CMO Blueprint for Sustainable Growth

The annual gathering in Zagreb brought together representatives of public institutions, the business sector, and the media to foster cooperation and advance the integration of sustainability into business and societal strategies. UN Global Compact Network Croatia hosted its traditional annual gathering in a festive setting at the SquareOne restaurant in central Zagreb, welcoming members, non-member organizations, partners, as well as representatives of public institutions and the media. The aim of the event was to further encourage dialogue on sustainable business practices and to strengthen cooperation between public and private stakeholders. The UN Global Compact is the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative, aligned with the Ten Principles of the United Nations in the areas of human rights, labour, the environment, and anti-corruption. The Croatian Network operates as part of this global community, encouraging companies and organizations to align their business models with sustainability and contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Croatia. Key Messages The gathering was opened by Ana Pašiček , Executive Director of UN Global Compact Network Croatia, who emphasized the Network’s key role in connecting the public and private sectors and the importance of creating space for collaboration that leads to tangible progress toward more sustainable and responsible business practices. Following this, the participants were addressed by senior officials from state institutions: ● Željko Vuković , State Secretary at the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition, highlighted the responsibility of public institutions in leading the green transition, with particular emphasis on reducing the carbon footprint and the effective use of available financial mechanisms. ● Ivo Milatić , State Secretary at the Ministry of Economy, highlighted the key role of investing in people and knowledge in times of change, noting that sustainability is increasingly shaping investment decisions and the expectations of younger generations. The audience was also addressed by Marina Burazer , Member of the Management Board of UN Global Compact Network Croatia and ESG and Marketing Director at Fortenova Group. She emphasized that sustainability implies the long-term resilience of organizations through balancing the impact of business on society and the environment, as well as the impact of society and the environment on business itself. Following the formal addresses, the gathering continued in a relaxed and informal atmosphere over food and drinks, encouraging open dialogue and the exchange of experiences among participants. The Network’s work plan for the upcoming year was presented through visual infographics displayed throughout the venue, offering a modern and accessible way to communicate strategic priorities and maintaining a balance between an informal setting and substantive content. A Symbol of Shared Commitment All participants received a symbolic gift - a watch featuring a graphic of the planet and the message “No pause” - serving as a reminder of the responsibility and urgency of action in the field of sustainability. We would like to thank all members, partners, representatives of public institutions and the media for their continued support of the work of the UN Global Compact Network Croatia, as well as for their dedicated contribution to advancing the goals of sustainable and responsible business.

Godišnje okupljanje u Zagrebu okupilo je predstavnike državnih institucija, poslovnog sektora i medija u poticanju suradnje za integraciju održivosti u poslovne i društvene strategije. UN Global Compact mreža Hrvatske organizirala je svoje tradicionalno godišnje okupljanje u blagdanskom ambijentu restorana SquareOne u središtu Zagreba, koje je okupilo članove, nečlanove, partnere i predstavnike državnih institucija te medija. Cilj susreta bio je dodatno potaknuti dijalog o održivom poslovanju i unaprijediti suradnju među javnim i privatnim dionicima. UN Global Compact predstavlja najveću svjetsku inicijativu za korporativnu održivost i odgovorno poslovanje, koja je usklađena s Deset načela UN‑a o ljudskim pravima, radu, zaštiti okoliša i borbi protiv korupcije. Hrvatska mreža djeluje kao dio ove globalne zajednice i potiče tvrtke i organizacije da svoje poslovne modele usmjere prema održivosti te doprinesu ostvarivanju Ciljeva održivog razvoja UN‑a (SDG) u Hrvatskoj. Ključne poruke Okupljenima se uvodno obratila Ana Pašiček , izvršna direktorica Global Compact mreže Hrvatske, istaknuvši ključnu ulogu mreže u povezivanju javnog i privatnog sektora te važnost stvaranja prostora za suradnju koja vodi konkretnim pomacima prema održivijem i odgovornijem poslovanju. Nakon toga, sudionicima su se obratili visoki predstavnici državnih institucija: • Željko Vuković , državni tajnik u Ministarstvu zaštite okoliša i zelene tranzicije, naglasio je odgovornost institucija u vođenju procesa zelene tranzicije, s posebnim osvrtom na smanjenje ugljičnog otiska i učinkovito korištenje dostupnih financijskih instrumenata. • Ivo Milatić , državni tajnik u Ministarstvu gospodarstva, istaknuo je ključnu ulogu ulaganja u ljude i znanje u procesima promjena te napomenuo kako održivost sve snažnije oblikuje investicijske odluke i očekivanja novih generacija. Okupljenima se obratila i Marina Burazer , članica Upravnog odbora UN Global Compact mreže Hrvatske te ESG i Marketing direktorica u Fortenova grupi, naglasivši da održivost podrazumijeva dugoročni opstanak organizacija kroz balans između utjecaja poslovanja na društvo i okoliš i utjecaja društva i okoliša na poslovanje same organizacije. Nakon uvodnih obraćanja, susret je nastavljen u neformalnom tonu, uz hranu i piće, s ciljem poticanja otvorenog dijaloga i razmjene iskustava među sudionicima. Plan rada mreže za nadolazeću godinu predstavljen je kroz vizualne infografike postavljene u prostoru, kao suvremen i pristupačan način komunikacije strateških smjernica, čime je okupljanje zadržalo opušten, ali sadržajan karakter. Simbol zajedničke predanosti Svim sudionicima uručen je prigodan dar – sat s grafikom planeta i porukom „No pause“ , kao podsjetnik na odgovornost i hitnost djelovanja u području održivosti. Zahvaljujemo svim članovima, partnerima, predstavnicima institucija i medija na kontinuiranoj podršci radu UN Global Compact mreže Hrvatske te na predanom doprinosu ostvarivanju ciljeva održivog i odgovornog poslovanja.

