Secretary-General, in Message to Rio+20 Corporate Forum, Says Companies Must

Deliver Value — Not Just Financially, but Environmentally, Ethically

 

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s video message to the Rio+20 Corporate Sustainability Forum, held in Rio de Janeiro 15 June:

Excellencies,

Distinguished guests,

It is a pleasure to welcome you to the Rio+20 Corporate Sustainability Forum.

Next week, world leaders will come to Rio as part of a global movement for change.

You are integral to that momentum.

Corporate sustainability is an idea whose time has come.

You are showing that business is able and willing to lead the way in transforming our society for the better.

I commend your commitment.

I welcome what you are doing — in your boardrooms and factories, in your supply chains and investments.

Your challenge now is to scale up.  Bring your peers on board.  Reach critical mass.

Do everything you can in your considerable spheres of influence.

I want Rio to be a tipping point for corporate sustainability.

We need companies everywhere to deliver value — not just financially, but socially, environmentally and ethically.

This is the quadruple bottom line.

Through your actions and commitments, you can show Governments — and the world — the enormous potential of corporate sustainability.

All the issues on the table in Rio — from energy and climate change to water and food, from fighting corruption to empowering women — should also be prime concerns for responsible business.

I have great hopes that this Forum will inspire more businesses to embrace corporate sustainability, and persuade Governments to do more to support responsible business.

I look forward to the outcomes of this Forum, and the commitments and the partnerships it generates.

Thank you for being part of the future we want.

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For information media • not an official record