MONTEVIDEO – November 03, 2026 -- The United Nations Global Compact launched the Latin America Business Leaders Coalition (LBLC), a CEO-led regional platform with eight founding companies, at its second Latin America and the Caribbean Leaders Forum in Montevideo, Uruguay.
Eight regional companies anchor the coalition's founding group
Founding members are Grupo AJE (Peru), Motiva (Brazil), Natura (Brazil), Softtek (Mexico), LATAM Airlines (Chile), UNACEM (Peru), Grupo Sancor Seguros (Argentina) and Grupo Mariposa (Guatemala). The UN Global Compact convenes the coalition with support from Boston Consulting Group.
LBLC is intended to let CEOs set shared priorities, mobilize their organizations and turn collective commitments into coordinated action with measurable results. It also aims to amplify the regional private sector's voice in multilateral dialogue.
Africa coalition of 75 companies serves as the template
LBLC builds on the Africa Business Leaders Coalition, which brings together 75 companies operating across 52 African countries. That group has advanced collective action on climate, gender and intra-African trade.
"Responsible business is resilient business," said Sanda Ojiambo, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of the UN Global Compact, who attended the forum.
Region ranks second globally by UN Global Compact participation
Latin America and the Caribbean has more than 4,300 participating companies, nearly 60 percent of them small and medium-sized enterprises. That makes it the initiative's second-largest region by participation.
More than 300 leaders from business, government, finance, the UN and academia attended the forum. It builds on the inaugural regional gathering held in Paraguay in 2024. The UN Global Compact convened it with its eleven Country Networks in the region and its team in Ecuador.
Agenda covers AI, sustainable finance and supply chain resilience
Sessions addressed responsible artificial intelligence, sustainable finance and investment, supply chain resilience, climate action, business integrity and inclusive economic growth. Participants discussed how the region can use its natural resources, innovation and business leadership to strengthen competitiveness amid geopolitical shifts, technological change, climate risks and changing global value chains.
New publication documents business cases in three languages
The forum also saw publication of From Commitment to Action: Business Cases from Latin America and the Caribbean, released in Spanish, Portuguese and English. The collection shows how companies in the region have turned sustainability commitments into measurable business, social and environmental outcomes. According to the publication, integrating sustainability into strategy and operations can reduce costs, manage risks, improve working conditions and open new commercial opportunities.