9 November 2015
Business Forum Calls for Scaling up PPPs to Achieve SDGs
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The Asia-Pacific Business Forum (APBF) convened under the theme, 'Driving Growth and Sustainability through Business.' In his keynote address to the Forum, Don Pramudwinai, Thailand's Minister of Foreign Affairs, said entrepreneurs must operate businesses of high social value in order to remain sustainably competitive, while UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Executive Secretary Shamshad Akhtar called for scaling up public-private partnerships (PPPs) for achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

APBF3 November 2015: The Asia-Pacific Business Forum (APBF) convened under the theme, ‘Driving Growth and Sustainability through Business.’ In his keynote address to the Forum, Don Pramudwinai, Thailand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, said entrepreneurs must operate businesses of high social value in order to remain sustainably competitive, while UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Executive Secretary Shamshad Akhtar called for scaling up public-private partnerships (PPPs) for achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

APBF 2015, the 12th meeting of the Forum, took place in Bangkok, Thailand from 2-3 November 2015, and brought together more than 300 representatives of business, government and civil society, including government ministers and CEOs.

The Forum is a regional multi-stakeholder network, launched in 2004 to provide a platform for dialogue on the role and needs of business in achieving inclusive, resilient and sustainable development. The 2015 Forum was organized by ESCAP’s Secretariat, Business Advisory Council (EBAC) and Sustainable Business Network (SBN), with support from the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), the International Labour Organization (ILO), and several national trade and industry bodies. The SBN was established under EBAC with eight task forces on themes including green business, disaster risk reduction (DRR), the digital economy, and Pacific issues. Policy recommendations from APBF discussions are presented to the ESCAP Committee on Trade and Investment, and to the Commission, ESCAP’s highest legislative body.

Opening the Forum, Akhtar praised the expertise of the private sector in managing risks and fostering competitiveness and innovation. She called on businesses to integrate inclusivity and sustainability into their core values as the international community begins to implement the SDGs. She also emphasized that businesses can drive “long-term value creation” for shareholders and stakeholders by developing business models, systems, processes and production chains that manage the economic, social and environmental dimensions in a balanced manner.

Delegates took part in plenary discussions on: the new regional economic order; the new regional financial order; harnessing entrepreneurship, technology and innovation for sustainable development; and sustainable business in the Asia-Pacific region. They also heard an OECD/ILO presentation on ‘Responsible Business in Global Supply Chains.’

The SBN also launched a book at the Forum, titled ‘Resilient Business for Resilient Nations and Communities,’ which highlights best practices in strengthening business disaster risk resilience and management.

Several meetings took place immediately ahead of the APBF, including meetings of various ESBN task forces. [ESCAP Press Release] [APBF Website] [Meeting Agenda] [EBAC] [SBN Information]

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