UN Global Compact’s CMO Blueprint Debuts at Cannes Lions
Overview
At Cannes Lions 2025, the UN Global Compact unveiled a bold new initiative: the CMO Blueprint for Sustainable Growth. This framework empowers Chief Marketing Officers to lead the charge in aligning brand strategy with sustainability and long-term impact.
A Turning Point for Marketing Leadership
In a landmark moment at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, the United Nations Global Compact introduced the CMO Blueprint for Sustainable Growth—a first-of-its-kind guide designed to help CMOs and brand leaders embed sustainability into the core of their business strategies. The initiative recognizes the unique power of marketing to shape public perception, influence behavior, and drive systemic change.
The Blueprint’s Core Ambitions
Developed by the UN Global Compact CMO Think Lab, a global working group of marketing leaders, the Blueprint is built around three key ambitions:
Unify the industry with a principles-based framework for sustainable marketing.
Benchmark progress and identify gaps to accelerate meaningful action.
Collaborate across brands, experts, and partners to reshape the future of marketing.
This isn’t just a vision—it’s a practical roadmap for action.
Five Strategic Pillars
The Blueprint is structured around five strategic pillars that serve as the foundation for sustainable brand transformation:
Growth Strategy
Brand Strategy
Innovation
Communications, Advertising & Media
Collaboration & Partnerships
These pillars are supported by an online hub that connects marketing teams with case studies, tools, and a global community of sustainability-minded professionals.
A Call to Action
Sanda Ojiambo, CEO and Executive Director of the UN Global Compact, emphasized the urgency and opportunity:
“The CMO Blueprint for Sustainable Growth is both a call to action and a practical roadmap... ready to lead businesses toward a more just, inclusive and resilient future.”
Simon Cook, CEO of LIONS, echoed this sentiment, inviting the creative community to harness its influence for good:
“This blueprint provides a key opportunity for our industry to pioneer solutions that will echo far beyond Cannes Lions.”
