SME Sustainability Hub
Curated offerings designed for SMEs
The UN Global Compact helps SMEs cut through the complexity by
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offering you the right tools to identify the social and environmental impacts that matter most
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guiding you through the sustainability journey with tailored events and selected e-learnings
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delivering sustainability data to your customers and stakeholders
If you are looking for more information on a specific topic, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Why should SMEs in Switzerland invest in sustainability?
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Stay competitive by delivering sustainability data to your customers, suppliers & investors
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Attract talent with a purpose-driven business strategy
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Comply with legal regulations and industry standards
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Increase operational efficiency and foster innovation
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Maximize transparency and reinforce reputation
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Unlock new market opportunities
Upcoming events tailored to SMEs
September 2025 | Online
SME Sustainability Journey Webinar Series
A 4-part webinar series to guide you through your sustainability journey:
1. Mapping sustainability priorities
2. Sustainability strategy
3. Integration & Action
4. CoP Reporting & Communication
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Tools available to SMEs participating in the UN Global Compact
Peer learning offerings for SMEs participating in the UN Global Compact
Peer Learning Groups and other knowledge sharing opportunities at the UN Global Compact Network Switzerland & Liechtenstein create a safe space for companies to share their good practices and challenges on critical sustainability issues with like-minded professionals, while gaining access to industry experts and unique networking opportunities.
UN Global Compact Academy: Selected E-Learnings for SMEs
The Academy is the UN Global Compact’s digital learning platform to help companies move further faster in implementing the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Through innovative learning experiences across key topics and languages, the Academy offers a variety of online courses in different formats relevant to your specific challenges and needs, regardless of corporate function or where you are on your sustainability journey. Gain actionable insights and best practices from world-class experts, changemakers and practitioners. The Academy is open to all employees of participating companies.
Work through our six-step journey (3 hours) divided in eight modules to drive sustainability and growth in your company.
Visit our Academy page and browse the 2025 Academy catalgoue for further courses in various sustainability topics.
Communication on Progress
Reporting to stakeholders in a transparent and public manner is fundamental for companies committed to sustainability. An SME's annual Communication on Progress (CoP) is a key component of your commitment to the UN Global Compact.
Benefits of the Communication on Progress for SMEs:
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Assessment: Identify where you stand and what your current gaps are in terms of governance, environment, anti-corruption as well as labor and human rights.
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Transparency: The CoP helps SMEs align with global expectations, making them more competitive in markets prioritizing sustainability.
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Enhanced Business Opportunities: Reporting builds trust with partners, investors, and clients who value ethical practices.
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Support System: SMEs benefit from exclusive resources, peer learning, and expert guidance within the UNGC network.
Further free external tools & resources
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What is the difference between the UN Global Compact and the UN Global Compact Network Switzerland & Liechtenstein?The United Nations Global Compact is the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative and aims to mobilize a global movement of sustainable companies and stakeholders. It provides a platform for business and non-business entities to proactively network and engage in the areas of human rights, labour, environment, and anti-corruption. Participation in the UN Global Compact is a visible commitment to the implementation, disclosure, and promotion of its Ten universal Principles. Local Networks, such as the Swiss & Liechtenstein Network, advance the initiative and its Ten Principles at the country level. Our role is to support organisations engage in the UN Global Compact with respect to the implementation of its principles and provide guidance to put sustainability commitments into action. By providing a platform for dialogue and learning, we create opportunities for multi-stakeholder engagement and collective action.
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Who can join the UN Global Compact?Participation in the UN Global Compact is open to any business genuinely committed to implementing the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact throughout its operations and sphere of influence and communicating on its progress each year. Properly constituted (under prevailing national law) companies from any industry sector are eligible for participation, except those listed here. Non-business organisations (e.g. civil society organisations/NGOs, business associations, foundations, academic institutions, public sector organisations, labour organisations and cities) are also encouraged to become Participants of the UN Global Compact.
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Can company subsidiaries join the UN Global Compact?The UN Global Compact applies the leadership principle. If a parent company is a Participant to the UN Global Compact, the commitment is assumed to apply for all subsidiaries as well. Subsidiaries that wish underline their commitment and become a UN Global Compact signatory alongside their parent are invited to become a member of the UN Global Compact Network Switzerland & Liechtenstein and to actively participate in our activities at the local and global level. To learn more about how subsidiaries can join the UN Global Compact see here.
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Why should my organisation join?The UN Global Compact provides a universal language for corporate responsibility and provides a framework to guide all businesses regardless of size, complexity or location. We are your guide every step of the way. We’ll help you commit to, assess, define, implement, measure and communicate your sustainability strategy. Discover how you will benefit from the UN Global Compact here.
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How much will it cost?Please consult the UN Global Compact Network Switzerland & Liechtenstein’s dedicated Fee Sheet here.
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How can my organisation join?We are glad that you are interested in taking the next steps towards joining the UN Global Compact and to actively engage with the UN Global Compact Network Switzerland & Liechtenstein. Please consult the joining process here.
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What will we have to do if we sign up?As a voluntary initiative, the UN Global Compact seeks wide participation from a diverse group of businesses. As a participant of the UN Global Compact, a company: Sets in motion changes to business operations so that the UN Global Compact and its Ten Principles become part of strategy, culture and dayto-day operations; Is expected to publicly advocate the UN Global Compact and its principles via communications vehicles such as press releases, speeches, etc; and Is required to communicate with their stakeholders on an annual basis on progress (Communication on Progress) in: Implementing the Ten Principles and Efforts to support societal priorities. There are a number of ways that companies can take action to embed corporate sustainability into their DNA. Find out what you can do here.
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What is the Communication on Progress (CoP)?The Communication on Progress (CoP) is a required public and annual disclosure by business participants of the UN Global Compact with the following main objectives: Foster accountability on corporate sustainability performance to help safeguard the integrity of the UN Global Compact initiative; Promote continued learning and help drive corporate sustainability performance; and Enhance stakeholder access to information regarding participants’ implementation of the Ten Principles and contribution towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Click here for more detailed information on the CoP and its requirements.
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Is there a possibility to extend the CoP deadline?No. From 2024 CoP submissions are mandatory and need to be submitted via the digital platform by 31 July 2024 (at 5PM (ET)). A business participant will be designated as “non-communicating” on the UN Global Compact website if it fails to submit all elements of the CoP by the end of the submission period on 31 July. If a “non-communicating” business participant fails to submit a CoP by 31 December, it will be delisted from the UN Global Compact for “failure to communicate on progress” on 1 January of the new year. For more information, please refer to the 2024 CoP Policy.
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Can we use the UN Global Compact Logo?Participants and Signatories that wish to use a UN Global Compact logo are asked to seek permission in advance by using the online logo request system. An exception is the Communication on Progress (CoP) logo which is available for participants to include in their CoP without prior permission. For more information about how to use and request UN Global Compact logos, please click here. If you have any further questions, please contact us.
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How do I update the contact information of my company?To update contact information, Participants may login to the UN Global Compact website. In the “Contacts” tab of the dashboard, a new contact can be created, or an existing contact can be edited by clicking on the pencil picture under the appropriate contact name to modify its details.
Click on the arrows in the drop down menu to access further resources.
