An official Observer at the United Nations since 2016, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) joined world leaders in New York for the 77th UN General Assembly, to contribute the voice of global business and find solutions to the unprecedented challenges the world is facing.

Against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine, a climate emergency and worldwide volatility, the 77th session of the UN General Assembly convened from 13 September to 26 September in New York.  This year’s theme, “A watershed moment: transformative solutions to interlocking challenges”, acknowledged the common roots of crises such as Covid-19, climate change and conflict—and the need for solutions that advance global sustainability and resilience. 

Addressing the global food crisis alongside the UN Secretary General 

On 22 September, ICC Secretary General John W.H. Denton AO represented global business in the UN Secretary General’s Global Crisis Response Group meeting, alongside heads of state and international organisations. In opening the discussions, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres paid tribute to the pivotal role played by ICC in ideating and shaping the UN’s flagship Black Sea Initiative to restore grain and fertiliser exports from Ukraine and Russia. 

 Also in attendance were the heads of key multilateral organisations including the WTO, FAO, UNEP, UNICEF, WFP and the AfDB. 

Driving momentum at the SDG Business Forum 

On 21 September, the 7th annual SDG Business Forum convened leaders from business and government, together with the heads of United Nations agencies, key international organisations, and civil society groups to delve into the role business will play in delivering on the 2030 Agenda. Co-hosted by ICC, the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA) and the UN Global Compact, the forum offered an opportunity to drive momentum towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals – and to leverage the power of the private sector to contribute towards international priorities. 

Tackling plastics pollution with UNEP 

On 19 September, ICC held a forum on Plastics Pollution that provided an opportunity for an open exchange between UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Directo  Inger Anderson, and a group of CEOs and C-suite executives representing businesses across the value chain of plastics. They included Polymateria, Nestlé, Coca-Cola, LEGO, Orestia, Novozymes, Walmart, Amazon, Tricolos, Ragna-Sells and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.  

Joining forces with UNICEF to advance the Global Goals  

ICC and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) announced a new partnership to address the impact of crises on children and advance the Sustainable Development Goals.