Xiamen Airlines Chairman Zhao Dong Delivers Keynote Speech at United Nations Global Compact 25th Anniversary Meeting

Beijing, December 2, 2025 – The United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) Annual Meeting, marking its 25th anniversary, was held today at the United Nations Resident Coordinator Office in China. Under the theme “Global Compact, Global Action,” Mr. Zhao Dong, Chairman of Xiamen Airlines, attended as a member of the UNGC Board and delivered a keynote address. Video remarks were delivered by Ms. Sanda Ojiambo, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of the UNGC, and Mr. Siddharth Chatterjee, United Nations Resident Coordinator in China. The event brought together more than 170 representatives from UNGC member companies, alongside distinguished guests including Mr. Peng Huagang, President of the China Academy of Corporate Governance and former Secretary-General of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC); Mr. Song Zhiping, President of the China Association for Public Companies; and Ms. Liu Meng, Representative of UNGC Network China.

The meeting reviewed the UNGC’s development over the past 25 years and explored future pathways for sustainable development in collaboration with member enterprises. Through keynote speeches and panel discussions, participants engaged in in-depth dialogue on topics such as sustainable leadership, the global expansion of enterprises, and enhancing resilience along the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), sharing practical experiences across sectors and strengthening collective action for sustainable development among Chinese companies.

Business for Good: Advancing Collective Action

In his keynote address, Mr. Zhao noted that over the past quarter-century, guided by its vision of “Business for Good,” the UNGC has united enterprises worldwide in promoting responsible business practices. It has evolved into the world’s most influential corporate sustainability initiative and a vital platform for advancing the global sustainable development agenda.

Looking ahead, Mr. Zhao emphasized the importance of further aligning values, action, and platform-building to amplify impact. He highlighted three areas of focus: embedding sustainability and social responsibility into corporate strategies to reinforce the role of business as a driver of sustainable development; leveraging China’s practical experience in areas such as green supply chains, energy efficiency, and emissions reduction to contribute scalable solutions; and strengthening the role of UNGC regional networks as comprehensive platforms for capacity building, standardized tools, international experience sharing, and cross-sector collaboration, supporting enterprises in green transformation, social responsibility, and governance innovation.

Building on the Past, Shaping the Future

During the event, the UNGC Network China released its 2024 Annual Report and 2025 Member Company Work Summary, outlining progress made over the past year in promoting corporate sustainability and international exchange, as well as key priorities moving forward.

The meeting also announced the establishment of six UNGC Belt and Road Action Platform Expert Working Groups, covering areas including Sustainable Transport, Compliance, Traditional Medicine and Biotechnology, Finance, Branding, and Social Value. These groups aim to pool industry expertise and resources to support the sustainable international expansion of Chinese enterprises and the high-quality development of BRI.

As a founding participant, Xiamen Airlines officially joined the Sustainable Transport Expert Working Group. Leveraging its strengths in civil aviation, the airline will contribute to the development of standards and guidelines, talent development and certification, and cross-border connectivity initiatives, supporting the construction of a BRI sustainable transport network that is well-connected, green and low-carbon, safe, and efficient.

Since joining the UNGC in 2022, Xiamen Airlines has systematically integrated the UNGC’s Ten Principles and ESG concepts into its corporate operations. In 2023, Mr. Zhao Dong was elected as a member of the UNGC Board and has since shared the company’s practices and governance outcomes in green operations, social responsibility, and compliance at high-level international forums, including UN General Assembly Week, UNGC Global Board Meetings, discussions with the UN Secretary-General, and the High-Level Political Forum.

In recent years, Xiamen Airlines has actively participated in a range of UNGC initiatives, including the “GDI for SDG” Marine Plastic Reduction Project, the “ESG+20 Sustainable Leadership Interviews”, and the Climate Ambition Accelerator. Through sustained and practical action, the airline continues to support the UNGC’s mission and contribute to the global sustainable development agenda.