UN Global Compact and Tsao Pao Chee Forge Alliance to Revolutionize Higher Education for a Sustainable Future

NEW YORK, 19 SEPTEMBER 2024 — The UN Global Compact, through its Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) initiative, has partnered with Octave Institute, the nonprofit arm of global conglomerate TPC (Tsao Pao Chee), to transform higher education and better prepare young people for the demands of a rapidly evolving world. This strategic collaboration aims to reshape university systems worldwide, equipping future leaders with the tools they need to drive sustainability and accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

With only 1 in 4 young people on track to learn the skills they need for meaningful employment, the collaboration addresses the urgent need to reform higher education. By 2030, the initiative will directly impact at least 10 universities across Asia, reaching over 8,000 students. Through this partnership, educators and institutions will adopt learner-centered approaches, integrating responsible management principles that reflect the global imperative for sustainable development.

At the core of the partnership is the creation of a university focusing on sustainability, spearheaded by Octave Institute. This institution will serve as a prototype for higher education systems globally, embracing a holistic approach that prioritizes innovation, sustainability, and social responsibility.

As the world grapples with slow progress on the SDGs, the collaboration between PRME and Octave Institute provides a critical and timely solution. The project seeks to address significant gaps in leadership and management education by fostering responsible practices aligned with the SDGs. By empowering the next generation of leaders, the partnership sets the stage for tangible contributions toward achieving the 2030 agenda.

"We envision a new paradigm of leadership that places humanity at the center and restores a deep awareness of social and ecological sustainability," stated Omid Aschari, Senior Advisor at the UN Global Compact. "This collaboration will introduce innovative learning models that prioritize purpose, values, and responsibility, preparing today’s and tomorrow’s leaders to be effective stewards of our shared future.”

The UN Global Compact’s PRME initiative has long been at the forefront of transforming management education, ensuring that future generations are equipped with the knowledge and skills to build a sustainable, inclusive economy. Octave Institute, through its focus on purpose-led leadership, aims to cultivate professionals who can lead market transformations, drive social change, and champion environmental responsibility. Together, these organizations are setting a new global standard for leadership in the 21st century.

Octave Institute Founder and TPC Chairman, Chavalit Frederick Tsao shared, “The business community is a key driver in achieving our sustainability goals. Only by doing will we know, and we can adjust our path to meet the SDGs. Business is the shaper of this market economy - we must be responsible for shaping a new well-being and happiness economy, a Gross National Happiness (GNH)-led GDP. While the UN sets direction and agenda for humanity, business must be responsible for realizing it."

For more information about this collaboration and upcoming initiatives, please contact:

Cheyenne Maddox

Senior Manager, Communications

maddox@unglobalcompact.org

Low Mei Yen

Group External Communications, TPC (Tsao Pao Chee)

lowmeiyen@tsaopaochee.com

About PRME at the United Nations Global Compact

The Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) is an initiative of the United Nations Global Compact founded in 2007 that aims to raise the profile of sustainability in their classrooms through Seven Principles focused on serving society and safeguarding our planet. As a voluntary initiative with over 800 signatories worldwide, PRME has become the largest organized relationship between the United Nations and management-related higher education institutions. The United Nations Global Compact is a voluntary initiative based on CEO commitments to implement universal sustainability principles and to take steps to support UN goals.

About TPC (Tsao Pao Chee)

TPC (Tsao Pao Chee) is a fourth-generation family business holding company headquartered in Singapore that is committed to empowering the well-being economy. TPC does this by supporting global connectivity and resilience through its supply chain and logistics activities, and well-being-focused activities aimed at fostering individual and collective growth. TPC’s purpose-driven well-being business ecosystem comprises IMC Industrial, OCTAVE, and multiple non-profit organisations, including Octave Institute, No.17 Foundation and Restore Nature Foundation, operating in unity to add value to life.