Lagos, Nigeria
LAGOS, NIGERIA, 17 April 2023 – The UN Global Compact Network Nigeria is pleased to announce our partnership with Dangote Group as the Company Ambassador for the Sustainable Supplier Impact Programme (SSIP) in Nigeria. The Sustainable Supplier Impact Programme is a global programme developed by the United Nations Global Compact in collaboration with Accenture to advance supply chain sustainability through upskilling participants on social and environmental sustainability topics.
The programme aims to educate and equip suppliers of large companies with the objective for participants to achieve sustainability knowledge growth and incorporate sustainability into their business operations. It was developed with a focus that through supplier sustainability training, the supply chains of large companies will become exponentially more sustainable, thereby achieving global impact.
According to Accenture, 63% of CEOs call out the difficulty in measuring Environmental, Social, and corporate Governance (ESG) data across the value chain as a barrier to achieving sustainability in their various sectors. We are in a new era where action is required beyond internal company operations and across the entire supply chain. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) embedding sustainability is critical for global prosperity and they represent a significant opportunity for impact across the four issue areas of the UN Global Compact – Human Rights, Labour, Environment and Anti-Corruption.
SMEs need tactical support to tackle the three most consistent barriers to accelerating sustainability progress – Lack of Sustainability Proficiency, Inadequate Access to Resources and Limited Collaboration, and this programme intends to address these challenges.
“The Sustainable Supplier Impact Programme uniquely positions enterprises to collaborate with their major company customers to take collaborative action on sustainability goals and benefit through peer-to-peer collaboration,” said Naomi Nwokolo, Executive Director of the UN Global Compact Network Nigeria. “The Programme will provide participants with real insights into how to incorporate sustainable design into products and services, as well as establish an execution strategy. We anticipate that our collaboration with Dangote will provide the beneficiaries with tangible ideas on how to incorporate sustainable design into products and services.”
Through this partnership, the UN Global Compact Network Nigeria will work with Dangote Group to drive sustainability by design across its supply chain, facilitated by Incentives, Ecosystem Network and Learning Capacity Development for the SMEs. During this programme, the SMEs will gain unique insights into the different topics of business sustainability such as Business Resiliency, Sustainability Financing, Gender, and Climate amongst others; and be empowered to align their sustainability work with global sustainability action and commitments.
“As Company Ambassador for SSIP in Nigeria, we are fully aware that no single organisation can drive the SDG agenda in isolation. This programme aligns with our commitment to the applicable UN SDGs in mainstreaming sustainability via our seven Sustainability Pillars, whilst embracing a critical subset by upskilling the small and medium enterprises in our supply chain,” said the Dangote Group.
In this pilot phase, the SSIP is being implemented in Nigeria, India, Kenya, and Mexico, as well as a global pilot.
About UN Global Compact Network Nigeria
The UN Global Compact Network Nigeria is one of the 74 Local Networks (country offices) of the United Nations Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative. Guided by The Ten Principles and the 17 SDGs, we support companies and stakeholders in understanding what responsible business means within a global and local context, and provide guidance to translate sustainability commitments into action. The UN Global Compact Network Nigeria stimulates and facilitates the creation of local connections and serves as a catalyst for companies and stakeholders to achieve Agenda 2030.
For more information, visit us at www.unglobalcompactng.org.
About Accenture
Accenture is a global professional services company with leading capabilities in digital, cloud and security. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries, we offer Strategy and Consulting, Technology and Operations Services and Accenture Song – all powered by the world’s largest network of Advanced Technology and Intelligent Operations Centers. Our 738,000 people deliver on the promise of technology and human ingenuity every day, serving clients in more than 120 countries. We embrace the power of change to create value and shared success for our clients, people, shareholders, partners and communities. For more information, visit us at accenture.com.
About Dangote
Dangote Group is a diversified and integrated conglomerate with extensive operations across several critical sectors of the economy in Nigeria and Africa. We provide the basic needs of our various consumers, customers and stakeholders with our transformational projects and businesses across the construction, agricultural, food, shelter, and transport sectors etc. Dangote Group continues to grow its vision of becoming Africa’s leading provider of essential needs.