highlighted the impactful role of the private sector in being the active force of change in Lebanon, and on the collaboration between all communities in attaining a better future for Lebanon. Dr. Jamali then urged the audience to ignite their Christmas spirit in harmony with the 10 UNGC Principles and engage in the activities of the day set up by UNGCNL. This was followed by a word from the Events and Advertising Service Manager at Solidere, Ms. Joane Merhi.

Lena Ziadeh, along with the Coralino Kids Choir, performed Christmas carols. The day was closed by a spectacular show by Kidzmondo in collaboration with Kristy’s Agency.

On December 22, with the collaboration of UN Women, AIESEC, Blessing Foundation and Froz, UNGCNL will hold a day full of educational and entertaining activities for the public revolving around the 17 SDGs. 

وطنية – أقامت الشبكة الوطنية لميثاق الأمم المتحدة “UNGCNL”، احتفالا بإضاءة شجرة أهداف التنمية المستدامة الميلادية في أسواق بيروت، برعاية الرئيس المكلف سعد الحريري ممثلا بالنائبة بهية الحريري، وحضور النواب نزيه نجم، فؤاد مخزومي وطارق المرعبي وشخصيات. تخلله أناشيد “KIDZMONDOخاصة بأعياد الميلاد أحيتها لينا زيادة وفرقة “كورلينو” وساهمت شركة “كرستيز ” بانجاحه بعرض رائع ل
جمالي
وأكدت رئيسة الشبكة النائبة ديما جمالي بالمناسبة “الدور الهام الذي يلعبه القطاع الخاص في التقدم بأهداف التنمية المستدامة في لبنان”، داعية “الجميع للعمل سويا لتحقيق رؤية ومستقبل أفضل للبنان”. وقدمت معايدتها للبنانيين، مشيرة الى “العلاقة بين قيم الميلاد وأهداف الأمم المتحدة السبعة عشر”
“UN Women”، “Blessing foundation”وسيلي الاحتفال أنشطة اجتماعية وألعاب تثقيفية، حول أهداف التنمية المستدامة بالتعاون مع “AIESEC” و”Froz”

يشار الى أن هذا المشروع هو “ثمرة تعاون مع المصمم اللبناني العالمي زهير مراد الذي وضع لمسات ابتكاراته على هذه الشجرة الخضراء التي غرست في وسط بيروت بجذورها، لتأكيد خيارنا البيئي والتي سوف يتم زرعها لاحقا في جبال لبنان من أجل تأكيد هذا الخيار وقد قام زهير مراد بتصميم هذه الشجرة خصيصا لهذا الحدث. أما شركة “سوليدير” الراعي الأكبر للحدث، قدمت بسخاء كل ما كان من شأنه إنجاح الاحتفال وتحقيق أهدافه”
http://nna-leb.gov.lb/ar/show-news/380615/:مصدر المقال

In partnership with ProAbled team, UNGCNL hosted an HR Training workshop to create an intensive educational experience about people with disabilities in the Lebanese workplace.

Based on the UN Global Compact’s Human Rights and Labour principles and SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, this workshop brought together HR managers from leading companies in Lebanon to discuss equal opportunity employment, specifically addressing the inclusion of people with disabilities in the Lebanese workforce.

“The aim of this workshop is to promote the rights of persons with disabilities and enhance diversity within organizations in Lebanon to hold them accountable towards the SDG standards and to give consideration to marginalized and disadvantaged people in their companies,” opened Dr. Dima Jamali, UNGCNL’s president.

The workshop began with an interactive activity, where Ms. Jane Abi Saad, HR coordinator at ProAbled split the attendees into groups and asked, “Which of these jobs can a person with hearing impairment perform?” as she pointed to a list of 30 jobs. This activity was followed by guidelines on accommodating a person with hearing impairment, visual impairment and physical disability in the workplace. “ProAbled people are enthusiastic and want to fulfill themselves by being productive,” concluded Mr. Samer Sfeir, Co-founder and managing director at ProAbled.

