It is a pleasure to introduce this publication on “Integrity in Sustainability” as part of the 9th ICC Netherlands “Week in Integrity”. We salute the emphasis that ICC Netherlands is placing on integrity as the essence of fair and successful business.
The theme of this year’s publication is “Integrity in Sustainability” which underpins how integrity is fundamental for the achievement of all the different sustainable development goals that make up the UN Agenda 2030.
Just as all the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals are essentially interconnected, integrity, which is exemplified in SDG 16, is essential for the achievement of all the sustainable development goals.
The UN has pointed out that integrity, as embodied in SDG 16, is both a stand-alone goal and an enabler and accelerator of the other SDGs. It is at the heart of what makes the 2030 Agenda transformative and has a vital role in addressing multiple global crises, including conflict and lack of trust in public institutions.
And just as integrity provides the bulwark for the achievement of all the SDGs, its opposite, including corruption, is an impediment to achieving sustainable development in all its forms – economic, social, and environmental.
As noted by the OECD, integrity in public policy strengthens the democratic process and reduces the risk of policy capture in SDG implementation. Integrity is vital to govern in the public interest and for the prosperity and well-being of society as a whole. It promotes economic growth by cultivating a level playing field for business, helps reduce inequalities, and supports environmental sustainability goals.
So integrity, as exemplified in SDG 16, is an accelerator of sustainable development.
We know that SDG 16 calls for Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions and promotes the rule of law, expanding access to justice for all, and making institutions more accountable and transparent.
And we see that fostering peace and inclusive societies can help reduce inequalities (SDG 10) and help economies prosper (SDG 8). Also, that without peace, justice, and inclusion, achieving certain goals would not be possible, such as the SDGs for fighting poverty (SDG 1), and promoting education (SDG 4).
Moreover, strengthening gender equality (SDG 5) connects to SDG 16’s priority for improving inclusive and participative decision-making. We also see clear linkages between integrity and justice and SDG 3 for good health and wellbeing, because reduction in conflict and crime results in better health.
As a result, integrity and anti-corruption, as exemplified in SDG 16, are paramount in their own right, and are also a cornerstone for achieving all of the 2030 Agenda/SDGs.
At ICC, we are proud to have tackled corruption early on, by pioneering the business drive for ethics and integrity, based on a belief that only a corruption-free system will enable all companies to compete on a level-playing field.
In 1977 ICC was the first business organization to develop rules against extortion and bribery. Since then, ICC has taken the lead in denouncing corruption and developing tools to promote integrity and ethics in business worldwide. And ICC has played an important role in establishing the OECD anti-bribery convention and the un convention against corruption.
Working together, connecting all players in society for integrity is fundamental, and SDG 18 for Partnership is another transversal goal that underpins all the development goals, as only with all parties working together can real achievement be made.
ICC is proud of its role as trusted creator of partnerships and solutions to drive positive change, and we salute ICC Netherlands leadership in fostering collective action between business, government, and civil society, to advance integrity and sustainability.
In conclusion, I look forward to the insights and learnings shared in this publication that will move forward the understanding of how integrity accelerates sustainability in all its dimensions - economic, social, and environmental.
John W.H. Denton AO ICC Secretary General
OPENING REMARKS
Integrity in Sustainability
In the face of unprecedented environmental challenges and rapidly evolving global economy, integrity has emerged as a cornerstone of sustainable development. For businesses, integrity in sustainability is not just a matter of ethical choice; it is essential for building trust, fostering resilience, and ensuring long term value creation. Recognizing this, ICC Netherlands presents this book – a collection of essays from thought leaders, industry experts and sustainability advocates – to explore the critical role of integrity in driving genuine, impactful sustainability.
This publication aims to provide insights into how integrity shapes sustainable business practices, the complexities of implementing ethical standards in diverse global markets and the role of transparent governance in advancing the UN SDGs. Each essay contributes a unique perspective, offering reflections on topics such as on illegal wildlife trade and the role of the private sector, integrity dilemmas in context of transparent sustainability reporting in banking and the transformative promise of AI in sustainable innovation. To bring this in practice - this introduction has been written using Chat GPT.
Through this book, ICC Netherlands seeks to inspire and guide businesses, policymakers, and stakeholders in embracing integrity as a guiding principle for sustainability. By doing so, it underscores that sustainable development is only achievable when trust, accountability and ethical commitment are at the forefront of every decision and action.
We thank all the authors for their contributions to this Integrity book 2024. With the Closing Conference of the annual Week of Integrity and this book, ICC Netherlands wishes to contribute to integrity and sustainability. Our ICC team does this by offering a platform for learning and crucial dialogue on leading with integrity towards a sustainable business practice.
