Thrust on inclusive participation of corporates and effective pvt sector engagement

3rd sustainability practitioner confce held in Indonesia

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FE Desk | Published: January 07, 2019 00:12:54 | Updated: January 07, 2019 00:19:33

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Experts in an international seminar on SDG in Indonesia recently while identifying the most influential parts for the success of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) put thrust on concerted efforts from government, inclusive participation of corporates and effective private sector engagement.
Private Sector Engagement (PSE) has been the key among the challenges to the implementation strategies towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals as stated by the speakers in the 3rd Sustainability Practitioner Conference (SPC) 2018 held recently at Lampung, Indonesia.
The SPC 2018 was organised by National Center for Sustainability Reporting (NCSR) and Institute of Certified Sustainability Practitioners (ICSP), Indonesia. It's the third year NCSR have been holding this event, and the theme was "Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): From Global to Local Implications", in order to support the SDGs agenda in the Asian Region.
In the plenary session Bangladesh perspective was presented by Md. Touhidul Alam Khan, FCMA, CSRA, Deputy Managing Director & Chief Business Officer and Head of Sustainability Reporting Committee (SRC), Prime Bank Limited. Mr. Khan, also the member of scientific committee of International Sustainable Development Conference (SDC)-2019, focused on Voluntary National Review (VNR) of SDGs of Bangladesh as the country has participated in the Voluntary National Review (VNR) of SDGs in 2017. The focus of the report is where we are in implementing Agenda 2030 comprising 7 Goals: Goal 1 (Poverty); Goal 2 (Hunger); Goal 3 (Health); Goal 5 (Gender); Goal 9 (Infrastructure); Goal 14 (Life under water); Goal 17 (Means of implementation)-have been reviewed. According to the speaker the Government of Bangladesh has adopted "Whole of Society" approach to ensure wider participation of NGOs (non-government organizations'), development partners, private sector, media and CSOs (civil society organizations') in the process of formulation of the Action Plan and implementation of the SDGs. To spearhead the process, 'SDGs Implementation and Monitoring Committee' has been formed at the Prime Minister's Office to facilitate and implementation of SDGs Action Plan. On 17th July 2017, Planning Minister led delegation of Bangladesh presented the VNR to HLPF at the UN head quarters in New York.
The Implementation strategies of the Government of Bangladesh towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals includes mapping of ministries, data gap analysis, National Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Framework, Needs Assessment and Financing Strategy and Assimilation of SDGs targets in Performance Agreement. Towards achieving SDGs Bangladesh Bank i.e. central bank of Bangladesh as the regulatory authority of financial sector has already developed its own SDGs target mapping towards its implementation since 50 SDGs targets among 169 targets which are directly or indirectly interlinked with Bangladesh Bank's activities. According to 'Financing Strategy for SDGs (Addis Ababa Action Agenda), private sector financing carries significant role in implementing SDGs. Bangladesh Bank has adopted pro-poor, inclusive and sustainable monetary policies, agricultural and SME credit policies and programs which direct sustainable credit flow for need based beneficiaries. Bangladesh Bank has developed mobile financial services, agent banking, financial literacy and school banking and strengthened consumer protection in banking which have broaden the access to the financial services with new technology. However, Mr. Khan still sees challenges ahead like Resource Mobilization, Stakeholders' Engagement especially Private Sector Engagement, Data Availability and Management and Localization of SDGs.
The plenary session was attended by both academicians and company representatives from different industries in Asian countries. All the members of plenary sessions were the alumni of Certified Sustainability Reporting Specialist (CSRS) and Certified Sustainability Reporting Assurer (CSRA), and other participants from the province of Lampung. The speakers shared their insight into the implementation of SDGs in the respective countries.
The conference consisted of two workshop topics intended to provide more in-depth knowledge to participants regarding the development of sustainability programs that are applied in the business scope along with a Plenary Session delivered by experts from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Bangladesh in their fields 'Highlighting Implementation and Achieving Sustainable Development Goals', Corporate Talks on SDGs to discuss the role of the corporation up to now in an effort to support the achievement of the SDGs and finally Research Findings on SDGs to deliver the results of research on sustainability aspects in practice.
While addressing the plenary session regarding the SDGs in terms of Indonesia Prof. Eko Ganis Sukoharsono Ph.D., CSRA also the Chairman of ICSP put light on the word sustainability that has become more important because of sustainability goals that was used by NCSR long before.
Ms. Amarjit Kaur, CSRS, Shemsi Sdn Bhd, believes that in Malaysia there is still work to be done regarding sustainability reporting as this time SDGs are little bit different from MDGs because SDGs needs to develop the private sector. In Malaysia, according to the speaker, SDGs have been taken on board in the government's 10 years economic plans and having plan to cascade it down and monitor with positive and negative feedback since with the changes of government the focuses have also been shifted towards conservation of natural resources, energy and now there is also need to change the law.