Mr. Ralph Khoury, division HR and administration manager at Sanita explained ways Sanita provides physical accessibility, to encourage the attending organizations to adopt such methods. These techniques include reserved parking spaces, safe passageways and floor designations and WC accommodations. “We have a thorough method to recruit candidates with disabilities, practicing equity and career progression in the process,” explained Mr. Khoury.

The event concluded with Ms. Dina Harake, UNGCNL’s Executive Director handing the attendees Certificates of Participation to honor their invaluable and active participation in the workshop.

In October 2018, UNGCNL launched its very first SDG Milestones ceremony with the aim to recognize and highlight the outstanding efforts of Lebanese businesses and organizations that are adopting and implementing the advancement of the agenda 2030 in Lebanon.

The Pioneer ceremony brought together members from our network to showcase the biggest achievements of their companies involving CSR initiatives and their advancements towards achieving the 17 SDGs, the 10 principles of the UNGC and the agenda 2030.

In total 4 companies and businesses working on the SDGs in Lebanon were rewarded.

The 10 rewards were articulated around the 5P’s of development:

• People 2-Planet 3- Peace 4-Prosperity 5-Partnership

The project the company is working on (or has already implemented)  has to relate to at least ONE or a combination of SDGs

Eligibility:

1- SMEs and startups, 2- NGOs, 3-academia, 4- Big corporation/ private sector 5- public sector

The potential candidates demonstrated an ambitious target setting, an active collaboration and teamwork as well as a clear communication of achievements to inspire further action.

The expert judging panel studied and examined each submission based on a list of criteria previously decided.

The winning companies were:

• Holdal Group in the category of Big Corporations
• Onlivery in the SMEs and start-ups category
• Almajmoua in the NGO category
• NDU in the Academia category

In partnership with UNGCNL, Hult Prize hosted its very first Changemaker festival, showcasing the intersection of education, youth, entrepreneurship and impact to stimulate practical and sustainable action and social impact. This event hosted 3,000 youth, 200 top decision makers, and more than 50 leading corporations.

To raise awareness on the Sustainable Development Goals, UNGCNL held its own booth, welcoming conversations about its mission towards the SDGs, the upcoming National Sustainability Youth competition and the Multi-stakeholder October Forum.

Date:Thursday October 11 2018

Time:03:00 pm until 10:30 pm

Place: at Le Studio by SJ, Sin El Fil, Beirut, Lebanon

UNGCNL partnered with Happiness at Work conference, to highlight its efforts and in particular SDG 3: Good Health and Well Being. This conference  featured speakers from Europe and local professionals to discuss the latest theories and developments of employee satisfaction and fruitful working environments. Featuring personal real-life experiences and practical business evaluations, the conference’s aim was to initiate a discussion about cultivating a comfortable and fruitful workplace in Lebanon.

كرّمت الأمم المتحدة في مقرها في نيويورك خليل داوود رئيس مجلس الإدارة والمدير العام لشركة ليبان بوست لدوره في تعزيز المساواة بين الرجل والمرأة والدمج الإقتصادي لمختلف فئات المجتمع. داوود هو من بين عشرة رواد حول العالم لأهداف التنمية المستدامة كرّمتهم الأمم المتحدة لنجاحهم في تحقيق هذه الأهداف من خلال شركاتهم وإلهامهم الآخرين للإنضمام الى هذا المسعى

وفي حديث الى “ليبانون فايلز”، قال داوود أن تعزيز دور المرأة “ليس واجبا فقط بل لدينا قناعة مطلقة بأهمية دور المرأة في لبنان”، لافتا الى أن النساء تشكل 30 في المئة من أعضاء ليبان بوست، بما في ذلك مراكز في مجلس الإدارة وإدارة المؤسسة. وأضاف: “في ليبان بوست ننظر دائما الى الكفاءة ولا ننظر الى الجنس”، مشيرا الى أنه “في حال اسثنينا فرع التوزيع، يكون 60 في المئة من موظفي الشركة من النساء وهذا أمر مهم بالنسبة الينا و نفتخر به”

