Geneva, 24 October 2023: The Business Commission to Tackle Inequality (BCTI), a cross-sector, multi-stakeholder coalition of leaders and their organizations convened by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), just launched “Tackling inequality: An agenda for business action” in Spanish and Portuguese.
In collaboration with KPMG and WBCSD’s Global Network partner in Chile, Acción Empresas, the Spanish report titled “Combatir la desigualdad: Una agenda para la acción empresarial” was launched at a hybrid event in Santiago, Chile on 17 October 2023. The event featured a panel discussion with representatives from Unilever, Enel, Sodimac and the International Labour Organization. Discussions focused on the imperative for businesses to address inequality in Latin America and the concrete actions necessary to tackle it, notably in the areas of Human Rights, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Living Wages, Public Policy, Responsible Tax Practices and Just Transition.
The Portuguese report “Todos juntos contra a desigualdade: uma proposta de ação empresarial” was introduced in Sao Paolo, Brazil at a roundtable on 19 October 2023 seeking to provide a forum for WBCSD members and partners with a strong presence in Brazil to discuss how to best operationalize the BCTI action agenda in the region and to explore the most effective and impactful ways of disseminating the work of the BCTI across their networks. Hosted by Nestlé and WBCSD’s Global Network partner in Brazil, the Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development (CEBDS), this event was part of a series of regional roundtables to advance the tackling inequality action agenda in a regional context with the purpose of mobilizing alignment and uptake of its recommendations across a growing coalition of actors.
Peter Bakker (President & CEO, WBCSD) stated: “Inequality is the fault line that fractures the bedrock of social cohesion. The translations of our Tackling Inequality flagship report are the starting point for dialogue in Spanish and Portuguese-speaking regions to support businesses to move from ambition to implementation locally. We at WBCSD call on all business leaders to use this action agenda to build a world where everyone can thrive as part of a more just and equitable society.”
Karin Eggers (Head, ESG Services, KPMG Chile) commented: “Inequality is not just an economic issue in Chile; it's a moral imperative and a call to action. For a nation's true strength lies not in the wealth of a few, but in the well-being and opportunities afforded to all its people. To tackle inequality in Chile is to embrace the promise of a fairer, more united, and brighter future for every citizen, and to honor the spirit of justice that defines a compassionate society.”
Marcela Bravo (Head, Acción Empresas) mentioned: “The launch of this document in Spanish is key to be able to translate its recommendations to the regional and local reality. In a context where inequality indicators are still very high and have destabilizing effects at the political, social and economic levels, it is especially relevant to discuss ways to address these gaps from the business perspective, based on the 10 key actions agenda proposed by the BCTI.”
Barbara Sapunar (Executive Director of Business Transformation, Nestlé) stated: “Tackling Inequality is a priority for Nestlé Brazil. This is a common cross-sector agenda, and we believe that collaboration to develop and implement actions is the best way to leverage the construction of a world of opportunity for all. As leaders in the food and beverage sector, we understand that contributing to build regenerative food systems is critical to reduce inequality around the world. We are glad to host the roundtable with different stakeholders that can help to accelerate this agenda.”
Marina Grossi (President, CEBDS), commented: "Social inequality is a major impediment to sustainable development. This systemic problem is the responsibility of all of us. The union of different actors around this agenda is fundamental to tackling it, and we congratulate the WBCSD and BCTI for the document and for being taking this discussion to different regions. At CEBDS, we have been working to place social issues among the priorities of Brazilian companies".
For more information and to access the "Tackling Inequality" report in Spanish and Portuguese, please visit https://tacklinginequality.org
