Re:Think 2026 UNDP Sustainable Procurement Innovation Week Opens in Chengdu Hi-tech Zone

On May 19, the Re:Think 2026 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Sustainable Procurement Innovation Week kicked off at the Business and Innovation Centre for China-Europe Cooperation.

The Innovation Week brings together the UN system, government departments, international institutions, certification organizations, industry experts, and business representatives. Through platform building, capacity enhancement, project identification, and public engagement, it empowers the development of local micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), startups, independent brands, and innovators, accelerating the transition from "product globalization" to "capacity globalization", "standard globalization", and "value globalization".

Experts and Scholars Gather

Multiple Stakeholders Discuss Sustainable Capacity and Future Opportunities

As a key opening event, the opening ceremony facilitated high-level exchanges on international standards, UN procurement, corporate transformation, and future competitiveness. Guests from the UN system, government departments, international institutions, academia, alongside industry experts and business representatives, discussed how Chinese enterprises, especially MSMEs and startups, can enhance their sustainable capabilities, compliance capacity, and global competitiveness in the process of internationalization.

"Sustainable development is not a barrier restricting corporate growth, nor merely a compliance requirement. It is increasingly becoming a vital capability and strategic choice for enterprises to participate in the global economy and enhance international competitiveness. UNDP's sustainable procurement should not only be seen as an opportunity for Chinese enterprises to expand their international business but also as an entry point to drive broader corporate transformation, helping companies continuously improve transparency, credibility, and sustainable development capabilities as they compete in international markets with high standards," said Qiao Zhan, Acting UNDP Resident Representative in China.

Ai Yinfang, Deputy Director-General of China International Center for Economic and Technical Exchanges (CICETE), stated: "Focusing on UN procurement, this Innovation Week promotes market entities to better align with internationally accepted rules, actively integrate into the global procurement and supply chain system, and facilitate the effective integration of regional innovation ecosystems with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It is indeed timely and highly significant."

A relevant official from Chengdu Hi-tech Zone said: "UN procurement, as a benchmark in the global high-standard procurement system, is not only an important international market but also a 'touchstone' for testing enterprises' comprehensive strength and internationalization level. Hosting this Innovation Week in Chengdu Hi-tech Zone signifies high recognition of our openness, innovation ecosystem, and industrial strength. It is also an active adaptation to and leadership in the new landscape of international trade and economic cooperation, offering a valuable opportunity for cooperation among all participants."

During the keynote speech session, Yin Haitao, Executive Dean of the Shanghai Jiao Tong University ESG Institute, and Jiang Li, Academic Director of the Professional Degree Education Center and EMBA Program at the School of Business and School of Management, University of Science and Technology of China, delivered speeches titled "New Coordinates for Chinese Companies Going Global in Global Rule Reshaping—Reshaping Business Value from a Sustainable Development Perspective" and "Reshaping Organizational Capabilities with AI Business Architecture to Drive Long-term Sustainable Business Growth", respectively. The subsequent roundtable discussion, featuring Liu Qingzhi, Deputy General Manager of China Environmental United Certification Center (CEC); He Wei, Founder of Xiaguang She; Liu Xiao, Founding Partner of Leading Capital; Wang Ting, Head of the Material Expert Group and Director of Mobile Phone Materials and Technology at Xiaomi Group; and Ma Xuguang, Founder of ClimateSeal, delved into the topic of "Reconstructing International Competitiveness in the High-Standards Era".

Transparent Design and Sustainable Innovation Open Call

SPARK Sustainable Living Plan Launched

During the opening ceremony, the SPARK Selected Transparent Design and Sustainable Innovation Open Call and the SPARK Sustainable Living Plan were launched.

SPARK Selected 2026 Transparent Design and Sustainable Innovation is open for submissions from brands, designer teams, and cross-disciplinary innovators. It aims to discover innovative projects that embody sustainable value, market potential, and transparent supply chain awareness. Through exhibitions, reviews, and multi-stakeholder dialogues, it aims to build a platform connecting "showcasing - credibility building - communication - cooperation". The call focuses on "Transparent Design" and "Sustainable Value Creation", promoting in-depth dialogue between design, business, and international rules, and helping enterprises move from "product export" to "value co-creation".

Simultaneously, the SPARK Sustainable Living Plan, the segment with the highest public engagement, was also initiated. This plan is a global sustainable aesthetics curation and incubation platform initiated by the SPARKLab UNDP Sustainable Development Innovation Lab, with support from UNDP and multiple international organizations. By creating public-facing pop-up markets, creative night markets, and related events, it brings sustainable development from the contexts of policy and enterprise further into urban life scenarios. From May 16 to May 24, the first 9-day SPARK Sustainable Living Carnival was held at the Tiexiang Water Street, presenting citizens with new consumption experiences.

As an important part of the Innovation Week, the "Re:Think 2026 Capacity Building for Corporate Globalization and 'Chengdu Products’ Going Global' Training" was also held on the opening day. Combining case studies and practical exercises, it helped local enterprises navigate key steps to enter international organization procurement systems, providing them with replicable and actionable guidelines for integrating into the global value chain.

UN Procurement Chengdu Base Signed and Established

Promoting Integration of Sustainable Development and Local Innovation Ecosystem

At the event, the UN/International Organizations Sustainable Procurement Service, Information Sharing and Capacity Building Project (SHSPP) (hereinafter referred to as the "UN Procurement Project") and the Sichuan Belt and Road Economic and Trade Cooperation Promotion Association officially signed an agreement to jointly establish the UN/International Organizations International Public Procurement Industry Incubation Base (Chengdu). Relying on the professional services of the UN Procurement Project, the base will establish a cross-regional collaboration mechanism, promote high-quality industrial development in central and western China, facilitate industrial cooperation and exchange between Shanghai and Chengdu, and form a sustainable development innovation paradigm for enterprises in central and western China.

Previously, UNDP has cumulatively helped over a hundred enterprises from central and western China successfully register as UN suppliers and participate in procurement bidding, accumulating extensive practical experience from qualification guidance to bidding operations. In the future, the base will also provide "one-stop" globalization services for enterprises in central and western China, including UN supplier registration for the UN Global Marketplace (UNGM) and preliminary reviews for international compliance certifications (ESG, ISO, etc.), genuinely bridging the "last mile" for these enterprises to participate in UN procurement.

The Re:Think 2026 Sustainable Procurement Innovation Week is not only an international dialogue but also a practical exploration systematically advancing from "product globalization" to "capacity, standard, and value globalization". While helping enterprises understand rules, enhance capabilities, and access markets, the event promotes deeper alignment between the local innovation ecosystem and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), contributing to a more open, inclusive, and resilient sustainable development economy.

As early as 2019, UNDP, CICETE, and Chengdu Hi-tech Zone jointly launched the "UNDP Sustainable Development Innovation Demonstration Project". To date, an advisory committee has been established, 9 research reports completed, and over 50 sustainable development capacity-building training sessions conducted; it has reached over 2,800 enterprises globally, served more than 1,200 enterprises in Chengdu Hi-tech Zone in expanding their global vision; conducted over 300 matchmaking and investment attraction activities for Chengdu Hi-tech Zone enterprises, and contributed 2 reform and innovation cases to the region that have been replicated and promoted nationwide and province-wide.

Moving forward, Chengdu Hi-tech Zone will continue to leverage the project's development, utilizing UNDP's global innovation network, international experts, and resources to significantly enhance regional innovation drive and global perspective. It will further deepen the localization of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), continuously expand high-level opening-up, accelerate its connection to the globe, and expedite the construction of a world-leading sci-tech park.