Business Pledge - Pearl Initiative

Equipping Future Leaders with Integrity, Collaboration & Sustainability

By 2025, millennials will form the majority of the workforce, making youth engagement a strategic priority. The Pearl Initiative has long recognised this, embedding student-focused programmes into its work to promote corporate governance, accountability, and transparency.

Launched in 2017, the Business Pledge encourages private sector leaders to commit to responsible and inclusive growth. Through 51 sessions across 51 universities, over 3,000 students have engaged with senior executives sharing real-world governance practices. With more than 150 signatories, the programme continues to grow, offering students valuable insight into ethical and sustainable business leadership.

“It was great to share practical insights with students on how we, as businesses, can incorporate ESG into our business strategy to promote more sustainable and responsible growth. The global commitment to ESG has gained significant traction over the past two years, with 45% of institutional investors opting to invest in organizations with deeply embedded ESG capabilities. In addition, strong corporate governance provides the robust base to build a business agenda that integrates, supports and delivers such strategies for business growth and drives collective global action.”