Sri Lanka is set to strengthen its position as a regional hub for sustainable business leadership when it hosts Forward Faster Now | APAC 2026, the flagship Asia Pacific event of the United Nations Global Compact, in Colombo on 11 and 12 August 2026. The high profile gathering is expected to bring together more than 200 business leaders, policymakers, sustainability practitioners and United Nations representatives from across the region to accelerate responsible business practices and regional collaboration.
Organised by the UN Global Compact Asia Pacific Regional Hub in collaboration with UN Global Compact Network Sri Lanka, the event will focus on advancing the organisation’s Ten Principles and supporting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals through stronger partnerships, practical solutions and collective leadership.
A key highlight of the event will be the participation of Sanda Ojiambo, Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations and Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of the UN Global Compact, who will make her first official visit to Sri Lanka. Her presence reflects the growing strategic importance of the Asia Pacific region in advancing sustainable business transformation. Other prominent speakers include Dilhan C. Fernando, Chairman of Dilmah Ceylon Tea Company and Chairman of UN Global Compact Network Sri Lanka, together with Sandra Wu, ESG Executive Adviser of Mirait One Corporation.
The programme will feature leadership dialogues, technical sessions, networking opportunities and the SDG Investment Forum, highlighting sustainable finance, climate action, governance, gender equality, responsible supply chains, digital innovation and cross sector partnerships. The event also coincides with the fifteenth anniversary of UN Global Compact Network Sri Lanka, underscoring the country’s growing role in promoting responsible corporate leadership across the Asia Pacific region.
