K2 Group at the UN Private Sector Forum | ESG & UNGC

A global conversation with practical relevance

On 20 September 2026, K2 Group CEO Nick Plummer attended the UN Private Sector Forum at United Nations Headquarters in New York. Convened by the United Nations Global Compact on behalf of UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the event brought together business, government and UN leaders to consider how to accelerate a clean, just and secure energy transition.

The discussions explored the conditions needed to turn ambition into practical investment: clearer government policy, stronger infrastructure, effective financing and closer cooperation between the public and private sectors. Alongside the opportunities presented by clean energy, participants considered how progress could support economic resilience and extend access to affordable, reliable power. Read the UN Global Compact’s event review.

For Nick, attending was an opportunity to listen to perspectives beyond global mobility, exchange ideas and consider their relevance to the decisions K2 makes alongside its clients and partners.

Helping businesses move from intention to action

One of Nick’s strongest reflections concerned the role of regulation in supporting supply chain and procurement decisions, particularly in developing economies. He was also interested in how evidence-based approaches discussed through international climate forums could inform progress in developed economies.

These questions have practical relevance to a business operating across borders. Partners work within different regulatory environments, infrastructure constraints and commercial conditions. Clear expectations can help organisations understand what responsible practice requires, while reliable evidence helps them identify which interventions are working.

Government policy was another significant theme for Nick. Drawing on his experience of UK support for research and development in technology, he sees an opportunity for similarly visible and practical encouragement across ESG, sustainability and human rights. In his view, stronger incentives could help businesses, particularly listed corporations, translate their commitments into action.

That reflection raises a useful question: how can policy make it easier for companies to invest in responsible practices, share learning and demonstrate results?

Our commitment to the UN Global Compact

K2’s connection with the United Nations Global Compact extends beyond attendance at the forum. K2 Corporate Mobility Limited, the legal entity behind K2 Group, has been a participant since 12 February 2022 and is listed as an active participant. View K2’s UN Global Compact profile.

The UN Global Compact provides a framework for responsible business through its Ten Principles, covering human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption. They ask companies to respect human rights, uphold fundamental protections at work, take environmental responsibility seriously and act against corruption. These responsibilities apply wherever a business operates. Explore the Ten Principles.

For K2, this framework connects environmental, social and governance considerations with the everyday realities of delivering services internationally. It helps give structure to questions about how people are treated, how partners are assessed, how environmental impacts are understood and how decisions are governed.

Participation also carries a reporting responsibility. The UN Global Compact’s annual Communication on Progress requires business participants to reaffirm leadership support and disclose their actions and performance. This creates a regular opportunity to assess progress, identify gaps and make information available to stakeholders. About the Communication on Progress.

Putting shared principles into practice with our partners

Led by Linda Rafferty, our Global Head of Compliance & ESG, K2’s programme connects these commitments with operational oversight, employee education and partner engagement. Our KINETIC Code of Conduct sets expectations for employees and partners, while our Global Accredited Partner Programme incorporates due diligence around ethics, human rights and environmental responsibility.

Environmental work includes expanding client emissions reporting across relocation activities and improving packaging and waste data collected with partners. Our priorities also include better visibility of accommodation and transport impacts, alongside encouraging renewable energy use across our operations and supply chain. These activities support more informed decisions and help identify where further action is needed. Learn more about K2’s sustainability work.

The connection with the forum’s energy discussion is clear. Shipping, road transport, warehousing and accommodation all depend on energy. Understanding changes within these sectors matters to how we plan and deliver relocations.

Our partners are leaders in their own fields. They bring specialist expertise, local understanding and first-hand knowledge of the opportunities and constraints within their industries. Their contribution is essential: better decisions depend on listening to those closest to the work and combining their insight with our responsibility for the overall relocation experience.

For clients, the value lies in greater visibility and a more informed conversation about their programmes. For K2 and our partners, it creates opportunities to learn from one another, strengthen expectations and work towards improvements grounded in evidence.

Bringing fresh perspectives into our future strategy

Nick left the forum encouraged by the willingness to collaborate and reflecting on how policy, evidence and shared expertise could inform K2’s 2027 ESG strategy. A particular consideration was how regulation can support better supply chain and procurement decisions in developing economies, alongside the potential for evidence-based strategies emerging from COP discussions to advance progress in developed economies.

His reflections also highlighted the opportunity for government to encourage action more effectively. Having seen the positive impact of practical support for research and development in the UK technology sector, Nick would welcome similarly clear encouragement across ESG, sustainability and human rights, with stronger incentives helping businesses, particularly listed corporations, translate commitments into practice.

For K2, these perspectives will inform our planning alongside the work led by Linda Rafferty, our Global Head of Compliance & ESG. Our partners, as leaders in their own fields, bring essential insight into what is achievable across different markets and where improvements could have the greatest impact. Combining that expertise with better evidence will help us assess priorities and strengthen responsible practices across the relocation supply chain.

Our continuing commitment to the UN Global Compact gives this work a shared framework and a responsibility to demonstrate progress. As we develop our 2027 strategy, the opportunity is to build on what we are learning, turn that understanding into practical decisions and keep working with our partners to achieve more together.