The UN Global Compact Spain, together with Icex, has organized a private session in Madrid under the Chatham House Rule in which Sanda Ojiambo, Global Executive Director of the United Nations Global Compact, has participated, along with a representation of relevant Spanish companies.
Spokespersons from Acciona, Acerinox, Amadeus, Astara Mobility, AstraZeneca Farmacéutica Spain, Endesa, Eulen, FCC Construcción, Ferrovial, Grupo Santander, Iberdrola, Indra, Meliá Hotels International, Moeve, Naturgy, Nauterra, Prisa, Prosegur, Redeia, and Roca Group attended the meeting.
The meeting served to open a high-level forum for dialogue between the business community and the United Nations, with the aim of examining how sustainability, multilateralism, and public-private partnerships are consolidating as key pillars for promoting more robust, responsible, and prepared business models for global challenges, as explained by its organizers.
During her speech, Sanda Ojiambo emphasized the urgency of strengthening international cooperation schemes in a decisive context for the global economy. "A modernized multilateralism, with significant participation from the private sector, is essential for prosperity, people, and the planet," she stated.
The debate also highlighted that corporate sustainability cannot be conceived as an add-on, but as a strategic commitment to anticipate risks, consolidate trust, and improve companies' resilience.
"Multilateral cooperation is vital for the growth of sustainable and prosperous economies," Ojiambo stressed, recalling that "the public sector needs the innovation and resources of companies to move forward," highlighting the role of the private sector in creating responses to challenges that no country or institution can address alone.
From the internationalization angle, the CEO of Icex, Elisa Carbonell, has underlined that "sustainability has become a strategic factor for internationalization". "Companies that want to grow globally will be those capable of integrating sustainability criteria into their business strategy and projecting them into international markets. In this context, the collaboration between Icex and the United Nations Global Compact reinforces our commitment to supporting Spanish companies so that they lead the transition towards more sustainable, resilient business models prepared to compete successfully in international markets," she pointed out.
Likewise, some of the major challenges that companies face today in terms of sustainability have been addressed, including adaptation to the new European regulatory framework and the need to support small and medium-sized enterprises in their transformation towards more sustainable models.
In this regard, the focus has been placed on the convenience of advancing in a balanced way, providing the business fabric with tools, training, and shared reference frameworks that facilitate strengthening sustainability throughout the entire value chain.
The president of the UN Global Compact Spain, Clara Arpa, has insisted that "supporting SMEs in their transition towards more sustainable business models is essential to reinforce the competitiveness of the Spanish business fabric". "Only if companies of all sizes advance together can we build stronger, more responsible value chains prepared to face global challenges," she maintained.
The event concluded with the definition of three lines of common action: placing sustainability at the core of long-term competitiveness, promoting transparent and responsible business leadership in the face of increasing public scrutiny, and strengthening sustainability capabilities throughout the entire value chain.