Oando Joins Business Leaders to Pledge Support For Multilateralism as The United Nations Turns 75

Friday,
September 25, 2020 / 9:20 AM / Oando / Header Image Credit: @globalcompact

Oando PLC,
Nigeria’s leading indigenous energy solutions provider endorsed and celebrated
the United Nations’ (UN) 75th anniversary by joining over 1,250 business
leaders from more than 100 countries, to pledge support for the UN and
inclusive multilateralism Statement for Renewed Global Cooperation.

Oando who
was the only indigenous Nigerian oil and gas company along with signatories to
the Statement including Coca-Cola, Microsoft, HSBC, Johnson & Johnson,
Nokia, PwC, L’Oreal amongst others, committed to further enhancing corporate
governance, modeling ethical leadership, and tackling systemic inequalities as
well as injustices in the world. The business leaders expressed a renewed
global cooperation among public and private entities to strengthen institutions
as well as laws and systems, nationally and internationally. They are
also committed to demonstrating accountability and conducting business in an
ethical, inclusive transparent manner.

The
Statement of support was presented to UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres by
Sanda Ojiambo, the CEO & Executive Director of the UN Global Compact, at
the opening of the Private Sector Forum on the sidelines of the high-level
meeting of the General Assembly.

Commenting,
Sanda Ojiambo said, “The Statement is a resounding endorsement of inclusive
multilateralism. In no uncertain terms, it says that cooperation must cross
borders, sectors and generations for us to adapt to changing circumstances. In
the course of just one month after we issued the Statement, it has been signed
by 1,294 CEOs from large, medium and small enterprises in virtually every
industry and region. We deeply appreciate their commitment to global
cooperation at a pivotal time for the UN and the world at large.”

The
statement endorsed by CEOs states: “We, the business people, recognize that
peace, justice and strong institutions are beneficial to the long-term
viability of our organizations and are foundational for upholding the Ten
Principles of the UN Global Compact and achieving the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs). Now is our opportunity to learn from our collective experiences
to realign behind the mission of the UN and steer our world onto a more
equitable, inclusive and sustainable path. We are in this together – and we are
united in the business of a better world.”

Commenting,
Ms. Jagun Ayotola Jagun, Chief Compliance Officer, Oando PLC, said; “Governments are under a lot of pressure financially to be able to deliver on
the SDGs. The private sector also needs to take center stage and responsibility
to support the realization of the SDGs. Businesses today must pivot; they can
no longer be only about the bottom line. They must show compassion in how
they conduct business to create a positive multiplier effect. At Oando, we are intentional
about how we think and act as a business, our goal – ensuring that in
everything we do we can positively impact people, the community, environment
and planet.”

Oando
was one of the 13 Nigerian companies to sign the Statement, testament to the
company’s unwavering commitment to actualizing the SDGs and the company’s
strong belief that the Government cannot do it alone. Oando’s commitment to the
realization of the SDGs is rooted in its policies, practices and operations.
Notable amongst these are SDG 4 & 5 on Education and gender equality
respectively. Through Oando Foundation, the company’s independent charity,
Oando is are focused on creating a sustainable and successful educational
system in Nigeria via the holistic improvement of learning environments in
primary schools.

This
is done through the Foundation’s flagship and innovative programme – the
Adopt-A-School Initiative (AASI). Today, the Foundation has adopted 88 public
primary schools across Nigeria, supporting over 200,000 students, enrolled over
60,000 Out of School Children, trained 5,000+ teachers, carried out
infrastructure rehabilitation on 54 schools and established 39 digital learning
centers. Oando Foundation prioritizes the girl child in its scholar selection
and award process, to date 618 female beneficiaries representing 55% of total
scholars on the scheme as well as a Code Club for Girls. The Foundation also
supports safe spaces for the girl child in local communities as an active
member of the Safe Spaces Technical Working Group (TWG) of the Girl Hub Nigeria
(GHN) and the Population Council Commission.

Oando
is also a big proponent of Goal 16 for Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.
The company is the only Nigerian participant, in the Action Platform for Peace,
Justice and Strong Institutions (â€œAction Platformâ€) alongside the likes of
Anglo-American, APCO Worldwide, Enel, Leonardo, Linklaters, LRN Corporation,
Baker McKenzie, L’Oreal, Nestle RELX, Safaricom, Sumitomo Chemical, Thomson
Reuters and White & Case.

Aligned
with the ten Principles of the UN Global Compact and the UN Sustainable
Development Goals – specifically, Goal 16 – the Action Platform provides a
forum for policy dialogue between Governments, businesses, the UN and civil
society that results in concrete action towards improving accountability,
integrity and transparency within businesses and the countries where they
operate.

In
2019, Oando partnered with Accountability Lab, an advocacy Non-Governmental
Organization (NGO), focused on establishing change-makers to develop and
implement positive ideas that promote integrity within their communities to
champion an initiative called the SDG 16 Innovation Challenge Nigeria. The SDG
16 Innovation Challenge is an initiative in the form of a competition to find
creative solutions for justice in Nigeria. The competition is targeted at young
men and women between the ages of 15 – 35 years tasked with developing ideas,
building skills and connecting with like-minded peers working towards a shared
goal of strengthening accountability, the rule of law and access to justice for
Nigerians.

The
75th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations and CEOs Statement comes
at a time of unprecedented disruption and global transformation, serving as a
stark reminder that international cooperation must be mobilized across borders,
sectors and generations to adapt to changing circumstances. In the spirit of
renewed global cooperation, public and private institutions need to show they
are accountable, ethical, inclusive and transparent.