Old Mutual East Africa Joins UN Global Compact, Reinforces Sustainability Commitment

Old Mutual East Africa (OMEA) has officially joined the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative, reinforcing its commitment to ethical and sustainable business practices.

The announcement marks a major milestone in the firm’s 180-year journey of responsible leadership.With over 20,000 participating companies worldwide, the UNGC promotes 10 universally accepted principles in human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption.

OMEA’s membership signals a deepened pledge to integrate these principles into its operations, strategy, and culture. As part of this, the company will publish its first-ever Sustainability Report, becoming one of the early adopters of the IFRS Sustainability and Climate-related Disclosure Standards in East Africa.

Arthur Oginga, OMEA Group CEO, emphasized that the localized membership will enable stronger regional engagement: “This move strengthens our ability to contribute meaningfully to sustainability efforts in East Africa and amplify African voices in global sustainability forums.”

OMEA has adopted a robust sustainability strategy, built on four pillars Stronger Communities, Stronger Planet, Stronger Business, and Stronger Systems under its Stronger by Old Mutual framework.

These pillars guide the company’s initiatives on financial inclusion, climate action, governance, and ethical leadership.To date, OMEA has reached over 1.2 million people with financial literacy programs and launched the Thrive platform, promoting staff wellbeing.

The firm has also invested in green-certified infrastructure and rehabilitated 60 hectares of the Aberdare National Park, achieving an 80 percent survival rate in restored areas.

Through a dedicated Executive Sustainability Committee and Board-level ESG oversight, OMEA is advancing responsible governance.

The firm is also a member of the African Natural Capital Alliance and collaborates with the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, underscoring its role in shaping Africa’s sustainable future.