ولم تقتصر مبادرات داوود في ليبان بوست على تعزيز دور المرأة داخل المؤسسة، بل اتخذ عدة مبادرات لتكريم النساء عامة في لبنان كإصدار طابع بريدي يحمل اسم وصورة أنيسة النجار التي ناضلت أكثر من 70 عاما لحقوق المرأة والطفل. وقال داوود:” كرمنا أيضا ستة نساء عربيات قمن بأعمال إستثنائية مثل أول إمرأة دخلت الى مجلس النواب وأول إمرأة شغلت منصب قائد طيارة في طيران الشرق الأوسط وأول إمرأة تخرجت من الجامعة الأميركية في لبنان وقمن بتكريمهن وهن على قيد الحياة”

وأضاف داوود: “إنها جزء من مبادراتنا لتعزيز دور المرأة وليس مقبولا التفريق في عصرنا بين الرجل والمرأة ويجب النظر فقط الى الكفاءة ونتمنى أن تقوم بذلك كل مؤسسات لبنان”

وحضر حفل التكريم ديما جمالي رئيسة الشبكة الوطنية للميثاق العالمي للأمم المتحدة ودينا الحركة المديرة التنفيذية للشبكة. كما حضر أيضا من لبنان مروان الحايك المدير التنفيذي لشركة Alpha ونديم القصار رئيس مجلس إدارة بنك BLC

مبادرة الميثاق العالمي للأمم المتحدة تدعو الشركات الى تنسيق الاستراتيجيات للتماشى مع المبادىء العالمية لحقوق الانسان والعمل والبيئة ومكافحة الفساد في لبنان، انضمت أكثر من 167 شركة ومنظمة غير تجارية الى المبادرة

مصدر المقال :

http://www.lebanonfiles.com/news/1374278

Khalil Daoud is helping women in Lebanon attain better jobs and greater presence in the country as he gives all citizens a postal service operator they can depend upon in their daily lives.Khalil has served as Chairman and Managing Director of LibanPost, the privately owned and exclusive operator of Lebanon’s postal services, since 2002.Today, the company is not only responsible for delivering mail, it has situated itself as the country’s “Daily Life Facilitator”. That means citizens have a place to carry out a wide range of financial transactions — from money transfers to making loan payments to paying traffic tickets. LibanPost has also streamlined Lebanese citizens’ dealings with 15 Government agencies and entities, which let the nearly 100 LibanPost branches around the county handle vital interactions. The arrangement helps cultivate efficiency and good governance.As part of his massive internal reorganization, Khalil launched the “Gender Parity through the Post” project. This project advances Sustainable Development Goal 5 on Gender Equality and received the “World Post & Parcel Award 2018” — recognizing best practices in the global mail and express industry — in the Corporate Social Responsibility category.Khalil’s comprehensive push for gender parity placed women in jobs they had never held before — driving cars or motorcycles to deliver mail and packages or running a distribution center. Women have been placed in positions all along the organizational hierarchy. He introduced work-life balance initiatives. Khalil believes the project helped shift strongly held unconscious cultural biases, especially important in a region where women’s rights can be denied.And to heighten awareness of women’s contributions to Lebanon, LibanPost issued a series of six stamps: “Women Pioneers.”LibanPost is also advancing Sustainable Development Goal 8 on Decent Work and Economic Growth by operating as a profitable company offering full legal rights and benefits to its employees. To keep advancing this Goal, Khalil has launched new services rooted in the principles of decency and equality and is moving toward partnerships to employ disabled people.

By being a “Daily Life Facilitator”, the company advances Sustainable Development Goal 16 on Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions as it acts as an intermediary between the Government and its citizens. This helps curb corruption and improves the delivery of services in several ministries. At the request of other postal services in the region, Khalil is laying out the advantages of positioning a postal service as an intermediary counter between Government officials and citizens as a way to reduce corruption

To extend awareness of LibanPost’s work with women, Khalil has participated in several conferences and panels on gender parity and the company produced a film that portrays women at work throughout the organization. Women gained visibility when LibanPost served as a pilot site for the nationwide gender equality study launched by the Lebanese League of Women in Business and the International Labor Organization in 2018.

