Business & Industry Group
STATEMENT BUSINESS & INDUSTRY GROUP
MULTI STAKEHOLDER DIALOG NEW YORK 22-25 JUNE 2015
As a formal member of the Swedish delegation for the negotiations of the SDGs, I am honored to be addressing this forum on behalf of the Business and Industry group and the Global Business Alliance for Post-2015.
I am also honored to be speaking, not only on behalf of my company, Sandvik, but also for 22 other Swedish companies and 3 expert organizations in the Swedish Leadership for Sustainable Development (SLSD), initiated and facilitated by the Swedish development cooperation agency (Sida), together we represent over 50% of the Swedish GDP.
We promote the sustainable development agenda in a number of capacities; as a part of everyday life in the societies in which we operate; as a supplier or customer of goods & services; as a provider of employments; as well as by a source of economic development, know-how and experience. We thereby recognize and possess the capacity to take a leading role in transforming the world towards a more sustainable future.
We are committed to developing quality products and services, not only of commercial value, but with a positive impact on societies and people in all countries throughout our value chains. We do this because it is good for our business and that is why sustainability will remain a priority over the long term.
The SLSD is comprised of a large number of companies from various sectors (food, textile, industry, telecom, finance and more) as well as three expert organizations. Areas of specific focus include:
- SDG 2 relating to local food value chains.
- SGD 5 and 8 in promoting equal opportunities for decent and rewarding work environments
- SDG 12 by systematically promoting the concept of a circular economy, minimizing negative environmental impacts, reducing GHG emissions, and creating higher efficiency in the use of natural resources.
- SDG 16 by fighting against corruption and unethical business methods in countries where we operate. In this regard we sent a joint letter to the UN OWG stating the importance of fighting corruption, we also suggested a wording for such a target. We note with pleasure two targets in the Zero draft that reflect our views, namely:
• substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all it’s forms; and
• develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.
- SDG 17 looking to work in partnership with other private sector actors, the public sector, academia and civil society.
Everybody benefits from cooperation in reaching sustainable development. However this cooperation needs to benefit all parties alike, including business. We are often the actors that ultimately implement the decisions made at these forums and so our voice in ensuring that the goals, targets and indicators are feasible and constructive is crucial.
It is in our core businesses that our major contributions to sustainable development lay not only in philanthropic efforts. This process should recognize the growing impact of sustainable development in our core business plans and strategies. It is this facet that will ultimately determine the eventual success of the SDGs over the next generation.
An effective follow-up and review regime will be one of the key building blocks in developing a truly new agenda for global action. One of the success stories has been the exponential growth of companies and businesses over the last 20 years that are committed to annual and public reporting on their contributions to sustainable development. We are open to exploring next steps in that regard, in particular looking at how businesses’ contribution can be most effectively integrated in the reporting and monitoring of progress of the SGDs.
MULTI STAKEHOLDER DIALOG NEW YORK 22-25 JUNE 2015
As a formal member of the Swedish delegation for the negotiations of the SDGs, I am honored to be addressing this forum on behalf of the Business and Industry group and the Global Business Alliance for Post-2015.
I am also honored to be speaking, not only on behalf of my company, Sandvik, but also for 22 other Swedish companies and 3 expert organizations in the Swedish Leadership for Sustainable Development (SLSD), initiated and facilitated by the Swedish development cooperation agency (Sida), together we represent over 50% of the Swedish GDP.
We promote the sustainable development agenda in a number of capacities; as a part of everyday life in the societies in which we operate; as a supplier or customer of goods & services; as a provider of employments; as well as by a source of economic development, know-how and experience. We thereby recognize and possess the capacity to take a leading role in transforming the world towards a more sustainable future.
We are committed to developing quality products and services, not only of commercial value, but with a positive impact on societies and people in all countries throughout our value chains. We do this because it is good for our business and that is why sustainability will remain a priority over the long term.
The SLSD is comprised of a large number of companies from various sectors (food, textile, industry, telecom, finance and more) as well as three expert organizations. Areas of specific focus include:
- SDG 2 relating to local food value chains.
- SGD 5 and 8 in promoting equal opportunities for decent and rewarding work environments
- SDG 12 by systematically promoting the concept of a circular economy, minimizing negative environmental impacts, reducing GHG emissions, and creating higher efficiency in the use of natural resources.
- SDG 16 by fighting against corruption and unethical business methods in countries where we operate. In this regard we sent a joint letter to the UN OWG stating the importance of fighting corruption, we also suggested a wording for such a target. We note with pleasure two targets in the Zero draft that reflect our views, namely:
• substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all it’s forms; and
• develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.
- SDG 17 looking to work in partnership with other private sector actors, the public sector, academia and civil society.
Everybody benefits from cooperation in reaching sustainable development. However this cooperation needs to benefit all parties alike, including business. We are often the actors that ultimately implement the decisions made at these forums and so our voice in ensuring that the goals, targets and indicators are feasible and constructive is crucial.
It is in our core businesses that our major contributions to sustainable development lay not only in philanthropic efforts. This process should recognize the growing impact of sustainable development in our core business plans and strategies. It is this facet that will ultimately determine the eventual success of the SDGs over the next generation.
An effective follow-up and review regime will be one of the key building blocks in developing a truly new agenda for global action. One of the success stories has been the exponential growth of companies and businesses over the last 20 years that are committed to annual and public reporting on their contributions to sustainable development. We are open to exploring next steps in that regard, in particular looking at how businesses’ contribution can be most effectively integrated in the reporting and monitoring of progress of the SGDs.