The United Nations Global Compact has launched the SDG Ambition program, a groundbreaking initiative designed to expedite the integration of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into the strategic and operational activities of businesses.
This ambitious educational course, spanning six months and crafted by UN experts and partners, marks the first dedicated educational track for Central Asia. Open to companies from Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, the program will be conducted in Russian and is set to commence in October. Notably, it is free for UN Global Compact participants and offers comprehensive support in Russian, Kazakh, and Uzbek languages.
As per the UN Global Compact's 2000-2020 Progress Report, nearly 84% of its almost 20,000 member companies are taking steps to achieve the SDGs. However, less than half of these companies have successfully integrated the SDGs into their core business activities, and only 37% possess the necessary support tools to realize these goals.
The report also underscores the significance of measuring the impact of actions taken toward the SDGs. Alarmingly, only 57% of companies measure the effects of their actions on the SDGs, and merely 13% extend this assessment to their suppliers and partners.
Dinara Seijaparova, UN Global Compact Coordinator in Kazakhstan, highlighted the program's importance for Kazakh companies, stating;
"The SDGs represent a vast market, estimated at $12 trillion, but not all companies are aware of how to capitalize on these opportunities. The accelerator program will assist companies in integrating the SDGs into their operations, ultimately improving their financial performance."
Currently, 22 companies from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have already registered for the program. Shokhrukh Pulatov, UN Global Compact Coordinator in Uzbekistan, expressed his confidence in the program's pivotal role in achieving the SDGs in Uzbekistan, stating;
"It will provide innovative approaches and strategies to accelerate progress, enabling Uzbek companies to become agents of change and contribute to the country's sustainable future."
The SDG Ambition Accelerator will also be launched in 36 other countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Portugal, Serbia, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States, Uruguay, and numerous others.
Interested participants can submit their applications online through the program's official website, with an application deadline set for September 30.
The United Nations Global Compact, established in 2000, stands as the world's largest corporate sustainability initiative. It urges companies to align their strategies and operations with the Ten Universal Principles regarding Human Rights, Labor, Environment, and Anti-Corruption, while promoting the SDGs. The Global Compact brings together over 21,000 businesses and nearly 3,000 non-profit organizations from more than 165 countries, solidifying its role as a driving force behind sustainable business practices worldwide.
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