“100 entrepreneurs want more urgency with regard to the SDG approach”

“100 entrepreneurs want more urgency with regard to the SDG approach”

100 entrepreneurs wantmore urgency around the SDG approach

During a practical workshop led by deputy crown member SER Steven van Eijck in the Malietoren, about 100 entrepreneurs were briefed on how to make a profit, prevent negative CSR effects and realize a positive impact on the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals). to go. The occassion was the SER advisory report “Seizing opportunities and managing risks” about an integrated SDG CSR approach.

 

According to former SDG Coordinator Hugo von Meijenfeldt, the SER has now brought the initially opposing worlds of CSR and SDGs together in one system. O.a. Karen Maas, scientific director of Impact Center Erasmus and Peter Paul van de Wijs of GRI indicated that the urgency is high to get started better with this integrated approach in the Netherlands. If we continue in this way, we simply will not achieve the sustainable development goals. And it is not difficult; There are numerous tools that are helpful in determining the impact, it’s a matter of starting.

Workshop overview
Global Compact NL
SDGs IMVO
Workshop GCNL
workshop SDGs & IMVO

This development must also be reflected more strongly in the way in which companies report; For example, Karen Maas explained that 83% of the market value consists of “intangibles”, on which the reporting should focus more. According to Van de Wijs, there are many opportunities for companies in such an integrated approach to SDGs with CSR: from the point of view of risk management, an opportunity agenda of € 12 trillion per year and because of access to capital.

The companies Royal Lemkes and Yongo Europe demonstrated in practical terms how you can make the SDGs take a more central place in your business operations. For example, they have learned not to shift responsibility to suppliers or customers, but to enter into long-term relationships and manage themselves to limit risks and increase SDG impact. The call was made as an entrepreneur to ask other people about the impact of their organization instead of telling the I story. In this way you involve the stakeholders in your business.

The business community present was prepared to increase the degree of urgency and to get started with, among other things, sustainability reporting, impact measurement and collective initiatives that are helpful, such as the IMVO covenants.

However, it is also up to the government. The companies argue for a better sustainable procurement policy, a higher level of knowledge among buyers and an integrated government vision and management. With only 10 years ahead to reach the SDGs, all commitment from the business community, but also more government control, is needed.

Partners at this event VNO-NCW, MKB-Nederland, Global Compact Network Netherlands, SDG Nederland, MVO Nederland, RVO and the SER join forces to help these entrepreneurs accelerate on the SDG agenda. With combined forces they will support SMEs, who no longer always see the forest with the amount of measuring instruments through the trees.

Global Compact Network Netherlands searches for professionals committed to advancing the SDGs.

Global Compact Network Netherlands searches for professionals committed to advancing the SDGs.

Global Compact Network Netherlands searches for professionals committed to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals .

As part of the 2020 UN Global Compact SDG Pioneers programme, Global Compact Network Netherlands today launched its national search for professionals who are committed to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals. After a professonal selection process, the winner will be recognized as the Global Compact Network Netherlands SDG Pioneer and can become a winner in the global search of SDG Pioneers. He or she will be recognized during the 2020 UN General Assembly in September in New York.

In 2020, the UN Global Compact will recognize a new class of SDG Pioneers who are setting ambitious SDG targets, scale and impact across their companies through a principles-based approach.

Read more about the

SDG Pioneers program &

sign up!

Read more

Global Compact Network Netherlands welcomes the companies who take part in the UN Global Compact to nominate their employees to the programme and later on to join them during the recognition.

“Leadership in the 2030 era requires change agents. Change agents don’t sit around waiting for the future to happen. They create it. They do not choose the path of least resistance. They stay the course, also when they are ridiculed or fought. In the end — they win. They have the future on their side” says Lise Kingo, CEO & Executive Director of the UN Global Compact.

“With less than 4000 days to go we need more business effort on the SDG 2030 agenda. With the SDG Pioneers Programme we would like to put people in the spotlights who are making an impressive, innovative or disruptive impact on the SDGs. These business leaders have the opportunity to be formally recognized in the Netherlands and on the global UN level and meet SDG Pioneers from other countries who share their passion for sustainability in New York. I look forward to being inspired by leaders who are fully engaged to work for a sustainable future.”

– Linda van Beek, Executive Director GCNL

 

Professionals are also welcome to submit their own stories on contributions towards sustainable development or nominate a colleague for consideration in the programme before 15. April, 2020.

 

About the SDG Pioneers Program

As part of UN Global Compact Making Global Goals Local Business campaign, each year the initiative recognizes a class of SDG Pioneers — business leaders working at any level of a company, who are using business as a force for good to advance the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDG Pioneers play an important role to drum up interest in the Global Goals and in how the UN Global Compact is empowering businesses to advance them. In 2020, the UN Global Compact will again recognize professionals working at any level in a participating company of the UN Global Compact who are setting ambitious SDG targets, scale and impact across their companies through a principles-based approach.

 

About Global Compact Network Netherlands
Companies face unique challenges to work responsibly and have different opportunities to make a positive impact. The local networks of UN Global Compact Promote the sustainability of companies at the base level in more than 85 countries by making Global Goals Local Business. The local networks of UN Global Compact Promote the sustainability of companies at the base level in more than 85 countries by making Global Goals Local Business.

Global Compact Network The Netherlands strives to mobilise a local movement of sustainable companies and stakeholders with the aim of improving the lives of future generations.

