During her New York visit for the United Nations Global Compact meeting earlier this month, International Organization of Employers (IOE) Secretary General Linda Kromjong reaffirmed the commitment of the IOE’s members and partner companies around the world to the realization of the UN 2030 Development Agenda.

Kromjong formally represented the collective voice of business on labor and social policy at the Global Compact’s first board meeting under the leadership of Lise Kingo on January 14. Kingo succeeded Georg Kell following his retirement as executive director last year.

Addressing the meeting, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon stated his expectation that businesses “play a leading role in implementing the SDGs.”

“Our 13,000 signatories based in 170 countries, and our local networks, can be a force for change from the ground up,” he said. “We have a strong track record of translating UN goals and issues into concrete business action”.

In her intervention, Kromjong recalled her role as co-chair of the Global Compact Human Rights & Labor Working Group, as well as the role of IOE member federations in hosting national Global Compact networks. She highlighted IOE work on business and human rights, migration, youth employment, core labor standards and the sustainable development agenda – all key areas of focus for the Global Compact.

Kromjong also cited USCIB’s Business for 2030 web portal as one of many examples of employer organizations’ commitments to the sustainable development goals. She assured Secretary General Ban Ki-moon that the IOE was encouraging its members and their company affiliates globally “to advance the SDGs through their operations, innovations and partnerships and to be part of the solution.”