By: Staff Writer
September 23, Colombo (LNW): On the invitation of United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, three representatives from the UN Global Compact Network Sri Lanka (Network Sri Lanka) joined the 2025 United Nations Private Sector Forum (PSF) in New York yesterday. The high-level roundtable, held during the UN General Assembly week, brought together 50 global CEOs, government leaders, UN Principals, and the UN Secretary-General to discuss how private capital and investment can drive sustainable, inclusive growth.
Representing Sri Lanka were Dilhan C. Fernando, Chairman/CEO of Dilmah Ceylon Tea Company and Chairman of Network Sri Lanka; Supun Weerasinghe, Group CEO of Dialog Axiata PLC and Network Sri Lanka Board Member; and Rathika de Silva, Executive Director of Network Sri Lanka.
The 2025 UN PSF comes at a pivotal time. This year marks a decade since the launch of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and 25 years since former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s call for businesses to join the UN Global Compact. It also precedes a series of key global milestones, including the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development, the World Social Summit, the Food Systems Summit, and COP30.
The Forum convenes amid climate disruption, rapid technological change, economic uncertainty, and geopolitical tensions. UN Secretary-General Guterres stressed the need for urgent investment in energy infrastructure, green technologies, trade reform, and modernised financial systems while ensuring equity and opportunity for all.
According to the upcoming UN Global Compact–Accenture CEO Study, 66% of CEOs remain committed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Businesses increasingly see sustainability not as a regulatory burden but as a driver of profitability, innovation, and resilience. The study highlights a shift from waiting for perfect conditions to acting decisively, recognising that delay heightens risks and erodes long-term value.
For Sri Lanka, still navigating economic stabilisation and recovery, participation in such a forum is particularly significant. Network Sri Lanka’s presence highlights the private sector’s role in shaping resilience and sustainable growth at home. From sustainable agriculture and food security to digital inclusion and climate adaptation, Sri Lankan businesses are contributing to challenges that transcend borders.
This visibility also positions Sri Lanka within global decision-making spaces, reinforcing that even small markets have a voice in shaping the future of inclusive growth.
Unlike traditional summits, the UN PSF serves as a working roundtable where solutions are discussed, partnerships built, and practical ideas advanced. The 2025 edition focuses heavily on unlocking private capital to meet the SDGs, requiring trillions of dollars annually. Discussions resonated strongly with Sri Lanka’s own development priorities, including climate action, food systems, and digital transformation.
Network Sri Lanka’s engagement in New York signals the country’s determination to participate in and benefit from the global transition toward sustainability. As the UN marks key anniversaries this year, Sri Lankan leaders’ presence affirms the nation’s role in a collective journey to a just, inclusive, and resilient future.
Through this engagement, Network Sri Lanka aims to encourage more Sri Lankan companies to align with international sustainability standards and deepen cross-border partnerships, positioning the island as a credible partner in building a thriving global economy.
