A great honour

Dear Dr. Raju,

A great honour

It is a great pleasure to write to you for the first time in my new role as Executive Director of the United Nations Global Compact. Having started the position today, I first wanted to reach out to you – our valued signatories – to introduce myself and let you know how honoured and thrilled I am to be leading this dynamic global initiative.

While it is my first day leading the UN Global Compact, I have been deeply engaged in the initiative’s work for over a decade. In my previous role as Executive Vice President and member of the Executive Management of Novo Nordisk A/S since 2002, I oversaw the company’s participation in the UN Global Compact from the earliest days of the initiative.

A global movement

In that time, it has been incredible to witness the evolution of corporate sustainability – moving from the periphery into core business strategy in thousands of companies around the world. I strongly believe that the UN Global Compact has laid the foundation and helped shape what is today a truly global movement towards more responsible and sustainable business practices.

Today, there are UN Global Compact business participants in more than 80% of all countries. This global growth is due in large part to two things: the truly universal nature of the UN Global Compact principles and the initiative’s inclusive, multi-stakeholder philosophy. I am committed to building on these fundamental pillars, and believe that my deep experience in implementation of corporate sustainability and building partnerships with stakeholders can bring fresh insights and momentum to our work.

A defining moment

My role as Executive Director commences at a very important time in the United Nations – and for our world – with the UN Sustainable Development Summit in September and the UN Climate Change Conference in December. Successful adoption of new global sustainable development goals and achievement of a universal climate agreement by world leaders will deliver frameworks that guide sustainable business action in the decades to come. The UN Global Compact is highly engaged in both agendas, working hard to bring the voices and commitments of responsible companies to the table.

A force for good

I look forward to working with you in the months and years to come, and appreciate just how important it is to ensure that the UN Global Compact provides the guidance and network you need to continue advancing corporate sustainability within your organization.

Thank you for your commitment to the UN Global Compact and your efforts to ensure that business is a force for good. Together, we can deliver on the enormous potential of sustainable corporate practices to benefit societies and economies everywhere.

Sincerely,

Lise Kingo
Executive Director
United Nations Global Compact