Guided by the Ten Universal Principles and the 17 SDGs we support companies and stakeholders in understanding what responsible business means within a global and local context and provide guidance to translate sustainability commitments into action.

Global Compact Network Netherlands stimulates and facilitates the creation of local connections and catalyzes companies and stakeholders to achieve Agenda 2030.

 

Contact

Global Compact Network Netherlands
Elena Linkweiler
SDG Pioneer Manager
E-mail: linkweiler@unglobalcompact.nl

Read more about the SDG Pioneer program and sign up
“Responsible Investing is the New Normal”

“Responsible Investing is the New Normal”

This Friday afternoon at the historic Royal Tropical Institute in Amsterdam we hosted together with Rabobank a workshop on sustainable finance. Our speaker was Dr. Maarten Biermans, who is the Head of Sustainability of Rabobank’s Debt Capital Markets Department, and responsible for the sustainable capital market solutions with environmental or social benefits. He briefed us on developments in sustainable finance, such as green bonds and social bonds. Sustainable bonds and private loans grow faster than predicted.

Dr. Biermans’ Seven Commandments for Sustainable Finance:

1. Thou shalt not lie about thy sustainability activities nor fool investors

2. Thou shalt apply materiality

3. Thou shalt be ambitious

4. Thou shalt not shrug off responsibility

5. Thou shalt not participate in cherry picking of SDGs

6. Thou shalt report on your sustainability activities, goals and achievements

7. Thou shalt not GreenWash

*Members of Global Compact Network Netherlands will receive an extensive output file in the next news update. How to become a member?

Passed the baton

Passed the baton

Blog from Hugo von Meijenfeldt – It can be said that, on the eve of the celebration of the fourth birthday of the SDGs, a lot has happened in the Netherlands. The informal networks that have been using it surprisingly broadly bottom-up and top-down already existed for the most part. That was a lot of less organizing. The number of national goals that are linked to the year 2030 has increased considerably, without these being necessarily traceable to the SDGs. That has saved me a lot of interference.

Can it continue this way? No. That conclusion has already been drawn from the bottom up and is accelerating. SDG Charter, the SDG Houses, the Global Goals Municipalities and SDG Café are doubling their strengths. Alliances around the 17 SDGs are developing strongly. A number of major events will be devoted to the SDGs, such as the World Tour of the Clipper Amsterdam and the Floriade in Almere.

There will also have to be something extra from above. The Netherlands must guarantee that it will honor its commitment to reach the SDGs by 2030. All actors say that it is now time to strengthen governance and goals, without striving for magisterial SDG cathedrals and fist-sized theoretical books. However, there is a demand for an increase in political and social direction and a workable implementation strategy.

Time to pass on the baton of SDG coordination. Earlier this happened to me in mid-2013, when after four years I retired as the first Climate Envoy. Two and a half years later, the Paris agreement was a fact. My successor can pick up the changed assignment with new impetus and work together with a doubled team from the SDG Charter on the conclusion in 2022 that the Netherlands is on track. A stronger commitment from the ministries is then necessary.

I myself will assist the sustainable forces in the “mainstream” of companies and financial institutions with public advice and action. Relocation of the SDG House in Amsterdam to the Malietoren in The Hague is then an obvious choice. There, in addition to its 10 principles, the Dutch network of UN Global Compact has strongly linked itself to the 17 SDGs. You didn’t get rid of me yet.

SDG progress report

SDG progress report

November 30th 2018 – Today during the ‘The business approach and SDGs’ event at the Rotterdam School of Management (RSM), Erasmus University, the Global Compact Network Netherlands will publish the SDG progress report 2018; ‘Companies on their way to 2030’. Chairman Jan-Willem Scheijgrond hands over the first copy to guests speaker Lise Kingo, CEO of UN Global Compact from New York, and Hugo von Meijenfeldt, SDG coordinator from het Rijk.

Membered companies of GNCL, annually report what and how they contribute to the 17 SDGs. The 17 SDGs collectively construct the world agenda until 2030 for the worldwide challenges regarding climate, energy, food, poverty, health, and more. Chairman Jan-Willem Scheijgrond:“Increasingly more Dutch companies embrace the SDGs. The number of members who work on the SDGs increased from 68% in 2016 to 89% in 2017. Members include Philips, Unilever, KLM, Akzo Nobel, but also smaller companies and NGO’s, knowledge institutions, and local communities, among many more. The participating Dutch cooperate culture remains rapidly growing. We expect that this will remain growing over the next several years. Nevertheless this is highly necessary, wanting to have realized the 17 SDGs in 2030”.

The progress report shows that companies indicate to contribute most frequently to SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth), 13 (climate action) and 12 (responsible consumption and production). They increase their activity regarding the realization of the SDGs. Even though this fact, a big contribution is necessary to realize the SDGs, inside and outside of The Netherlands. Transitions and breakthrough-innovations are necessary for climate and energy, circular economy and digitalization. This means that companies are requested to align their business strategy with the SDGs and increase their ‘impact’, also through partnerships, with as goal a sustainable world.

During the event, which GCNL organizes in collaboration the Netwerk Groene Groeiers of VNO-NCW, the Dean of the Rotterdam School of Management (RSM), Steed van de Velde and the chairman of GCNL, Jan-Willem Scheijgrond, signed an ‘Alliance’, focused on expediting sustainable development and centralize the necessity for intensifying the collaboration between businesses and knowledge institutions.

You can find the report here:

SDG progress report ‘Companies on their way to 2030’. November 2018Download

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