Sustainable Development Goals − How Can the Private Sector Help?
By Michael McManus
In late September, over 14,000 private and public sector individuals flocked to New York to attend the annual meeting of the UN General Assembly (UNGA). High on the agenda was a review of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Agreed as a collective means to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all, the SDGs form part of a broader sustainable development agenda with each goal having a specific target to be reached over the next 15 years.
There was a significant focus this year on the integral role that the private sector has to play in the delivery of the SDGs, and to encourage further private sector action the UN commissioned a study to identify 17 private sector companies driving change against each of the goals. The report, Spaceship Earth, concludes the scale of the challenge requires urgent action and the business community will play a vital role in achieving this. Highlighted in the report are several companies innovating and adjusting their business models to fit the SDGs including Siemens and Symantec. Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) was also honored to been named within the report as helping to deliver against SDG number 15, Life on Land.
Michael McManus is vice president, government and corporate affairs as well as stakeholder relations in North America for Asia Pulp and Paper Group (APP).
