STRATEGY 2022-2024
Accelerating and
Upscaling Impact
“Given the seriousness of the big global challenges and the potential impact of business to create solutions, we need to accelerate and upscale our impact. We realize that the way that companies will become more sustainable now, is crucial for our common future.
This Global Compact Network Netherlands strategy 2022-2024 is based on this ambition. Our goal is to grow and to stimulate and facilitate our members to set ambitious sustainability targets and translate them into concrete business practices and actions.”
“The Ten Principles serve as the key enabler to achieve the 2030 Agenda. As part of the global family of UN Global Compact, we will work together with other local and global networks, stakeholders and our members to reach the Sustainable Development Goals.
Showing commitment is a first step, being accountable is a second. Our members will show how serious they are about their sustainability ambitions and they will inspire others to follow. Will you join us on our sustainability journey? Because we believe by working together, we can accelerate and upscale our impact!”
CONTENTS
Executive Summary
Point of Departure
Our Mission
Strategic Framework
ENGAGE: Focus on Priority Areas
ENGAGE: Core Programming
REACH: A Critical Mass
BUILD: Becoming Fit For Purpose
Measuring our Impact
Concluding remarks
LINDA VAN BEEK
Executive Director
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8-9
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12
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JAN-WILLEM SCHEIJGROND
Chair of the Board
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Executive Summary
Point of Departure
Several developments are determinative for our point of departure for the new strategy:
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Our Mission
Global Compact Network Netherlands aims to accelerate and upscale the positive impact of the Dutch business community on the SDGs with the purpose of improving the lives of current and future generations.
The UN Global Compact is uniquely positioned to support companies on their sustainability journey. Together with 14,000+ companies around the world, the Local Networks of UN Global Compact advance corporate sustainability at the national level in 70+ countries. We work together as a global family to achieve common goals.
Guided by the Ten Principles and the 17 SDGs we facilitate accountable companies and stakeholders in their ambition to translate sustainability commitments into concrete actions. We believe we have a responsibility to move business faster and farther in making and demonstrating progress on the Ten Principles and the SDG agenda.
Global Compact Network Netherlands stimulates and facilitates the creation of impactful connections and supports business, stakeholders and future leaders to achieve the 2030 Agenda.
Because we believe by working together,
we can accelerate and upscale our impact
Strategic Framework
BUILD AMBITION
ENGAGE AMBITION
REACH AMBITION
The 2022-2024 Global Compact Network Netherlands strategy is built upon a Framework with three key pillars, each representing a deliberate specific set of choices on our ambition, on who we will engage, on the issues and programmes we will focus upon, and how we will operate (see figure 1)
To achieve the collective impact we seek, we must channel our organization’s energy, focus and resources where business has the highest potential for impact, and where Global Compact can be additive to the ecosystem. On selected impact areas we formulate collective targets and translate them into an annual plan. On these areas we will measure our impact.
We want to build a ‘critical mass’ of companies to reach tipping points, which is followed by the rapid adoption of science-based sustainability targets by the mainstream of companies. GCNL assumes the threshold for a ‘critical mass’ within a given sector or geography to be 20% of business. Partnerships are guided by our mission to increase impact. In strategic agreements with partners we formulate our common agenda and the impact actions of each organization.
To be able to pursue our mission we have to be a strong professional organization, which is able to stimulate and help our members to define impact targets and to translate these into actions and to be transparent and accountable.
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Figure 1
ENGAGE: Focus on Priority Areas
Enabling Vectors Groups to Activate More
Sustainability Themes
Climate Action
Human Rights
Gender Equality
Governance & Sustainable Finance
Young Professionals
Small- and Medium sized Enterprises
The strategy prioritizes three sustainability themes where Global Compact Network Netherlands will seek to lead and shape. These are:
Guided by the framework of the SDGs and the Ten Principles we offer a broad range of engagement opportunities. By engaging business in relevant and meaningful ways behavior change will bring about SDG achievement in line with the Ten Principles.
Governance & Sustainable Finance are important vectors to accelerate the sustainability journey of companies. They provide an enabling environment.
Specific groups we want to activate more than we have done in the past, namely young professionals being the future leaders of tomorrow, and SMEs having a key role to make sustainability mainstream in the Dutch economy.
