4 October 2012: Business Action for Sustainable Development 2012 (BASD 2012) has published a white paper highlighting priority actions for business and government to ensure that efforts in the follow-up of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20) lead to progress toward sustainable development on a broad scale. The priority actions are grouped as: innovate, lead and invest.

According to the UN Global Compact ,which announced the publication on 4 October 2012, the paper represents the final recommendations from the Business & Industry Major Group to Rio+20, and is culmination of BASD’s two-year collaboration.

First, the paper underscores the role of innovation, by collaborating to develop and deploy new solutions for sustainable development. It notes that the business community is equipped to scale up innovation and deliver sustainability solutions. Second, it highlights leadership, emphasizing that business leaders must continue to engage with global leaders to act together as positive forces for global sustainability. Finally, the paper underscores the role of investment , noting that private capital is likely to be the primary driver of investment in sustainable development, especially in new technologies.

BASD 2012 was convened by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and the UN Global Compact, to provide business leaders a unified platform from which to contribute to Rio+20. [Publication: A Sustainable Path Forward: Business Perspectives on Rio+20] [UN Global Compact Press Release]