UN Global Compact Leaders Summit: sustainable recovery trough SDGs

The UN Global Compact Leaders Summit took place on June 15-16 with the aim of bringing together thousands of leaders to decide how business can support countries and communities around the world to recover better, recover stronger, and recover together from three global crises – health, inequality and climate.

The United Nations Global Compact is celebrating 20 years of uniting business for a better world. Launched in 2000, the UN Global compact was initiated to bring business and the United Nations together to give a human face to the global market.

This virtual event led voices from Business, Government, the United Nations, Civil Society and Academia for a 26-hour conversation about how we can rebuild more inclusive economies and societies to set a new course for a socially just, low-carbon and climate resilient world, where no one is left behind.

Bioazul is signatory of the UN Global Compact and attended virtually to the Leaders Summit under the motto Recover Better, Recover Stronger, Recover Together. The event, which had more than 11,000 attendees, highlighted the importance of promoting and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Another of the main highlighted issues was the importance of collaboration between SMEs and large companies to create synergies. In addition, great emphasis was placed on the sustainable recovery of companies in the face of the COVID-19 crisis.

Some of the most remarkable sessions during this event were:

UNITE FOR WATER RESILIENCE: COVID-19 LAID BARE THE FRAGILITY AND INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF OUR SYSTEMS

This session focused on the critical role that businesses can play, working in collaboration with others, to build resilient water systems that enable access to water so critical for good hygiene during this time of pandemic and can respond to the major impacts that climate change will have on this vital resource. Ithighlighted the Water Resilience Coalition’s role in bringing.

#TARGETGENDEREQUALITY – PATHWAYS TO PARITY

Research shows that gender balanced teams make better decisions. Yet women remain under-represented in decision making roles worldwide and across all levels of business and government, including the United Nations. As the world confronts a multitude of challenges – from the economic, social and health impacts of COVID-19, to the impeding threat of climate change – the inclusion of women’s perspectives, innovation and leadership has never been more important.

This roundtable session highlighted winning strategies and practical actions to effectively Target Gender Equality. While the barriers to inclusion are undeniably multifaceted and complex, this session brought together experts and leaders from across sectors and geographies to share what is working and promising pathways to progress.

Bioazul is participating, together with other 36 Spanish companies, in the programme Target Gender Equality to set and reach ambitious corporate targets for women’s representation and leadership.

SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES POST COVID19: LATIN AMERICA AND THE AMAZONIA CASE

This session gave light to the social and environmental aspects ofCovid19 impacts in LAC and in Amazonia Region, providing inputs on how the private sector, UN and Governments can address the main challenges on people and planet. The debate reflected on how this crisis is affecting the most vulnerable population in the region and provided insights to a possible roadmap to the economic recovering in LAC and Amazonia Region focus on tacking inequality and the climate emergency.

HUMAN RIGHTS AND BUSINESS: THE PATH TO 2030

The aim of this session was to raise awareness about Business and Human Rights and the importance for European companies to work in this area, identifying and mitigating their negative social impacts along their value chain.Through this session the UNGC’s approach on Human Rights and the initiatives being implemented by European local networks in this area were shared. Furthermore, the work of companies in our region in Human Rights, always considering the framework of the UN Guiding Principles and the Sustainable Development Goals was highlighted.