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Framework: SDG Implementation & Ten Principles
ENGAGE: Defining Core Programming
Events
Accelerators
On the priority themes we help companies in their sustainability journey. Our funnel of activities will help companies in these different phases of sustainability and will influence and facilitate their ambitions on the priority issue areas. We are using different methods: learning, connecting, collaborating, accelerating impact and communicating. By joining these activities, companies, both MNEs and SMEs, will be able to take action and increase and show their accountability. Our output model will be based on the potential impact on the ten principles and the SDGs, which will be measured.
UN Global Compact offers high quality tools for companies to improve their sustainability performance. The SDG Action Manager and the WEP Gap Analysis Tool for example. In order to activate SMEs, Global Compact Network Netherlands will launch a specific tool for Dutch SMEs in 2022.
Events at a local, regional, and global level are a significant part of GCNL’s value proposition. We offer expert knowledge on the priority issue areas and introduce other programmatic opportunities, such as the Accelerators. Also, our events are a platform to showcase the best case practices of GCNL members, like the SDG Pioneers.
These flagship programs offers a cohort of companies a 6-12 month journey under expert guidance to increase their ambition and accelerate a company’s progress on a specific issue area. A new Accelerator programme on Human Rights will be launched in 2022. The accelerators on climate, gender equality, SDG integration, and young professionals will continue
Tools
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Local | Regional | Global
Global-Local
Local | Global
ENGAGE: Defining Core Programming
The Academy
Peer Learning
Groups
Policy Advocacy & Campaigns
Think Labs
Starting in 2022 the Academy will be accessible to all employees of all UN Global Compact signatories. The Academy can be used to engage large audiences within companies on general and specific sustainability topics, and features the possibility to create custom-made learning plans for your organization.
Global Compact Network Netherlands introduces a new engagement opportunity into their programme portfolio. In the coming years peer learning groups will be established for each of the priority issue areas. Participants can share best practices and challenges, as well as network with each other.
Global Compact Network Netherlands will encourage front runner companies in specific sustainability themes to join the global Think Labs and participate in thought leadership and new content development activities with other leading companies.
Previous campaigns have shown that signatory organizations to the UN Global Compact can be a powerful voice towards governments and other actors to match their sustainability ambitions on specific themes. The last two years the Business Ambition for 1.5 was a key example.
Global | Regional
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Local | Regional
Local | Regional | Global
Global
REACH: A Critical Mass of Sustainable Business
MNC Engagement
In order to achieve Agenda 2030 it is essential that a critical mass of business in every industry embraces sustainability at their core and acts accordingly. Therefore our ambition is to recruit leading companies in industries which are now underrepresented in the Compact, but that are vital to achieve the SDGs. The coming years GCNL will focus to attract a critical mass of business in every key sector into the network, and onboard companies from the following underrepresented sectors :
Partner Strategically
A strong partnership with the government is crucial to achieve the ambition laid out in this strategy, and to fulfil the expectations member companies have of Global Compact in The Netherlands. Our network can play a key role in the implementation of sustainability legislation.
To scale up our reach rapidly we want to parter more with (sectoral and general) business associations to increase collective impact and activate their members to become more ambitious in their sustainability journey.
Based on the Impact Indicators (slide 12) we will look for strategic partners
SME Activation
The Small- and Medium Sized Enterprises are the backbone of the Dutch economy, and without them reaching the SDGs will prove impossible. Research has shown that SMEs in general are lacking behind when it comes to sustainability in comparison with large companies. GCNL is taking up this challenge to include and activate Dutch SMEs, by on the one hand reaching out to relevant business associations, and on the other hand to provide practical tools and learning opportunities specifically created for SMEs to increase their positive impact. For example, the Academy and SME Tool.
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BUILD: Becoming Fit for Purpose
Strategic Alignment: Effective Alignment with GCO for Delivery 2023 Strategy
Governance & Management: Operational Efficiency
Resourcing: Capacity for Operations and Implementation
In order to optimize towards a Fit for Purpose network there are four categories GCNL will focus on: Governance & Management, Resourcing, Local Positioning & Partnership, and Strategic Alignment
Positioning & Partnership: Relevance and Synergy within the Local Context
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IMPACT INDICATORS
Climate Action
Human Rights
Gender Equality
MEASURING OUR IMPACT
Governance & Sustainable Finance
Young Professionals
SME Activation
SDG Implementation & Ten Principles
TARGETS
Critical Mass: 20%
75%
Critical Mass: 20%
TBD
50%
500 (TBC)
75
1000
10
90%
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Concluding remarks
www.gcnetherlands.nl
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