The UN Global Compact is taking applications for its Business & Human Rights Accelerator 2027 until 30 November 2026. The three-month programme helps companies identify human rights risks in their value chains and build a practical Action Plan. It starts in February 2027, and an information session takes place on 22 October 2026.
At a glance
| Deadline | 30 November 2026 (no time zone stated on the page) |
| Applications opened | 8 September 2026 |
| Programme start | February 2027, exact dates via your Global Compact Country Network |
| Who can apply | Companies that are, or are willing to become, UN Global Compact participants |
| Format | Three-month programme, with a Global Track in English and in-country tracks run by Country Networks |
| Cost to apply | No fee is stated on the programme page |
| Official link | UN Global Compact Business & Human Rights Accelerator |
Who can apply?
The programme page says participants must be companies that are UN Global Compact participants or are willing to join. Each company also needs to meet these conditions:
- Engage with a Country Network in its region, or be willing to join one.
- Identify its human rights risks and scope a core area of its value chain.
- Commit to developing and submitting an Action Plan, and complete all mandatory requirements.
- Appoint two working-level representatives and one executive-level representative.
- Apply the outcomes across its strategy and operations.
Companies in countries where a Country Network offers the Accelerator can join its in-country track. Companies elsewhere can apply to the Global Track, which is run in English. The page notes that space is limited and recommends applying early.
For Impact DOTS readers, the fit is clearest for social enterprises and impact-driven companies with suppliers or operations in several countries, and for the sustainability leads who answer to investors on due diligence. The page describes companies, not individuals.
What do participants get?
The programme page lists these outcomes for participants:
- A practical Action Plan.
- Prioritized human rights risks across the value chain.
- An ongoing due diligence approach.
- A network of peers and UN partners.
- A certificate of completion recognizing participation in the Accelerator.
The page describes four stages: a global opening with an on-demand course on the UN Guiding Principles, three global virtual workshops on value chain scoping and risk prioritization, in-country and regional peer-learning sessions, and at least two local sessions to finish the Action Plan.
How to apply
- Read the programme page and check whether your Country Network offers an in-country track.
- Join the information session on 22 October 2026, held at 9 a.m. CET or 10 a.m. ET.
- Submit the online application form by 30 November 2026.
- Confirm the exact programme dates and any participation terms with your Country Network. For questions, the page lists bhraccelerator@unglobalcompact.org.
Advice from the Impact DOTS team
- Scope one core area of your value chain before you apply. The page asks you to identify human rights risks and scope that area, so a named product line or supplier group is a stronger starting point than a general commitment.
- Settle who sits on the team early. Two working-level representatives and one executive-level representative are required, and the executive needs time in the diary for the sessions.
- Treat the Action Plan as the real deliverable. Impact DOTS puts evidence over inspiration, and a plan with defined metrics will be easier to defend to investors than a policy statement.
- If you want background first, read our overview of the UN Global Compact.
FAQ
The application deadline is 30 November 2026. The page does not state a time zone, so submit well before the day.
The programme page does not state any fee. Ask your Country Network about participation terms before you commit.
No. Companies that are willing to become participants can apply, and they must also engage with a Country Network or be willing to join one.
The Global Track is facilitated in English for companies in that situation. Space is limited, so apply early.
