SDGs at the center of the action: from New York to Portugal to CATóLICA-LISBON
Center for Responsible Business and Leadership @ CATóLICA-LISBON
Our purpose is to contribute to a society where we only have Responsible Businesses led by Responsible Leaders.
The biggest Sustainable Development event of the year – the SDG Summit?– took place last week, on the 18th and 19th of September, at the United Nations headquarters in New York. The Summit gathered high-level representatives of governments and stakeholders to review progress, examine barriers, exchange best practices, and recommend new actions to achieve the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs. It also marked the beginning of a new phase to accelerate the progress and implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
An alarming aspect highlighted at the Summit is that there has been no significant progress in the SDGs development over the last year, mostly due to the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, the increase in migration, and the financial problems several markets face. According to the UN, one in three countries is at significant risk of a financial crisis, and 40% of the population lives in extreme poverty. One of the main objectives identified during the SDG Summit is to eliminate the barrier between "rich" and "poor," and it was mentioned that there is currently a window of opportunity to act in this direction.
The integrated nature of the SDGs requires a global response. Right now, only 15% to 18% of the 169 SDG targets appear to be on a good track to be achieved. According to António Guterres, "Now is the time to lift the declaration's words off the page and invest in development at scale like never before," he?said. This means world leaders must transform their commitments into action, emphasizing strengthening support in different areas such as energy, digitalization, education, social protection, employment, biodiversity, and food. The commitment to multilateralism and cooperation was reiterated. By working together, countries and other players have better ways to implement the necessary policies and solutions towards the 2030 Agenda.
The Summit took place halfway between the creation of the Goals in 2015 and the 2030 milestone. It reaffirmed the scope and purpose of the 2030 Agenda as the Universal framework for economic, social, and environmental prosperity. It emphasized the importance of debating this theme, finding new solutions, and ensuring it is on every country's agenda, future discussions, and policies.
In the words of UN Secretary-General António Guterres: "Together, we must turn this moment of crisis into a moment of opportunity, find financial solutions to rebuild global solidarity, and drive sustainable development and climate action."
That is the context in which Portugal, for the first time, celebrates its National Sustainability Day, on September 25th. The country is the first to have an official day dedicated to celebrating Sustainability.
The National Sustainability Day was established in June 2023 through the publication of Resolution of the Council of Ministers No. 56/2023, and has a symbolic meaning: it is the same day on which, in 2015, the United Nations adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
According to the Resolution, "Sustainability is a global goal, but, above all, requires local action. It is essential to bring to the national agenda the commitment that Portugal has in this matter. In this context, National Sustainability Day is established, an initiative of vital relevance for disseminating information, promoting knowledge, and training all social actors for the conscious change of behaviors with transformative potential for a sustainable future".
This celebration serves as a powerful beacon for sustainability efforts globally. By dedicating a specific day to Sustainability, the country raises public awareness, fosters collective action, and demonstrates international leadership in addressing pressing environmental and social challenges.
This initiative encourages responsible leadership throughout different institutions and clarifies Portugal's alignment with the global commitment to achieve the 2030 Agenda. It showcases the country's dedication to a more sustainable and equitable future while inspiring other nations to follow suit.
To celebrate, the CRB is organizing a business challenge for masters and undergraduate students to promote sustainable practices in music festivals - in partnership with Rock in Rio and MEO Kalorama - and a debate panel with sustainability representatives from Nestlé, PwC, and Siemens. These initiatives aim to promote students' awareness and incentivize them to choose a purposeful career and thrive as Responsible Leaders.
The Center will also be present at the ?International Conference: ESG Strategy for Export-Driven SMEs? at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, in which our Deputy Director, Filipa Pires de Almeida, will moderate a roundtable discussion about ESG – Self-evaluation, reporting, and performance communication tools with representatives from BCSD Portugal, UN Global Compact Network Portugal, Mastercard, Associa??o Business Roundtable Portugal, GeSi, INOVAR+2.0, NERVIR and NERBA. More information here.?
Have a great and impactful week!
Natália Cantarino , Researcher at the Center for Responsible Business & Leadership?