Eh, Sustainable Development? That's not in my JD.

We’ve had forgo Sustainable Growth, and have chosen Sustainable Development as the agenda. We have drafted 17 Global Goals. 193 countries have agreed on their commitments in achieving these goals. The goals have been entrusted to deliver sustainable development, development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Ambitious! To be achieved by 2030.

Deciphering this further, putting in my own words, sustainable development is a concept which calls for integration of social, environmental and economic (not limited to finance) elements and improvements, in whatever you are up to.

Can a Makcik selling pisang goreng (banana fritters) be sustainable? And, when can she call her business, sustainable? Does she needs to meet all the targets of 17 UN defined sustainable development goals? NO.

She can be a sustainable business if, she simply:

1. Buys overripe bananas that won’t fetch a price in the market anymore (saving it from landfill), from the local farmer in her neighbourhood (reducing carbon footprint)
2. Uses fair trade oil and flour to fry the bananas (ensuring her suppliers a good lifelihood)
3. Does not throw her cooking oil into the drain, but manages it properly (safeguarding her rivers)
4. Pays anyone that works with her fairly (equal pay for equal work)
5. Composts her food waste (returning the nutrients to the earth - circular economy)
6. Only serves in reusable containers, which she reuses again or only sells to those that has brought their own containers (avoids one-time use plastic and being resource efficient)

Are all these possible, practical and feasible? Yes!

Is sustainable development a task too big, that it can only be comprehended by intergovernmental organizations, national governments and multinational corporations?

I don’t think so. Each one of us can find our role within this global agenda and start contributing.