Secretary-General Calls Good Business Principles ‘Blueprint’ for Sustainable Development, Human Rights, Spotlighting Complexities of COVID-19 Pandemic

Following is the text of UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s video message to the virtual conference “Roadmap for Recovery:  Business and the Sustainable Development Goals”, held today:

I send my warmest wishes to the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the United Nations Global Goals.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made our efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals even more complex and challenging.  An estimated 131 million more people have been pushed into extreme poverty and hunger.  Some 1.6 billion people have lost their livelihoods so far — with women, young people and the informal economy among the hardest hit.  We must turn things around.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development underlines the important role of the private sector, from microenterprises to cooperatives to multinationals, in achieving the global Goals.  The private, public and government sectors must work together if we are to reap the greatest benefits.

The [United Nations] Global Compact’s Ten Principles on human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption are a blueprint for the private sector to achieve the Goals.  As businesses bring the Ten Principles to life, we see increased commitments towards carbon neutrality, sustainable and renewable investments, decent working conditions, the decarbonization of asset portfolios and respect for human rights.

Businesses are not only doing the right thing by basing their operations on these principles; they are encouraging Governments to do the same.

The [Sustainable Development Goals] Business Forum is organized every September, in connection with the General Assembly high-level week, as an opportunity for the private sector, Governments and other key stakeholders to discuss these important issues.  I welcome your active engagement this year.

The recovery from COVID-19 is an opportunity to reinvigorate the Decade of Action for the global Goals.  Let’s work together and scale up the contributions of the business community to build a strong, inclusive and sustainable recovery for all.