A landmark partnership focused on advancing global sustainable development has been announced between the Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI) — the world’s leading private sector sustainability organization launched by King Charles III in 2020 — and the government of Antigua and Barbuda, ahead of the 28th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) set to kick off in the Caribbean nation in November 2026.
Beyond core event planning, the collaboration will see SMI take on an official partnering role for three high-profile signature events tied to the 2026 summit. These include One Commonwealth Night, CHOGM 2026’s flagship live cultural showcase that will highlight the shared cultural heritage of the 56-nation bloc; the CHOGM Leaders Cricket Match, a cross-generational engagement initiative that unites heads of government and emerging young leaders through sport; and the official launch of the summit’s joint forums and side events, which will open the full calendar of cross-sector dialogue and collaborative action surrounding the main meeting.
This formal partnership underscores the rising centrality of sustainability-driven investment and private sector leadership to the long-term prosperity of the Commonwealth bloc. Leveraging its expansive global network of chief executive officers and cross-sector, cross-border work spanning industries and global finance, SMI will bring its specialized policy expertise and unique convening power to advance the Commonwealth’s core goals: forging transformative cross-sector partnerships, unlocking billions in critical sustainable development investment, and delivering tangible, on-the-ground action to drive inclusive, long-term sustainable growth across member states.
“The partnership reflects the SMI’s wider commitment to demonstrating how business, government and other sectors can work together to create sustainable and resilient markets, while supporting the Commonwealth’s ambition to accelerate partnerships and investment for a prosperous future,” said Jennifer Jordan-Saifi, Chief Executive Officer of the Sustainable Markets Initiative.
Against the 2026 CHOGM’s official theme “Accelerating Partnerships and Investment for a Prosperous Commonwealth,” Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne noted that the new collaboration creates a high-profile opportunity to showcase how the Commonwealth can leverage private sector innovation, investment capital, and cross-stakeholder partnership to build a more sustainable, economically vibrant future for all member nations.
Founded by King Charles III when he was still the Prince of Wales, SMI operates through a distinctive “private sector diplomacy” model that convenes leaders from business, national governments, and global finance to embed sustainability at the core of global value creation. The organization brings together C-suite leaders, global heads of state, and grassroots innovators to speed up the delivery of practical climate and sustainable development action worldwide. Its core mission is to mobilize the trillions in investment required to accelerate the global transition to a net-zero, nature-positive global economy, a goal that demands systemic, cross-border change across global markets, industries, and supply chains.
SMI guides business action through two core frameworks: the Terra Carta, focused on nature and climate action, and the Astra Carta, focused on leveraging space technology to advance sustainable development. Both frameworks provide actionable roadmaps for private sector leaders to drive systemic transformation through cross-sector collaboration, technological innovation, and targeted sustainable investment. The organization frames the global sustainable transition as “The Growth Story of Our Time,” arguing that bold climate action and sustainable investment represent the single greatest economic opportunity of the 21st century.