Working with the Ministry of Telecommunications since 1998, LibanPost is one of the rare public-private partnerships in Lebanon. It has joined forces with the Lebanese Transparency Association and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to raise awareness about successful partnerships. This advocacy advances Sustainable Development Goal 17 on Partnerships for the Goals and recommendations for partnerships are laid out in a booklet.

LibanPost has been participating in the UN Global Compact since 2014 and has integrated the Ten Principals of the UN Global Compact into its business strategy. It abides by Lebanese labor law, has enforced a non-smoking regulation in a country where “no smoking” laws do not apply, and trains its drivers in road safety.

LibanPost is a founding member of the Global Compact Network Lebanon and an active member of its Steering Committee. To inspire young people, Khalil helped organize a competition, “Environmate”. It aims to find, fund and support young entrepreneurs with creative ideas that address Lebanon’s most urgent energy and environmental challenges. LibanPost also participated in two anti-corruption training workshops organized in collaboration with UNDP.

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UN Global Compact Network Lebanon organized the National Sustainability Youth Competition to instill a sense of public involvement and urgency towards the SDGs in the Lebanese youth, highlighting the significance of the SDGs and the inspiring work that comes along with it. This competition provides a platform for the youth of today to devise a detailed action plan that solves a problem on any SDG of your choice.

The participants did the following:

Chose an SDG and prepared a 1-minute video narrating a comprehensive proposal that will help solve a problem in Lebanon to bring us closer to the 2030 agenda.

The winners of the competition are:

First prize: Because we care- Food –SDG 2
Second Prize: Dyslexia –SDG 5
Third Prize: Plastic to Energy-SDG 7

UNGCNL hosted a Power Breakfast with Berytech, Start
Up Your Sustainability Impact at BDD, to create a sustainable and inclusive economy in the presence of network of startups and SMEs. This event invited SMEs to join UNGCNLs network and get involved in mobilizing a true global movement of sustainable companies and stakeholders to accomplish the 2030 agenda.

The aim of this event was to take action to drive progress towards advancing sustainability practices nation-wide and connecting members of our community under a common outlook. This event featured five roundtables, each representing a specific sustainability case study and hosting representatives from SMEs. Each roundtable had a moderator, chosen from UNGCNL’s Board of Directors and Network Members.

Dr. Hasan Youness, Strategic Adivsor at UNGCNL, started the event with an introduction that showcases UNGCNL’s mission and milestones. After that, Mr. Ramy Boujawdeh, Deputy General Manager of Berytech and UNGCNL Ambassador, highlighted how startups and SMEs can grow their businesses with a strategic purpose.

The Case Study Workshop: Start Up Your Sustainability Impact, featured five case studies from top leading companies, IKEA, Nike, PNS, Siemens, and Starbucks. Each of the five tables consisted of eight participants, who were given a case study from those companies. One person representing each table shared the best practices from their chosen top multinational corporation’s growth strategy and sustainability plans.

During the final session of the event, attendees got the chance to meet Berytech’s business advisors who are working on the USAID-LED Project, which aims to develop Lebanese enterprises through providing customized assistance by identifying and solving problems that may be preventing a business from growing.

UNGCNL believes that Lebanon can contribute to a global vision and hopes to see an engaged Lebanese community of businesses and civil societies that advance sustainability practices nation-wide.

Following the success of our latest focus groups, our fifth topic was based on SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth focus group that was held at the American University of Beirut, where Mr. Marc Audi, CEO of Bank Audi and SDG 8 Goal Leader opened the discussion. The aim behind the focus group was to discuss, improve and develop innovative and sustainable ideas and action plans in a permissive environment that encourages different perceptions and points of view to reach practical recommendations. In the presence of prominent pioneers in the field, there was an active discussion and recommendations about increasing labour productivity, reducing the unemployment rate, especially for young people, and improving access to financial services and benefits that are essential components of sustained and inclusive economic growth.

