A landmark new collaboration has been announced between the Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI) — the global sustainability organization launched in 2020 by Britain’s King Charles III, when he still held the title of Prince of Wales — and the government of Antigua and Barbuda, ahead of the 28th biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) set to take place in the Caribbean nation in November 2026.
Beyond the core summit partnership, SMI will serve as an official partner for three high-profile signature events tied to the 2026 gathering. The first of these is One Commonwealth Night, CHOGM 2026’s flagship live cultural celebration that showcases the shared heritage and diversity of the 56-nation bloc. The second is the CHOGM Leaders Cricket Match, a unique engagement initiative that unites sitting heads of government and emerging young athletes through the universally beloved sport of cricket, which holds deep cultural ties across Commonwealth communities. The third commitment is supporting the Joint Forums and Side Events Official Launch, which kicks off the full schedule of cross-stakeholder dialogues, collaborative workshops and public engagement activities that frame the summit’s policy agenda.
This formal partnership underscores the rapidly rising priority of sustainable development, targeted green investment and private-sector leadership in shaping the Commonwealth’s long-term future. Drawing on its global network of chief executive officers spanning every major industry, global finance system and national economy, SMI will bring both specialized technical expertise and its proven cross-sector convening power to advance the Commonwealth’s core goals: accelerating multi-stakeholder collaboration, unlocking billions in critical sustainable investment, and delivering on-the-ground actionable outcomes that drive inclusive, climate-friendly economic growth across member states.
Jennifer Jordan-Saifi, Chief Executive Officer of the Sustainable Markets Initiative, emphasized the broader significance of the collaboration in a statement. “This partnership embodies SMI’s core mission to show how business, governments and civil society can align to build sustainable, resilient global markets,” she said, “while directly advancing the Commonwealth’s ambition to scale partnerships and investment for a shared prosperous future.”
Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne echoed that enthusiasm, noting that the 2026 CHOGM has been structured around the central theme “Accelerating Partnerships and Investment for a Prosperous Commonwealth.” This collaboration with SMI, Browne pointed out, creates a tangible opportunity to demonstrate exactly how the Commonwealth bloc can leverage private-sector influence, intentional investment and cross-border cooperation to build a more sustainable, economically vibrant future for all citizens across member nations.