At 11:00 pm EST, the U.N. Global Compact Leaders Summit opened its panel for, “Uniting Business: Sustainability in ASEAN”. The opening speeches were guided by Nuttapong Namsirikul, Master of Ceremonies.
Presenters for the upcoming panels included Ruenvadee Suwanmongkol (Securities and Exchange Commission, Thailand), Lee George Lam
(ESCAP Sustainable Business Network), H.E. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana (ESCAP), Noppadol Dej-Udom
(Charoen Pokphand Group Company Limited), and Sanda Ojiambo, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations Global Compact).
This portion of the summit was broadcasted live from Bangkok and made available for live stream from platform 1 of the digital event.
Following an initial introduction by Namsirikul, Alisjahnaa led the panel in opening comments.
“We are meeting at a critical juncture as countries gradually open their borders and release restrictions that were put in place due to the pandemic,” she begins.
“While climate change may have fallen out of the public eye during the most challenging parts of the pandemic, it did not disappear.”
Alisjahnaa outlined a three-pronged approach to tackle challenges and improve sustainable development. These are the embracing of transformational change by the private sector to decarbonize operations, for micro, small, and medium enterprises to contribute to sustainable development opportunities, and for more companies to adopt the Asia Pacific Green Deal to improve economically sustainable businesses in the region.
Ojiambo joined the conference virtually.
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“The role of this ASEAN session is to convene key stakeholders, to measure progress towards the SDGs in Southeast Asia, to address gaps in knowledge, as well as resources and funding, to identify opportunities for meaningful partnerships, and to build upon the global network of leaders that are so committed to driving ambition, and action on the SDGs,” Assistant Secretary-General Ojiambo explained.
She was followed by Noppadol Dej-Udom.
“The ongoing COVID pandemic, the conflict in Ukraine, intensifying impacts of climate change, rising inflation during my energy, and commodities prices. All this and more seems like a perfect storm of crisis that we must face all at once. But they can also serve as a wake-up call, a preview to what might happen if we fail to act on vital sustainability issues,” he warned.
Dej-Udom focused on the major changes Thailand has made to improve sustainability, including reducing marine plastic waste pollution.
Suwanmongkol then took the stage to address the audience, shining a light on Thailand’s role in a sustainable tomorrow.
“With an aim to enhance competitiveness, ensure inclusiveness and strengthen trust and confidence in the Thai capital market, we are willing to drive our effort to ensure that the capital market is the key engine are the catalysts in restructuring digitization with high economy,” she explains.
“I believe that taking the USDA principle into consideration, as well as an effective coordination among governments, private sector, civil society, and the public sector will be crucial driving our future sustainable economic growth, allowing the world to review better and meet the SDG goals by 2030.”
Suwanmongkol set the stage for this panel’s final speaker, Lee George Lam.
“I appeal for captains of industry and major companies across the industry. take the lead in working with governments to implement SDG 17. Together successfully, time is of the essence. And we need to unite business and mobilize business for achieving a sustainable and inclusive future for all of us,” Lam said, concluding this portion of the panel.
The panel was followed by “SDG Ambition: Mobilizing Ambitious Corporate Actions Towards the Global Goals,” at 11:30 pm EST.