Ovo izdanje newslettera donosi pregled aktivnosti i inicijativa koje su obilježile listopad i studeni. Od globalnih foruma i tematskih webinara do edukativnih programa posvećenih održivosti, integritetu i ljudskim pravima, proteklo razdoblje donijelo je niz važnih događanja u kojima su sudjelovali i članovi meže. U nastavku izdvajamo ključne naglaske.

Četvrtak, 20. studenoga 2025. godine | od 10:00 do 13:00 sati | Velika dvorana Hrvatske udruge poslodavaca (HUP) Sudjelovanje je besplatno uz obaveznu registraciju zbog ograničenog broja mjesta.

Ten United Nations Global Compact European Country networks have partnered to measure the degree of implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by companies on the continent. Read more here. These results and reflexions are the ones of the the participating Networks, and not of the United Nations Global Compact.

Zadovoljstvo nam je istaknuti jednog od članova naše mreže – tvrtku SeaCras , koja je svojim inovativnim pristupom i predanošću prepoznata kao službeni partner treće UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3) , koja se održava u Nici od 2. do 13. lipnja . SeaCras je odabran za sudjelovanje u okviru European Digital Ocean Paviliona , gdje će predstavljati svoja napredna rješenja za nadzor mora temeljena na satelitskim podacima i umjetnoj inteligenciji. Njihova tehnologija, predstavljena kroz video demonstraciju i izložbeni prostor, prepoznata je kao dio globalne priče o inovacijama ključnim za održivo upravljanje oceanima. Direktor tvrtke, dr. sc. Mario Špadina , sudjeluje i kao govornik na zatvorenom događanju Nice Business Ocean Foruma, gdje će predstaviti poslovna rješenja za održivu plavu ekonomiju. Ovo sudjelovanje sjajan je primjer kako članstvo u United Nations Global Compact mreži otvara vrata međunarodnoj suradnji, vidljivosti i strateškom pozicioniranju hrvatskih inovativnih tvrtki na globalnoj razini. Više o SeaCras rješenjima: ovdje .

Prošli mjesec Beč je bio domaćin šestog susreta EU Peer Learning Group on Climate, koji je okupio predstavnike poduzeća i mreža United Nations Global Compact-a iz čak 19 europskih zemalja – uključujući i Global Compact Network Croatia. Cilj susreta bio je razmijeniti znanja, izazove i primjere dobre prakse u izradi i provedbi klimatskih tranzicijskih planova, usklađenih s europskim zakonodavstvom i međunarodnim standardima. Događaj je također poslužio kao platforma za jačanje suradnje među stručnjacima za održivost i klimatsku tranziciju u poslovnom sektoru. Ključne teme uključivale su: Uvid u vodeće metodološke okvire kao što su ITPN (International Transition Plan Taskforce) i ISSB[AP1] (International Sustainability Standards Board) Razmjenu izazova i rješenja iz prakse među europskim tvrtkama Interaktivne radionice o operativnoj provedbi i mjerenju učinka Fokus je bio na vjerodostojnim planovima dekarbonizacije i primjeni znanstveno utemeljenih ciljeva , u kontekstu sve strožih regulatornih zahtjeva poput SBTi, EFRAG i ESRS. Hrvatski predstavnici Ivan Majdandžić ( INA Grupa d.d.) i Marina Mesaric Radojcin ( Privredna banka Zagreb d. d. ) sudjelovali su kao predstavnici Global Compact Network Croatia . Kao predstavnici kompanija članica UN Global Compact inicijative, imali su priliku aktivno sudjelovati u međunarodnoj razmjeni znanja i prakse, te unaprijediti svoje kapacitete u području klimatske tranzicije. Izvještaj možete pronaći na poveznici: Summary Report: 6th EU Peer Learning Group on Climate Preporučujemo i novi vodič "Teorija susreće praksu – Vodič za klimatske tranzicijske planove u austrijskim poduzećima", dostupan na poveznici .

