"New levels of corporate performance are essential if we are to address key global challenges, meet the aspirations of the world's people and deliver on the promise of sustainability," Ban said in the letter to the Annual Summit of China's Green Companies, held in Qingdao, Shandong Province.
Ban said private investment has tremendous capacity to spread environmentally friendly practices and to promote greater energy efficiency and green technology innovation.
"If business were to fully embrace corporate sustainability, and organize itself around delivering long-term value in financial, environmental, social and ethical terms, this would galvanize the cause," he said.
The summit organized by the China Entrepreneur Club and launched in 2007, is expected to provide a platform for the exchange of ideas amongst policy makers, entrepreneurs and NGOs and, therefore, boost sustainable development.
More than 100 well-known entrepreneurs and experts attended this year's two-day summit which ends on Friday.