The Conference was organized by The Lebanese National Energy (LNE) – a non-for profit organisation with the mission to boost the Lebanese economy by linking economic, business, and academic leaders in order to enhance growth and prosperity.

UNGCNL had a booth in the conference to raise awareness about the UN 17 SDGs, and we also featured our “SDG Game” that was an interactive tool to further inform interested attendees about the SDGs. The conference was open to those interested in gaining leadership skills and new knowledge as well as those who wanted to share their own achievements. This highly exciting and challenging National Conference was intended to be a forum, discussion and networking place for academics, researchers, professionals, administrators, educational leaders, policy makers, industry representatives, advanced students, and others.

Mind The Gap forum was an impactful program, which consisted of four panels:

The first panel was about Technology, economy and their opportunities; the second panel was about culture as a platform for preservation and progress; the third panel was about education in building a nation, which our very own, UNGCNL President Dr. Dima Jamali was a speaker in; and the final panel was about Rise to crescendo of political representation.

Global Compact Network Lebanon organized a Media and Influencers Dinner: Step into the world of SDGs on Thursday October 4 2018 where representatives from Lebanese media, esteemed CEOs, and around 70 top Lebanese influencers from different sectors attended. This event was hosted at and by District S, the first sustainable city in the Mediterranean basin.

This event aimed at maximizing the sustainability impact of influencers whose followers are mostly millennials and post millennials via showing what UNGCNL and its members do in terms of social responsibility while targeting the 2030 agenda. The underlying trigger for this event was to mainstream the 17 SDGs to the larger community rather than limiting the SDG notion to an elitist niche.

Upon the guests’ arrival, drinks were served, and the live music set the vibrant tone of the event. Later, guests walked through the grassy area that was lit up with colorful lights that showed the way.

Not only was the theme of the event related to sustainability, but so were the products used to orchestrate it. All of the lights used were LED and the materials, ranging from wood to fabric, were reused from other previous occasions and particularly construction sights. Practicing sustainability and not just preaching about it is what both UNGCNL and District //S hold as their core value, to stay true to their mission and further inspire a national movement towards responsible sustainability.

The event officially started at the penthouse. As soon as guests walked in, there was a wall of fame that showcased all the UNGCNL network members’ logos, and the guests took pictures. The bulk of the event was with the speech of Dr. Dima Jamali, UNGCNL President, and the speech of Mr. Anthony Stephan, Chairman and CEO of Cornerstone Development and SDG 11: Sustainable Cities &
Communities Goal Leader. Last but not least, UNGCNLs “Goal Leaders Video” was presented to highlight that UNGCNL is the driving force that is pursuing and accomplishing actionable and sustainable practices in Lebanon.

The event closed with Andrea Bou Nader and a pianist performance, as guests mingled around while enjoying delicious food, drinks and the Beirut night breeze.

The Business for Peace annual event served as the main convening platform for the business and peace movement. Over the years, the Business for Peace annual event has convened more than 1,000 stakeholders in Istanbul, New York, Dubai and Colombia. Building on this momentum, the 2018 Annual Event was hosted by the Global Compact Local Network in Egypt and brought together over 300 leaders from businesses, the investment industry, civil society, Governments, the United Nations and Global Compact Local Networks.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are mutually reinforcing with peace, as the Global Goals are both precursors to and a result of peace. Societies with inclusive, transparent, effective and accountable institutions, low levels of corruption, peace and stability, and the rule of law provide an enabling environment for economic and social progress.

UNGCNL’s strategic advisor, Dr. Hasan Youness represented UNGCNL in the event where the main takeaways were: to scale-up private sector contributions and partnerships for the achievement of the SDGs and sustaining peace; to delve into the role of the private sector in humanitarian crises and complex emergencies, focusing on people affected by conflict; to motivate and expand the Business for Peace community by sharing experiences, emerging practices and learning, with an emphasis on moving beyond anecdotal examples to systemic solutions.

