Alitheia Capital, a pioneering impact investing firm based in Lagos, Nigeria, has today announced that it has joined the United Nations Global Compact — a voluntary leadership network for the development, implementation, and disclosure of responsible business practices.
With this announcement, Alitheia Capital formally joins thousands of leading companies globally that are committed to creating a better, more equitable and inclusive world through sustainable and ethical corporate activities.
Using an approach to private equity investing that creates affordability, accessibility, and inclusion for underserved markets and groups, Alitheia’s mission intentionally contributes towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and a more progressive economy for Africa. The firm’s investments and corporate engagements, guided by the principles of sustainable finance (including Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)), are geared towards creating wealth and transforming lives – particularly those at the bottom of the economic pyramid.
“Over the last sixteen years, Alitheia Capital has actively championed responsible investing and, through our various investments, advanced the achievement of the SDGs. By joining the United Nations Global Compact, we formally signal our continued commitment to deploying the principles of the initiative as part of our investment strategy, company culture and operations, and ecosystem leadership,” said ‘Tokunboh Ishmael, Managing Director and co-founder, Alitheia Capital.
As a participant in the initiative, Alitheia advocates for and encourages other investors and businesses to join the UN Global Compact to create a better world, drive sustainable development, and encourage economic participation that will unlock Africa’s full potential.
“We are pleased to welcome Alitheia Capital aboard. Their participation in the UN Global Compact marks a positive stride in fulfilling their role towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030,” said Naomi Nwokolo, Executive Director, UN Global Compact Network Nigeria. “Sustainability stands as a pivotal factor for all businesses, and we encourage a more profound integration across all operations, firmly embedding the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact and the Global Goals into their core business strategy. The prospect of working with Alitheia Capital as they deepen their commitment to sustainability is an exciting one, and we anticipate productive cooperation in this shared journey.”
As a special initiative of the UN Secretary-General, the UN Global Compact is a call to companies everywhere to align their operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment, and anti-corruption, and to act in support of UN goals and issues embodied in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Its ambition is to accelerate and scale the global collective impact of business by upholding the Ten Principles and delivering the Sustainable Development Goals through accountable companies and ecosystems that enable change.
Launched in 2000, the UN Global Compact is the largest corporate sustainability initiative in the world, with more than 15,000 companies and 3,800 non-business signatories based in over 160 countries, and more than 69 Local Networks, including Nigeria.