On June 18, 2025, the official opening of the office of the United Nations Global Compact Multi-Country Network in Central Asia took place at the UN Plaza in Almaty. The event was attended by Alisher Satybaldiev, Head of the Almaty Entrepreneurship and Investment Department, and Zoya Kasenova, Deputy Chairman of the Board of SEC Almaty. The opening of the office became possible with the active assistance and participation of its executive director, Dinara Sejaparova.
The office will become a coordination platform for interaction between business, government agencies and civil society in the field of sustainable development. The new platform aims to promote the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) The United Nations in the countries of the region. The office's activities will include supporting companies in integrating the SDGs into corporate strategies and operational processes, as well as promoting the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact.
Stephen O'Malley, Acting Permanent Coordinator of the United Nations in Kazakhstan, Zhanibek Abdrashov, Head of the Representative Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Almaty, and Alisher Satybaldiev delivered welcoming speeches at the opening ceremony.
The goals and activities of the Network in Central Asia were presented by Ole Lund Hansen, Head of Global Operations at the UN Global Compact. Advisor to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Gaukhar Buribayeva, Chairman of the Management Board of Halyk Bank of Kazakhstan Umut Shayakhmetova, Managing Partner of EY in the Caucasus and Central Asia Yerlan Dosymbekov, Chairman of the Management Board of Kazakhtelecom JSC Bagdat Musin, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of KazakhExport JSC Ayan Bektybayeva, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of KazakhExport JSCEldik Bank (Kyrgyzstan) Aychurek Zhakypova, CEO of Schneider Electric in Kazakhstan and Central Asia, Edgard Bu Shaheen, as well as Chairman of the Paryz Foundation and CEO of Karazhal Operating Zhumabek Zhanykulov.
The office's activities cover such areas as interaction with the business community, developing the potential of companies in the field of sustainable development, holding seminars and conferences, as well as providing information and methodological support. In turn, SEC Almaty in 2023 became the first social and entrepreneurial corporation in Kazakhstan to join the UN Global Compact. The Corporation fully shares the values of the UN Sustainable Development Agenda, recognizes the importance of all 17 SDGs and contributes to their achievement.
Taking into account the specifics of its activities, SEC Almaty has identified six priority Sustainable Development Goals to which the corporation makes the greatest contribution: eliminating hunger; good health and well-being; quality education; decent work and economic growth; industrialization, innovation and infrastructure; sustainable cities and towns.