The United Nations Global Compact today announced ten new SDG Pioneers — young business leaders who are doing an exceptional job to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The 2019 search for SDG Pioneers focused on professionals aged 35 and under, working at any level in a company participating in the UN Global Compact.
“These exceptional young professionals are demonstrating how breakthrough innovation can create the profitable business solutions needed to address today’s global challenges,” said Lise Kingo, CEO and Executive Director of the UN Global Compact. “The 2019 SDG Pioneers are setting a clear example of the kind of personal leadership that is needed to make the Global Goals a reality by 2030 — and inspiring many others to join the movement towards a more sustainable future for all.”
The SDG Pioneers were judged by an expert panel comprised of representatives of Government, business and civil society. 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 2019 UN Global Compact SDG Pioneers are:
- Murtaza Ahmed, Managing Director, Artistic Milliners, Pakistan
- Mashook Mujib Chowdhury, Sustainability Manager, DBL Group, Bangladesh
- Regan Leahy, Assistant Citizenship Manager, Hogan Lovells, UK
- Dylan McNeill, Director of Supplier Sustainability, Royal Philips, Netherlands
- Muchtazar, Environment Sustainability Programme Officer, Unilever, Indonesia
- Seo Jia Han Alvin, Group Sustainability Manager, Singapore Telecommunications Limited, Singapore
- Dr. Joyce Sitonik, Head of Clinic Business Operations, AAR Health Care, Kenya
- Lindsey Verhaeghe, Sustainability Initiatives and Reporting Manager, Nutrien, Canada
- Meg Parker Young, Director of Impact Strategy and Development, Thomson Reuters, USA
- Zaw Ye Naung, Founder, Shwe Taung Nyo Gyi Co., Myanmar
The SDG Pioneers programme is part of the UN Global Compact’s Making Global Goals Local Business campaign — a multi-year strategy to drive business awareness and action in support of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
The 2019 SDG Pioneers will attend the UN Global Compact Leaders Week to be organized on the sidelines of the 74th session of the UN General Assembly from 23 to 26 September at the UN Headquarters in New York. They will be speaking in the SDG Media Zone on 25 September from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. (EDT). The session will be broadcast live.
For photos of the SDG Pioneers, please contact [email protected].
About the United Nations Global Compact
As a special initiative of the UN Secretary-General, the United Nations Global Compact works with companies everywhere to align their operations and strategies with ten universal principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. Launched in 2000, the UN Global Compact guides and supports the global business community in advancing UN goals and values through responsible corporate practices. With more than 9,500 companies and 3,000 non-business signatories based in over 160 countries, and more than 60 Local Networks, it is the largest corporate sustainability initiative in the world.
For more information, follow @globalcompact on social media and visit our website at www.unglobalcompact.org.
About SDG Pioneers
As part of its Making Global Goals Local Business campaign, each year the UN Global Compact recognizes a class of SDG Pioneers — business leaders, who are using business as a force for good to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Earlier this year, Global Compact Local Networks in several countries hosted national-level SDG Pioneers programmes. These winners automatically took part in the global round along with other candidates. The 2019 SDG Pioneers programme is supported by the Tuborg Foundation.