London and Geneva, 18 May 2018: Agreed upon unanimously by UN member states in September 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set out a framework of 17 Goals to tackle the world’s most pressing social, economic, and environmental challenges. Meaningful action by business, the engine of economic growth and employment and a key source of finance, technology and innovation, is crucial to achieve action at scale in support of the SDGs. Effective strategic integration of the SDG agenda can help business unlock potentially historic market opportunities, manage operational and regulatory risks and build an enduring license to operate.
Encouragingly, a newly published Ethical Corporation report finds that 69% of its global corporate audience have indicated that their business is working to integrate the SDGs into business strategy. However, the same report also highlights many challenges that companies are facing in this regard.
WBCSD is engaged in a series of activities to support business in the integration of the SDGs, including through resources such as its CEO Guide to the SDGs, the SDG Business Hub, and the recent release of guidelines to align industry sectors around the SDGs agenda. This June, as part of the Responsible Business Summit Europe, WBCSD will join fellow expert peers and sustainable business professionals to share tools, strategies and ideas for companies to fully leverage the SDGs within business operations and unlock market opportunities. Their expertise will be shared across the following two sessions:
13 June 2018, 8.40-9.30 -SDG Keynote: Activating the SDGs as the driver for future strategy
- Speakers include:
- Lise Kingo, CEO and Executive Director, United Nations Global Compact
- Filippo Veglio, Managing Director, WBCSD
- Jorge Laguna-Celis, Director, Governance Affairs Office and Private Sector Relations, UN Environment
- Pedro Ortún, Active Senior Advisor CSR-SDGs, European Commission
13 June 2018, 16.15-17.45 - SDG Workshop: Integrating the Goals across business operations
- Speakers include:
- James Gomme, Director, Sustainable Development Goals, WBCSD
- Martijn Lampert, Research Director, Glocalities
- Aris Vrettos, Programme Director, Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership
- Frances Lu, Sustainability Manager, Maersk
“Achieving the SDGs and harnessing the potential that they represent is a complex task which is ultimately beyond the reach of any one organization. WBCSD is working to catalyze pioneering collaborations to drive the systemic transformations that will advance the SDG agenda. In this context we look forward to engaging with a wide range of sustainable business leaders at the Responsible Business Summit Europe and exploring further opportunities to support business in maximizing its potential to realize the ambitions of the SDGs”, says Filippo Veglio, Managing Director at WBCSD.
“We are delighted to continue our partnership with WBCSD and share their expertise at our events and through our monthly magazine. Their insights will help our community continue to accelerate the transformative impacts and collaborations that’s required to meet the Goals ahead,” explains Liam Dowd, managing director at Ethical Corporation.
As part of the partnership WBCSD members benefit from a 10% discount on attendance to all Ethical Corporation events and Subscriptions.
