KARACHI – The activities of the business community in Pakistan and the initiatives been taken to develop the community of practice embracing UNGC principles and SDGs implementations is commendable. The Thai company and its supply chain operating in Pakistan should develop partnerships with Pakistani companies for learning from each other and exchanging their experiences.”
This was stated by His Excellency Khun Thatree Chauvachata, Consul General of Thailand at Karachi who was speaking as the Chief Guest at the Business Sustainability Moot and Living the Global Compact Sustainability Best Practices Award 2019 organized by United Nations Global Compact Network Pakistan in collaboration with Employers’ Federation of Pakistan at Hotel Marriott Karachi.
The Consul General stated that the initiative of recognizing the companies, demonstrating best practices in implementing UNGC principles and SDGs is highly commendable as it demonstrates how intensively the private sector is involved in playing its pivotal role in helping the Government to achieve the SDGs 2030 target.
He also informed the audience that Thailand attaches great importance to the concept of sustainable development which has long taken roots in the country. Thailand has been guided by Sufficiency Economy Policy (SEP) and the National Commission for Sustainable Development (CSD), chaired by the Prime Minister himself, has undertaken several steps for SDGs implementations including establishing coordinating body for each of the SDGs formulating road maps for all the 17 SDGs. The Chief Guest also stressed upon the need for collaboration between the Global Compact Networks of the two countries for strengthening the Government efforts to achieve the SDGs. He appreciated the role of UN Global Compact Network of Pakistan and Employers’ Federation of Pakistan as the employers’ representative body to provide leadership to the private sector in integrating their efforts for aligning their strategies with SDGs.
Ms. Nuzhat Shirin Chairperson, Sindh Commission on Status of Women, while speaking on this occasion as the Guest of Honor, emphasized upon the need to work on improving the status of rural women in Sindh who were facing serious challenges of survival and livelihood. She further expressed the hope that the private sector can play very significant role in improving the livelihood and employment issues of rural women by encouraging small scale entrepreneurship opportunities which will significantly contribute to improving their status and also alleviating them from ills of poverty.
Mr. Majyd Aziz President Employers’ Federation of Pakistan and South Asian forum of employers (SAFE) in his address on the occasion lauded the efforts of the private sector in responding to the call of UNs in implementing SDGs but stressed upon the need to streamline and disseminate the initiatives and the activates taken by the government in achieving SDGs goals and targets and connect them with the initiatives of the private sector. He said that strong public-private partnerships must be built and encouraged for megaprojects particularly those relating to alleviating poverty and hunger and decent work. He said that there was a need for more extensive involvement of the business sector in the Ehsas and Kamiyab Nojawan programs initiated by the Government of Pakistan. He congratulated the UN Global Compact Network Pakistan for motivating the private sector in aligning their strategies with SDGs and said that it was a matter of pride that the Global Compact Network Pakistan was being hosted and supported by Employers’ Federation of Pakistan in the true spirit with which UNGC was initiated 20 years before in the United Nations.
Earlier, Mr. Ahsanullah Khan, President Global Compact Network Pakistan and Mr. Fasihul Karim Siddiqui, Executive Director Global Compact Network Pakistan, in their remarks highlighted the activities of UN Global Compact Network Pakistan, appreciated the efforts of the business sector in implementing SDGs and expressed the hope that they will move forward to build up this energy and partnership also with the Government so that the Global goals and targets can be achieved. A brief video presentation on the annual activities of the Global Compact Network Pakistan was made by Ms. Nuzhat Jahan.
The Nestle case study on Social Inclusive Approaches by developing Women entrepreneurship: creating shared value was presented by Dr. Mustaghis-ur-Rehman followed by a highly captive presentation by Mr. Sohail Zandani on the topic of Taking Stock: Resetting our Collective Ambitions to deliver on the SDGs.
Presentation on Breakthrough Innovations from Champion Companies where made by Mr. Salman Zakir of PARCO and Ms. Asma of Artistic Milliners Private Limited.
A keynote presentation on Reset Ambition- from CEO to Activist- Adopt the City was made by Mr. Saleem Qureshi CEO HireLabs.
Two highly interactive panel discussion session where moderated by Mr. Zubair Anwer Bawany. The one on the topic of TECH 4 Good – An Insight, an idea was participated by Mr. Faisal Mamsa, Mr. Roger Bayat and Mr. Saquib Ejaz Hussain. The second panel on the topic of The Road to Gender Parity 2030: The Female Quotient was participated by Ms. Uzma AL-Karim, Ms. Fakhira Rizwan and Ms. Hina Khuwaja Bayat.
Later on, Living the Global Compact Best Practices Sustainability Award 2019 were conferred on the winning companies by Ms. Nuzhat Shirin and Mr Ikram Sehgal.
The participants were led by the Chief Guest and the Guests of Honor to walk towards and sign the Pakistan Reshaping the Next Decade Pledge Wall 2030.
The event was followed by the Annual General Meeting of the Global Compact Network Pakistan.
The meeting was concluded by a vote of thanks presented by Mr. Zaki A Khan, Vice President Employers’ Federation of Pakistan and Chief Event Coordinator.