This article contains information from the UNDP publication “ A Practical Tool fo r Busin ess: Human Rights Due Diligence and the Environment (HRDDE) ,” published by the United Nations Development Programme.

Until the mid-2010s, few companies reported on on their nature-related impacts. However, nature reporting has gained significant traction in the past few years as businesses recognize the financial, operational and reputational risks associated with nature loss and a lack of data monitoring. As the conversation surrounding sustainability advances, companies are increasingly expected to disclose their dependencies and impacts on nature, integrating biodiversity and ecosystem considerations into their reporting frameworks. Key players in nature reporting and when to use them Several major initiatives have emerged to guide businesses in reporting and managing nature-related risks and opportunities. Each serves a distinct purpose, and complements the other in supporting corporate sustainability efforts: Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) : TNFD is the most comprehensive nature disclosure framework, providing companies with structured guidance on assessing and reporting nature-related risks and dependencies. As of 18 February 2025, the TNFD released a major update to its Knowledge Hub, offering training videos, case studies and resources to help businesses make the case for disclosure and better understand their impacts. Natural Capital Protocol (Capitals Coalition): The Capitals Coalition is a framework for businesses to measure and value their impacts and dependencies on natural capital. This is particularly useful for organizations looking to integrate nature-related considerations into decision-making processes. Global Reporting Initiative (GRI): The GRI is a well-established sustainability reporting framework that includes specific disclosures on biodiversity and ecosystem impacts. The UN Global Compact references GRI in its Communication on Progress (CoP), making it a key tool for participants. Science-Based Targets for Nature (SBTN): Unlike the aforementioned frameworks, the SBTN provides a methodology for setting measurable, science-based targets to align corporate actions with planetary boundaries. Kering, Holcim and GSK were the first companies to declare SBTNs, demonstrating corporate leadership in this space. The UN Global Compact collaborates with all of these organizations, helping businesses integrate nature into their sustainability strategies. The business case for nature reporting As nature-related risks become more material to investors, regulators and consumers, a paradigm shift presents itself; reporting on nature is no longer just a voluntary exercise—it is a strategic advantage. Companies that engage in nature-related disclosures benefit from: Risk reduction & future-proofing: Identifying and mitigating environmental risks can help companies avoid financial and operational disruptions. Competitive advantage: Proactive disclosure and sustainability leadership can enhance brand reputation and stakeholder trust. Supply chain resilience: Understanding dependencies on natural resources can help businesses secure long-term access to raw materials and reduce vulnerability to supply chain disruptions. Increased innovation: Investing in nature-positive solutions can drive new product development and business model transformation. Access to new markets: Sustainable practices can open doors to emerging markets with growing regulatory and consumer demand for responsible business practices. To further support companies on their nature disclosure journey, the UN Global Compact will host two Academy sessions in June 2025—one focused on the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures and another on Science-Based Targets for Nature. These sessions will provide businesses with practical insights on integrating nature considerations into their reporting and strategy. As the private sector accelerates its efforts to align with global sustainability goals, nature reporting will continue to be a critical component of corporate accountability. The companies leading the way today are setting the standard for a more sustainable and nature-positive economy.  The Communication on Progress (CoP) is the key accountability mechanism of the UN Global Compact and helps participating companies track and disclose their sustainability efforts in alignment with the Ten Principles and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The CoP includes reporting on environmental topics, specifically those directly related to nature and biodiversity, ensuring that businesses assess and communicate their impact on ecosystems, natural resources and climate resilience. Given this focus, referencing the CoP reinforces the importance of corporate transparency and action in safeguarding biodiversity and advancing nature-positive solutions.