Since 2008, the UN Secretary-General has convened the Private Sector Forum during the opening session of the General Assembly to bring the voice of the private sector to intergovernmental debates on key topics This year, the Private Sector Forum will convene a curated body of 150 high-level leaders including CEOs, Government leaders, UN Principals and the UN Secretary-General for a discussion on accelerating a clean, just and secure energy transition. We encourage you to regularly visit the Private Sector Forum website for updates on programme, speakers, partners and attendees.

Participation in the Private Sector Forum is strictly by invitation only. Select Chief Executive Officers from highly engaged UN Global Compact Participant organizations with knowledge of the event theme will have exclusive access to attend. Participants will be confirmed on a first-come, first-served basis. However, the UN Global Compact will ensure adequate representation by participant sector, size and region.

The deadline to register is 4 September 2026, or earlier if all seats are confirmed. Participants will be confirmed on a first-come, first-served basis and are kindly asked to register at their earliest convenience. Please refer to the invitation letter for the registration link.

Please visit the registration fees page for event rates and the cancellation policy. The Private Sector Forum relies on cost-covering contributions from private-sector participants. This contribution will support the costs of the event. For more information on registration fees, please contact events@unglobalcompact.org.

The policy regarding participants at the Private Sector Forum is quite exceptional, given the event's high-level nature. Unfortunately, due to limited capacity, we are unable to accommodate replacement nomination requests as registration priority will be given to Chief Executive Officers and the like from organizations that are highly engaged UN Global Compact Participants with a proven track record of advancing the SDGs. Thank you for your understanding.

No additional guests will be allowed at this year’s Private Sector Forum due to capacity limitations.

Invitations are issued only to Chief Executives (or the equivalent highest-level representative, depending on company structure). 

The Private Sector Forum convenes approximately 150 Chief Executives, Heads of State and Government Ministers, and leaders of UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes.

The Private Sector Forum will take place from 12:00 - 14:30 in the Delegates Dining Room of the United Nations Secretariat, including a 1.5-hour luncheon discussion. The Forum will take the form of high-level roundtable discussions, designed to foster candid, solution-oriented dialogue among Government, UN and business leaders. It will include concrete examples from the private sector as part of a “business response” to the UN Secretary-General’s call to action on a clean energy transition. This format will enable participants to exchange insights, align on priorities and identify concrete

A small number of Heads of State will attend the Private Sector Forum. A confirmed list is not available at this time.

Chief Executive Officers will be seated at roundtables of 8-10 people, with a mix of private- and public-sector leaders. There will be 15-20 roundtables. 

At this early stage, we are unable to release a full list of registrants for this year’s Private Sector Forum. We encourage you to check the Forum website regularly as programme updates and featured attendees will be available shortly.

Given the large number of Government delegations present in New York during the week of the UN General Assembly, organizers are unable to guarantee hotel accommodations or make reservations for participants of the Private Sector Forum. Please click here for a list of hotels in the area.

Participants are responsible for the cost of travel and accommodations and we kindly ask participants to make their own arrangements. As the Private Sector Forum relies on partnerships and contributions to cover the cost of convening the event, unfortunately, no additional funding is available.

For attendees who require a visa to attend the Private Sector Forum, the UN Global Compact will provide a letter of support after your registration and payment are processed. Please note that the responsibility for securing the appropriate visa lies with the attendee. Please indicate that you require a visa to travel to the United States during the registration process. Attendees who complete registration and pay in full will then receive a letter of support from the UN Global Compact via email, which can then be submitted along with other documentation when applying for a visa. Attendees should refer to their local consulate for detailed information. The UN Global Compact is not responsible for the successful or unsuccessful procurement of visas by international attendees.

A select group of media will be permitted into the room. For all media-related inquiries, please contact media@unglobalcompact.org.

Confirmed participants will receive a logistics note that includes detailed information and directions for the day of the event. Please read the instructions carefully, as the Security Protocol will be strictly enforced.

The working language of the Private Sector Forum luncheon is English. If you require an interpreter, they will be subject to the base fee of $400 USD and will not be provided with a meal.  Please confirm the specific details of any interpretation needs as soon as possible by emailing events@unglobalcompact.org.

Due to the high-level nature of the event, as well as space and security constraints at the UN during General Assembly week, a maximum of one representative per organization will be granted access.

The event will not be livestreamed.

Unfortunately, we do not accept payment over the phone.

The Private Sector Forum is one of many events taking place during the UN General Assembly. To inquire about the sponsorship opportunities available during the High-Level Week, please contact fundraising@unglobalcompact.org

Several events are happening around the same time as the Private Sector Forum. Please find the UN Global Compact event schedule here. 

Due to the limited capacity, Country Network EDs will not be able to attend the Private Sector Forum.