Global Compact Network Lebanon (UNGCNL) signed an MOU with UNDP for a collaboration on various fronts.

Celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, they engaged in an active panel discussion on Human Rights.  The panel sought to initiate the conversation about human rights and put it at the center of policies and practice in Lebanon. The aim of this panel was to empower the Lebanese population to claim their rights, and seek support when their rights are violated.

التنمية المستدامة عنوان أساسي في كل النشاطات في قضاء زغرتا وإهدن. وانطلاقاً من هذا العنوان، نظّمت “الشبكة الوطنية للميثاق العالمي للأمم المتحدة”، التي تعمل على نشر أهداف التنمية المستدامة السبعة عشر والتي ترأسها النائبة ديما جمالي، بالتعاون مع جمعية “الميدان”، وحضور رئيسة الجمعية السيدة ريما فرنجيه، ومع بلدية زغرتا إهدن وحضور رئيس البلدية الدكتور سيزار باسيم، نشاطاً بيئياً مستداماً في إهدن حيث زُرعت شجرة شوح عند مدخل البلدة كانت قد زُيّنت واستخدمت في أسواق بيروت خلال فترة الميلاد، بالشراكة مع المصمّم العالمي زهير مراد، الذي قام بتصميم الزينة للشجرة

وقد شدّد المشاركون في الاحتفال على ضرورة العمل على ضمان استدامة الموارد الطبيعية وإعادة استخدام ما يمكن إذ إن شجرة الشوح تمّ زرعها في بيئتها الملائمة بعدما استخدمت لجماليتها خلال فترة الميلاد
وإيماناً منها بأهمية التنمية المستدامة وعملها لسنوات على تحقيقها من خلال كل النشاطات، أثنت السيدة ريما فرنجيه على هذه الخطوة لما تحمله من تعزيز لهذه الثوابت في بناء الوطن وتطوّره. وقد استضافت فرنجيه الحضور إلى مائدتها بهدف مشاركة هذه التجربة والتشديد على أهمية استمرار التعاون بين كافة الأطراف لتحقيق هذا الهدف السامي

مصدر المقال

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Two startups, IOtree – a solar-powered smart device, and B.O.T – an impact sourcing platform, have won the regional competition of the Global Social Venture Competition (GSVC) allowing them to compete in the global finals happening in April 2019.

For the 7th year in a row, Berytech has partnered with GSVC, an international competition aiming to inspire and empower entrepreneurs to develop innovative solutions to pressing social and environmental challenges. Every year, extremely innovative Lebanese startups compete in the local edition and the winner – in this case, 2 startups – makes it to the international finals, representing Lebanon among hundreds of startups from more than 60 countries.

Seven Finalists, Two Winners

Out of the 30 startups who applied for the regional round, 7 finalists pitched in front of a jury including Amal Damien from USJ, Michelle Mourakadeh from Al Fanar, Kim Issa from Arcenciel, Bruna Elias from Global Compact Lebanon, Ramy Boujawdeh and Constantin Salameh from Berytech.

Partners

The regional competition was made possible through Berytech’s travel partner Airfrance and support partners UN Global Compact Network Partner, Make Sense, Dot Lebanon, Arcenciel, Live Love Beirut, Al Fanar, ELFS, and Pitchworthy.

To read more : Article Source

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March 7, 2019

On the occasion of International Women’s Day (March 8 th ) Lebanon has
hosted for the first time a “Ring the Bell” ceremony to raise awareness of the pivotal role the private sector can play in advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment. The event was organized under the patronage of H.E. Prime Minister Mr. Saad Hariri, in partnership with the Global Compact Network Lebanon (UNGCNL), the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the empowerment of Women (UN Women), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Beirut Stock Exchange (BSE) and the Canadian Embassy in Lebanon.

The event hosted at Le Yacht Club aimed at displaying the business case for gender equality and highlighting how private sector leaders are taking concrete steps to invest in women in the workplace, marketplace and community.

