Over 200 prominent figures from the business sector, government, investment community, sustainability experts, and representatives from the United Nations gathered in Colombo on August 11-12 for the Forward Faster Now | APAC 2026 event. This conference, organized by the UN Global Compact’s APAC Hub in collaboration with 14 Global Compact Country Networks and hosted by the UN Global Compact Network Sri Lanka, aimed to enhance collaboration in the region and highlight the critical role of business leadership in fostering sustainable and inclusive growth throughout Asia-Pacific.
The two-day forum featured over 80 distinguished speakers from various sectors, including business, finance, government, civil society, and the UN. It attracted a significant audience of CEOs, C-suite executives, board directors, heads of UN agencies, and senior decision-makers, creating a prominent platform for dialogue on sustainable business practices across sectors.
Throughout the event, participants engaged in plenary discussions, leadership panels, and hands-on workshops, addressing key issues affecting the future of business in the Asia-Pacific region. Topics included climate action, sustainable finance, gender equality, resilient supply chains, water stewardship, governance and integrity, digital innovation, human rights due diligence, circular economy solutions, and the use of ESG data for informed decision-making. Forward Faster Now emphasized the importance of transitioning from general sustainability aspirations to specific target setting, actionable decisions, and robust systems that can yield substantial progress.
Submit Your Press Release
Get your company news, announcements, launches, appointments and events in front of a wider audience.
A highlight of the forum was the attendance of Sanda Ojiambo, Assistant Secretary-General, CEO, and Executive Director of the UN Global Compact. Her visit to Sri Lanka underscored the nation’s emerging significance in the regional sustainability landscape and highlighted the critical role of private sector leadership in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
In addition to the public sessions, Ojiambo’s visit included a series of bilateral meetings and strategic discussions with business and institutional leaders, fostering deeper connections and exploring new opportunities for collaboration between the UN Global Compact and stakeholders in Sri Lanka.
The event also served as the launchpad for three key initiatives by the UN Global Compact Network Sri Lanka, aimed at extending the forum’s impact beyond its conclusion. The Responsible Business Coalition was introduced to promote sustainability and enhance governance by uniting Sri Lanka’s leading professional and industry associations in integrating the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact into their existing conventions, training, and thought leadership, thus transforming responsible business into a collective responsibility for C-suite executives and board members.
In conjunction with this, the Next Phase of the SDG Innovation Coalition was announced to stimulate measurable progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by facilitating innovation and private sector collaboration around national development priorities.
On the second day, the 1 Year Sustainable Finance Workplan was unveiled at the SDG Investment Forum, which gathered institutional investors, corporate leaders, and policymakers to discuss how transition capital could be mobilized in Sri Lanka, using case studies from across the Asia-Pacific region. This leadership roundtable was further enhanced by the participation of Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, and Assistant Secretary-General Ojiambo, alongside C-suite executives from Sri Lanka and beyond, emphasizing the vital link between policy, investment, and sustainable economic growth.
The Forward Faster Now | APAC 2026 forum illustrated the UN Global Compact’s exceptional capacity to bring together leaders from diverse sectors and regions around a unified agenda for responsible business practices. By bridging global leadership with regional insights and national initiatives, the forum fostered partnerships, promoted practical solutions, and generated renewed momentum for businesses to accelerate their sustainability efforts.
As the Asia-Pacific region confronts multifaceted environmental, social, and economic challenges, the legacy of Forward Faster Now | APAC 2026 is clear: sustainable development will be achieved not through isolated efforts but through collaborative leadership, stronger partnerships, and significant business actions at scale.
