Are companies living up to the United Nations Global Compact?

Today’s businesses face growing pressure to act responsibly - not only toward shareholders but also toward society and the planet. At the center of this shift is the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), a global initiative that encourages companies to align with ten core human rights, labor, the environment, and anti-corruption principles.

👉 But how well are companies truly doing?

In SESAMm’s latest ebook, our partner explore this question using their proprietary UNGC violation detection technology. By analyzing millions of data points across 25 sectors, the study reveals the sectors most frequently linked to potential UNGC violations - and where accountability is often missing.

Some of these findings are hard to ignore:

• Privacy breaches dominate the tech and financial services sectors
• Labor rights violations remain widespread in media, retail, and manufacturing
• Environmental risks, with recurring greenwashing concerns, continue to haunt automotive and utility companies

The research doesn’t stop at surface-level mentions. It distinguishes between potential violations and confirmed breaches, exposing the large gap between companies accused of misconduct and those that face consequences. Legal or regulatory enforcement is lagging behind growing ESG expectations in many sectors.

SESAMm also explores how the UNGC framework intersects with broader initiatives like the SDGs, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Understanding this evolving ecosystem has never been more critical as global sustainability expectations rise.

Want to know which industries face the most serious challenges? Or which companies have shifted from "watchlist" to confirmed violator—and why? This ebook includes real-world examples, sector-specific insights, and practical takeaways for investors, ESG professionals, and corporate sustainability teams.

Curious to dive deeper?

Download the full ebook to explore how data can uncover ESG blind spots—and why UNGC alignment is more than just a checkbox.