Dr. Ghaleb Mahmassani, acting chairman of the Beirut Stock Exchange inaugurated the event before ringing the market’s closing bell to draw attention to the critical role that the business sector and markets can and must play in bridging the gender inequality gap. Mr. James Zhan, the UNCTAD Director for Investment and Chair of the Sustainable Stock Exchanges SSE joined the stage to declare that Beirut Stock Exchange joined the SSE initiative to promote more sustainable and transparent capital markets.

Dr. Dima Jamali, President of UNGCNL, stressed on the fact that promoting women’s full participation in the workforce, equal opportunities for leadership and investing in women, helps fight gender biases. She said that “It also generates financial returns in the private sector and results in improved environment, social and governance standards and help achieve the Agenda 2030.”

Ms. Rachel Dore-Weeks, Head of UN Women Lebanon, and Regional Advisor on Peace, Security and Humanitarian Action for the Arab States, said, “this is an opportunity for UN Women and our partners to launch the Women Empowerment Principles in Lebanon. In doing this, we commit to supporting the private sector in Lebanon to meet to core principles of the WEPs: Corporate leadership for gender equality, Fair treatment at work for women and men, Safety and well being of women and men at workspaces, Equal opportunities in training, professional development, and Promoting equality through community initiatives».

Mr. Saad Sabrah, IFC Country Head in Lebanon, noted that “increasing women’s participation on boards will result in a greater focus on corporate governance, which is key to improving performance and attracting investors.” IFC presented in a video the results of their recent study on the positive impact of female board members on the financial performance of Lebanese companies. Graduates of the corporate governance program of IFC were also present and applauded for their valuable participation and achievements.

H.E. Emmanuelle Lamoureux, Ambassador of Canada to Lebanon, said that “To create an environment in which women and men have equal opportunities to thrive and contribute to the economy, all involved actors need to collaborate: government, civil society, private sector, and the local and international community. Only by uniting our strengths and coordinating our efforts will we unleash women’s economic potential”.

The event presented the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), a joint initiative of UN Women and the UN Global Compact which provides concrete guidelines for businesses on how to empower women in the workplace, marketplace and community, an animated video introduced its 7 principles https://youtu.be/_BlOgUguLsQ. Ms. May Makhzoumi has always been advocating for gender equality as part of her role as UNGCNL’s Goal Leader for SDG 5. Through her contributions, policy dialogue, advocacy and
Lobbying efforts, Ms. Makhzoumi is keen on forging the necessary national and international partnerships and stewardship to initiate and keep track of activities in relation to her SDG. At the event, Ms. May Makhzoumi, joined Ms. Iman Al Damen, Chair of the Women on Boards Association in Jordan and Ms. Gina Lund, Director General of Skills in Norway in an inspiring discussion about their personal experience under the theme of “Breaking the Glass Ceiling”.

The session discussed global and regional experiences in line with the international efforts to advocate for gender parity and to empower women to play a vital role in companies’ growth, skills, and experience. This was followed by a call to action from BLC’s Chairman & General Manager Mr. Nadim Kassar to join the UN Women Empowerment Principles. It is worth noting that BLC Bank is a founding member of Global Compact Network Lebanon and the first Bank in the MENA to commit to the UN Women Empowerment Principles. To bring to fruition the commitments, CEOs were invited to ring the bell, sign and endorse the Women Empowerment Principles WEPs.

On February 11, 2019, Global Compact Network Lebanon launched the Sustainable Minds Competition in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education.

40 schools took part in this rich session where our National Network Coordinator and Contact Person, Miss Sara Issa provided a thorough explanation about this competition!

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Our Executive Director Mrs.Dina Harake and our Strategic Advisor Dr.Hasan Youness, represented Global Compact Network Lebanon in the City of Copenhagen , where CEO and Executive Director of UNGC Ms.Lise Kingo, top directors and experts in the field of sustainability met to design the Global Compact Young SDG Innovators program and discussed innovation in SDGs!

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