On the first day of the UN General Assembly High-Level Week, the annual Private Sector Forum was organized by the UN Global Compact, the International Chamber of Commerce, and the UN DESA in collaboration with other supporting partners, invited heads of states, government, CEOs, and UN leaders in discussing how the private sector can collaborate to expedite the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This year’s Forum featured the theme of “Mobilizing Business Ambition and Investments Towards the Sustainable Development Goals”. Government and business leaders in attendance made commitments to invest in actions that would drive progress towards achieving the SDGs by 2030, while also creating business growth opportunities.
The Forum commenced with remarks from the UN Secretary-General, H. E. António Guterres, urging business leaders to prioritize sustainable development across their operations, supply chains, and investments, emphasizing that sustainable practices are essential for a better future.
Throughout the Forum, discussion focused on the findings from a stocktake study by the UN Global Compact in collaboration with other organizations, showcasing how real investments in five areas, namely living wage, gender equality, climate action, water action, and sustainable finance, can make significant contributions to the SDGs. These five areas of actions were translated into an initiative launched by the UN Global Compact during the Forum called “Forward Faster Initiative” aimed at catalyzing progress towards the SDGs by guiding companies on where they can make the biggest, fastest impact before 2030. The Assistant Secretary-General and the CEO of the UN Global Compact, Sanda Ojiambo, noted that an increasing number of companies are embracing this principle-based approach to sustainability, recognizing that it builds more resilient and shock-resistant businesses essential for a sustainable future. Among early adopters of the Forward Faster Initiative is PT Austindo Nusantara Jaya Tbk from Indonesia who will publicly declare their commitments and highlight the actions they will undertake to meet the climate action targets and report on progress annually to the UN Global Compact.
The event also featured interactive dialogues where attendees discussed the barriers preventing substantial progress on the SDGs by 2030 and explored strategies to significantly scale up investments.
W. Junardy, the IGCN President and Josephine Satyono, the IGCN Executive Director were among the participants, representing Indonesian business community and development organizations.
Check out the recording of the full session here.
