The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has appointed Bolaji Balogun, CEO of Chapel Hill Denham, and three others as board members of the United Nations Compact Board.
In an official press statement, Sanda Ojiambo, the CEO and Executive Director of the UN Global Compact, announced this development and emphasized that the new board members would focus on enhancing the global business community in alignment with the Principles of the UN Global Compact.
Mrs Ojiambo in her words said, “I look forward to working with all our Board Members to elevate expectations of how businesses will embed all Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact into their operations.
“These Ten Principles — covering human rights, labour rights, the environment and anti-corruption — are intrinsic to the sustainability of business, people and the planet.”
Mr. Balogun, in response to his appointment, expressed his gratitude and stated, “I am honored to join this Board and to contribute to advancing the impact of businesses and private capital in promoting the broader adoption of the Ten Principles and the swift realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially in Africa.”
He also highlighted the significant demographic projections for Africa, stating, “Goldman Sachs estimates that, by 2075, 34% of the world’s population will be African. Over the next decade, less than 1% of the capital managed by global institutional asset managers can change the course of Africa’s economic and social history, support the planet’s transition to zero carbon emissions, and lift more than a billion people out of poverty. Consequently, including this agenda in the Board’s priorities is of paramount importance, as a prosperous Africa has the potential to contribute to global food and resource security and alleviate migration pressures.”
Mr. Balogun’s appointment was made alongside Douglas Peterson, CEO of S&P Global; Ani Dasgupta, CEO of the World Resources Institute; and Zhao Dong, Chairman of Xiamen Airlines. They will serve a three-year term, effective immediately.