On December 3 2024, the Museon-Omniversum in The Hague became the meeting point for over 100 members and participants of the UN Global Compact NL as we convened for our annual General Assembly. The day was a mix of important decision-making and inspiring discussions, with a focus on the pressing topic of Just Transition.

Strengthening our foundations

The day began with a pivotal moment for our network: a vote on updating our statutes! Earlier this year, the UN Global Compact headquarters in New York introduced the 2024 Quality Standards, a framework designed to unify and enhance the operations of all Global Compact Country Networks worldwide. While we remain legally independent, aligning with these standards is crucial to maintaining our use of the UN name. The updated statutes ensure our network stays compliant and reflects current and future needs. So we are very happy that our new statutes got approved!

What is Just Transition?

With the formalities complete, attendees had the chance to stroll around the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) exhibition before gathering again for the second part of the day: the closing sessions of our 2024 Peer Learning Groups. We kicked it off with an inspiring keynote by Kees Vendrik, Chair of the Nationaal Klimaat Platform, who introduced the theme of Just Transition—a concept that lies at the heart of sustainable progress.

But what is Just Transition? Defined by the International Labour Organization (ILO) as “greening the economy in a way that is fair and inclusive, creating decent work, and leaving no one behind,” Just Transition encourages a shared vision that addresses the needs of affected workers, communities, and businesses. At its core, it’s the principle of ensuring that the shift to a sustainable economy is inclusive and equitable.

Kees pointed out a common oversight: focusing solely on large, swift impacts often excludes smaller entities, like small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and individual households. “But this is a mistake. In the Netherlands alone, there are 8 million households,” Kees reminded us. “We must include them in any transition we undertake. Whatever the transition—energy, agriculture, housing—we cannot leave anyone behind.”

Closing sessions of Peer Learning Groups

Following Kees’s keynote, we turned our attention to the outcomes and insights from this year’s Peer Learning Groups on Climate, Human Rights, and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI). Throughout the year, these groups have provided a platform for companies to share experiences, insights, and strategies. The showcase provided a unique opportunity for participants to step outside their usual focus areas, gaining a broader perspective by learning about the work of other groups. This exchange of ideas and practices highlighted the interconnectedness of these themes and underscored the importance of a holistic approach to sustainability and equity.

The key insights and takeaways from each Peer Learning Group will be compiled into a comprehensive report, set to be published in January 2025.

Diving deeper into Just Transition

After the showcase, attendees scattered around the building to further explore the theme of Just Transition in three breakout sessions.

• Stakeholder-focused practices in a Just Transition: Climate change and the climate transition affect geographies, industries and individual companies in different ways. Principles of Just Transition are universal, but companies and business functions apply them differently. This session examined how companies can engage with diverse stakeholders—workers, communities, and governments—to ensure fair and inclusive transitions.
• Inclusivity in the energy transition & beyond: Women, low-income households and marginalized communities disproportionately bear the burden of poor infrastructure, energy affordability and climate change. In this session, participants explored strategies to make energy systems and other transitions more equitable, addressing barriers that often exclude marginalized groups.
• Reskilling for employment & decent work conditions: Digitalisation and the green transition will impact labour markets - both will change the kind of skills required, and create and potentially destroy jobs. This session tackled the critical need for workforce development, focusing on reskilling workers and ensuring fair employment practices during transitions to sustainable industries.