Reflections from the UN Global Compact and Climate Week NYC: the drive for sustainability is far from over

Sami Lundgren

Vice President, UPM Responsibility

The UN Global Compact was founded 25 years ago. UPM joined the initiative 3 years after it was created. We’ve had a long and meaningful journey together, and I was honored to take part in the anniversary celebrations held last week in New York alongside the 80th UN General Assembly. The timing also coincided with Climate Week NYC. With both events happening together, a large global community of sustainability professionals converged in New York for one busy week.

How to drive sustainable business in times of uncertainty?

One theme clearly dominated the various discussions held throughout the week: how to drive sustainable business in times of uncertainty. Whether you call it the VUCA world—marked by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity—or something else, it cannot be denied that there are stronger headwinds facing the sustainability agenda than many of us have experienced over the past two decades. The tensions created by these uncertainties are making themselves visible in many fronts, such as the EU’s Omnibus bills and the anti-ESG laws passed by many US states.

Throughout the week, I met many like-minded individuals who view the world through a similar lens. Despite the challenges, we all shared a common belief: the world is rarely black and white but there are always various shades of grey.

Good things still happen

I spoke with many local representatives—from companies to cities and states—who haven’t abandoned their sustainability efforts. Instead, they’ve become more discreet about them externally. Internally, they continue to mitigate risks, uphold DEI processes, and respond to the values of younger employees who care deeply about these issues. They still strive for efficiency, recognizing that less can often be more. And above all, they remain committed to creating value across all dimensions.

A key message from the Private Sector Forum, chaired by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, was that the private sector is often moving faster than governments. One CEO noted that being more sustainable also means being more profitable—a sentiment that reflects the evolving business case for sustainability. Another CEO pointed out that while most customers value sustainability, only a minority are willing or able to pay a premium for it. In today’s climate, maintaining or growing sales is the priority.

When the going gets tough, the tough get going

So, what’s my personal takeaway from the week in New York? Perhaps it’s this: “when the going gets tough, the tough get going”. The recent surge of 3,000 new members joining the UN Global Compact—mirroring the spike seen during the COVID-19 pandemic—shows that challenging times can strengthen the momentum for sustainable business. Climate Week NYC also grew this year. So, no matter what the headlines suggest, the drive for sustainability is far from over.

In the spirit of New York and Climate Week - I’m pleased to remind you to read up on UPM’s climate approach to understand how we’re approaching these challenges.

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