Datatec, a leading international ICT solutions and services group, announced that it has joined the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative.

For over two decades, the UN Global Compact has mobilised companies around the world to align their operations and strategies around ten principles in the areas of human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption. Unpacked in the Global Compact Strategy, the UN recognises that good governance needs to be universal and businesses that join the compact undertake to practice good governance everywhere they have a presence.

Over the past year, Datatec’s responsible business team has been heavily focused on developing a shared-value ESG and responsible business strategy for the group, building capacity across internal stakeholders worldwide, establishing strategy governance, and embedding the strategy within each Datatec subsidiary. The organisation remains committed to considering its environmental performance and responsibility to positively support society and communities and continue working from a platform of ethical business and strong corporate governance.

Datatec founder and CEO Jens Montanana says that incorporating the ten principles of the UN Global Compact is in line with Datatec’s commitment to responsible innovation that uplifts partners, suppliers and communities.

“We take our responsibility to consider the effects of technology on both environment and community very seriously. Our commitment to being a leading responsible business reflects our belief that we can harness innovation responsibly, to the benefit of all.  And our unique capacity as an innovative technology business helps us develop meaningful programmes adapted to local conditions, designed to uplift our value chain at a local and global level. Joining the UN Global Compact cements our commitment to global sustainable governance” Montanana explained.

The Global Compact builds on the recognition that we need concerted, collective action to reach the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Datatec supports the United Nations SDGs and is committed to playing its role in ensuring that these goals are realised.

The UN Global Compact boasts more than 9,500 companies and 3,000 non-business signatories based in over 160 countries. “We are proud to join the leading global network of organisations committed to accelerating sustainability. Our involvement with the UNGC affirms our commitment as ethical, honest and socially responsible corporate citizens,” concluded Montanana.