What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of the United Nations (UN)? If you think of peace, sustainability, or human rights, you are not alone. According to a worldwide survey done by Pew Research Center in 2019, in 90% of 32 examined countries, most people have a positive view of the UN.
The values and principles that the UN promotes are the reason it is often perceived as a global moral compass, and therefore many companies seek to link their brand with the UN's. Another evidence is the adoption of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by companies and corporations worldwide. Five years after the UN introduced the SDGs to the world, the United Nations Global Compact Progress Report showed that 83% of the UN Global Compact member companies joined the global effort to advance the SDGs to increase the public's trust in them.
While incorporating the SDGs in companies has become a rising trend in the last years, communicating them to your customers can be challenging, as strategic goals may be a vague concept to comprehend. Here are four practical ways that vividly demonstrate the actions your company can take to promote the UN SDGs, increase public awareness of your brand and strengthen its image.
1. Follow the UN Calendar
On the UN Calendar of Conferences and Meetings and the UN International days list, companies can find the conferences, commissions, and special days planned in the UN during the upcoming year. The events and international days reflect the main topics on the UN's agenda, and by following them, companies can anticipate what trends are expected to rise and when, and shape their key messages in advance.
One example for a corporation that coordinated its schedule with the UN's is Johnson and Johnson. In 2016, the company publicly committed to the SDGs; since then it has conducted dozens of events on official UN days. For example, during the last UN High-Level Political Forum, (HLPF), the company initiated an event discussing gender equality during the COVID-19 pandemic.
2. Participate in Side-Events
Side-events are small events that are hosted by the UN and are related to its monthly agenda. Member states, UN bodies, or other accredited stakeholders like NGOs initiate side-events to share their expertise or unique perspective on the subject under discussion. Companies can either participate in scheduled side-events or initiate one themselves in cooperation with member states representing them.
Side-events are opportunities for companies to show their commitment to the global community publicly. By doing so, companies enrich their brand image and tie their brand to the UN and its goals. For example, in 2019, as part of the Commission of the Status of Women (CSW), Starbucks participated in a side-event dealing with gender equality and ways to close the gender pay gap. This is an excellent opportunity for a company like Starbucks to position itself as a conscious employer, promoting women's empowerment and gender equality. At that event, Starbucks displayed their achievement of 100% pay equality for men and women and people of all races.
3. Participate in UN Tenders
The UN Procurement Division is the body that provides procurement services to the UN headquarters and departments, to its missions around the globe, and to its organizations. In 2019, the value of purchase orders was $2.96 billion USD, with thousands of registered vendors. Being an official UN vendor is not merely another business opportunity, as it will also provide the vendor the UN's seal of quality and expertise. In the long list of the UN's registered vendors you can find some of the world’s largest corporations like Canon, McKinsey, Microsoft, Oracle, and many more. Companies can apply to be a UN vendor and participate in tenders online through the UN Global Marketplace (UNGM).
4. Follow the Goodwill Ambassadors
The UN bodies select high-profile influencers from their designated fields to be Goodwill Ambassadors. As ambassadors, they hold the status of "Expert on Mission" and help the UN raise awareness of its goals. The UN considers such an appointment as rare, and chooses only socially involved celebrities, ready to advocate publicly on behalf of the organization.
Companies that use this information to choose the right influencer to be their brand ambassador draw a line between the influencer, the value they represent, the company, and the UN. This line can be a significant layer in constructing the brand's image and sharpening its messaging. A good example is Danai Gurira, an UN-Women goodwill ambassador who acts for women empowerment globally and promotes Reebok's women sport collection. The message "empowering women to fight to be their best physically, mentally, and socially, every day" echoes louder when coming from an athlete who is also an UN-Women Goodwill Ambassador.
Getting to know the UN is an opportunity for companies to enrich their brand identity by linking their brand with the UN's and aligning it with the set of goals the UN represents. As shown above the UN suggests dozens of opportunities for collaboration, and every company can find the opportunity that is right to its business. Collaborate with the UN to give life and form to your effort to promote the SDGs and position your brand as a leader of change.
DNV GL. (2020, January). Uniting Business in the Decade of Action. UN Global Compact.
UN Women. (2019, March 8). Press release: As economic uncertainties, exclusionary politics, push-back on civil society, and labour informality rise, UN’s largest meeting on gender equality begins [Press release].
Noam Bar-Lev is Former Chief of Staff of the Deputy Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Israel to the United Nations.