SAP at UNGA 77: Driving Positive Business Transformation for People and Planet

The 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 77) will be held September 13-27 at the UN headquarters in New York City. World leaders convene for formal and informal diplomatic discussions, meetings, and negotiations, and the private sector is invited to participate in designated events that are organized by UN entities or outside organizations.

SAP recognizes participation as crucial to ensuring that corporations play their role in addressing global challenges and advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

UNGA is a global platform, and SAP’s participation offers the company a prominent place on an international stage as part of a consortium of decision-makers responsible for improving life on our planet. SAP is participating because the UN goals align with its business priorities. We also value this opportunity to do our part in shaping a more sustainable future.

The world is facing an unprecedented breadth and depth of strain on global and local economies, along with public and private sectors. Macroeconomic fallout from the pandemic continues and is likely to extend into the coming years while the war in Ukraine has introduced further risks and instabilities into the equation and aggravated existing threats of inflation, global supply chain disruption, and shortages of food, energy, and fertilizers.

We have also entered an era in which the repercussions of climate change are coming into sharper focus and sparking emergencies and disasters in local communities around the world. As more people get a firsthand experience of the consequences of the climate crisis, governments are responding with evolving environmental, social, and governance (ESG) regulatory frameworks that create new compliance obligations for businesses.

As a result, companies now find it necessary to apply the same rigor to managing environmental and social risks as they do to managing financial integrity. Many are not fully prepared to meet this challenge and find themselves struggling to achieve the level of ESG transparency necessary to guide strategic decision-making and comply with regulatory reporting requirements.

Sustainability must be integrated within each company’s core business and operations. Meeting that standard requires availability and consistency of data, insights into material flow and traceability, and transparency on supply chain risks and workforce data. These are areas in which SAP excels. By working in partnership with businesses as well as the government leaders participating in UNGA 77, SAP can help to enable the private and public sectors with tools and strategies available to meet reporting requirements and advance shared sustainability goals.

“Transitioning to sustainable business is the greatest social and economic opportunity of our time,” says Sebastian Steinhaeuser, chief strategy officer and general manager of Sustainability at SAP. “Businesses need to put sustainability at the core of their strategies and use technology to manage the ‘green line’ through their business.”

SAP will be represented during UNGA 77 by a delegation that includes Steinhauser as well as:

• Julia White, Chief Marketing and Solutions Officer and Member of the Executive Board
• Jonas Dennler, Global Head of Sustainability Go to Market
• Vivek Bapat, Senior Vice President of Purpose and Sustainability Marketing and Solutions
• Alexandra van der Ploeg, Global Head of Corporate Social Responsibility
• Peter Selfridge, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Public Policy and Government Affairs

Their areas of expertise and insight encompass diverse challenges such as zero emissions and zero waste, intelligent sustainable enterprises, digital transformation, ESG reporting, and sustainability ecosystems

SAP is also included in the UN SDGs Investment Forum New York on September 20 and the UN Global Compact (UNGC) Private Sector Forum on September 19, part of the Uniting Business Live series. The forum’s purpose is to promote high-level multi-stakeholder dialogs, ensure their intersection with local knowledge and implementation strategies, and share partnership and leadership examples. Inclusivity, impact, and innovation are the hallmarks of this all-access global event, which is led by the UNGC, the International Chamber of Commerce, and UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA).

SAP and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) are holding an event on September 20, “SAP x BCG: Transforming Business Models and Technology for a Sustainable World.” The presentation — a fireside chat — and dinner will include SAP showcases that demonstrate the benefits of adopting technology-enabled sustainability transformation.

UNGA 77 takes place at UN headquarters and other locations in New York City. To find out how you can take action to address these global challenges, join Uniting Business Live hosted by UN Global Compact by registering here and signing up for the session with Sebastian Steinhaeuser on Tuesday September 20 at 1:00 p.m. ET. UN Global Compact is the world’s largest private sector coalition focused on sustainability. SAP is a premiere partner of UN Global Compact in support of shaping how businesses embed sustainability into their core processes.

SAP stands together with customers and partners as we continue to drive positive business transformation for people and planet. Through advancing global sustainability goals by supporting the success of UNGA 77, we aim to be a force for good in a changing world.

To learn more about SAP’s commitment to sustainability, visit sap.com/sustainability.