Private Sector Leadership Essential to Put Sustainability, Low-Carbon Production ‘On the Ground, for People and Planet’, Secretary-General Tells Business Forum

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the eighth annual Sustainable Development Goals Business Forum, in New York today:

I am pleased to send my greetings to the Sustainable Development Goals Global Business Forum.  Our world is facing challenges on every front:  the climate crisis, conflict, poverty, rising inequalities.  And halfway through 2030, the SDGs [Sustainable Development Goals] are in peril.

We all have a duty to act — to act now and act together.  That is why I have put forward an SDG Stimulus to scale up affordable long-term financing and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.  We need to mobilize much greater support, from biodiversity and environment to education, food systems, digital transition, decent jobs and social protection.

Private sector leadership is essential.  You can put sustainability and low-carbon patterns of production front and centre across business models, supply and value chains.

And you can contribute to accelerating climate action by developing ambitious, credible, and verifiable net-zero plans — in line with the recommendations of my High-Level Expert Group on net-zero pledges, shifting away from fossil fuels and boosting investments in renewable energy, and working with the public sector to improve access to technology and funding for the developing world.

I thank you for your commitment, but I urge you to go further and faster to unlock the full potential of the private sector as a catalyst for sustainable development.

We need every business to join the movement of sustainability reporting and disclosure and creating a culture of accountability and trust and to put pressure on Governments to adopt adequate policies and measures. We need every company to make a difference where it matters most:  on the ground, for people and planet.

2023 must be a turning point.  Leaders must come to the SDG Summit in September and deliver on a rescue plan for people and planet.  Through ambitious action, we can build a more sustainable and inclusive future for all.  Thank you.