Wishing you inspirational reading,
Mirjam Bakker-Vergouw Chair ICC Netherland
VULNERABILITY IS YOUR STRENGTH: THE PARADOX OF INTEGRITY
Luke Disney
Executive Vice President Sustainability & Lead Climate, Rabobank Group
Luke Disney is Executive Vice President Sustainability and Lead Climate for the Rabobank Group, which in addition to being one of the Netherlands’ three systems banks, is the leading global food and agriculture bank and a recognized leader in sustainable finance. Luke leads the bank’s global climate change strategy, including setting the bank’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets for its €630 billion portfolio and overseeing its net-zero commitments.
Luke is also a member of the EU Independent & Tripartite High Level Group on Financing the Sustainability Transition and a member of the Advisory Board for Chapter Zero in the Netherlands. Prior to joining Rabobank, he was Executive Director of the INSEAD Social Innovation Centre and the Founding Executive Director of North Star Alliance. Luke was born and raised on the east coast of Canada, and currently lives in the Utrecht, the Netherlands.
VULNERABILITY IS YOUR STRENGTH: THE PARADOX OF INTEGRITY
It is time to correct humanity’s historical blunder of generating energy with fossil fuels and Integrity means wholeness. In the realm of business, this often translates to aligning profit with purpose. But at a more fundamental level it means balancing business needs with those of a stable operating environment. Planet Earth, however, is forcing a reckoning. As environmental crises threaten the stability of ecosystems, the cracks that have long been evident in the ecological foundations of business are widening. Today, those cracks are no longer mere fissures; they are gaping chasms threatening the future of companies, societies, and economies alike.
Integrity also means adherence to moral and ethical standards. It implies consistency in action, values, and purpose. The litmus test for integrity is doing the right thing, especially when it is not convenient. For companies, this means aligning actions with stated values - meeting the expectations of the market but also those of the broader society in which they operate. Even when it costs money. As the classic growth imperative of the private sector breaches more and more planetary boundaries, many businesses are at risk of failing the integrity test on both levels. The implication is that we are facing more than just an environmental crisis we are facing - we are facing a crisis of integrity.
The Good and the Brave?
Of course, some companies are in a deeper state of crisis than others. Local small and medium enterprises are often heralded as the true champions of sustainable business. These concerns and their owners are often deeply embedded in, and dependent on, local, social and environmental ecosystems.
However, transforming the economy means getting all companies onboard, and it is hopeful to see more multinationals on the bus. Apple, Ikea and Schneider Electric are just a few of the increasing number of global brands that are committed to carbon neutrality, while companies like Patagonia and International Paper have placed sustainability at the core of their business models.
Of course, making a commitment does not make you a sustainable company. For example, Apple has been criticized for advertising that some of its products are carbon neutral while there are legitimate questions about the scope of their definitions and the carbon offsets they use. And despite its considerable investments in sustainable forestry Ikea is sometimes criticized as the inventor of “disposable furniture”. Even Patagonia, one of the most admired companies in the world has not been immune to criticism of its supply chain practices.
Nonetheless, we should value these household brands’ sustainability commitments. Not only do they draw attention to critical issues, such as greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity, but they also inspire/push other companies to follow their lead.
Furthermore, setbacks, imperfections and even outright failures should not be viewed as fatal flaws or a lack of integrity. On the contrary, the novelty, scale and speed of the transformations that businesses are committing to undergo will inevitably result in numerous mistakes and false starts. And admitting failure in a 246-character, polarized media landscape is not for the fainthearted. It requires courage and integrity. In fact, being transparent on sustainability is critical. If we conceal the true nature of our individual transitions, then we risk denying each other critical information and giving our stakeholders a false sense of security we cannot afford.
Integrity Through Vulnerability
Acting and communicating on sustainability with integrity requires strong leadership. Being willing to challenge the status quo and push for change, even when it is difficult, is a classic leadership attribute. Leading sustainability transformations adds a new demand: being vulnerable.
Navigating the Energy and Food System transitions puts leaders in a position of having to make and defend decisions in an undiscovered country. We have never faced a crisis like this before and there’s no playbook or business-school case study on how to guide our organizations through it. As during the COVID pandemic, leaders are being asked to make 100% of the decisions with 50% of the information (and sometimes much less). When leaders are open about the fact that they have strong convictions but not all the answers they are showing integrity, which inspires people. They are also sending a strong signal to their teams that experimentation and innovation are not just ok but necessary. And let there be no mistake, these transitions demand vast amounts of creativity and ingenuity.
Transparency Will Set You Free
In my own organization, we recently faced the challenge of learning to be vulnerable. As the publication date of our first climate strategy approached, we had more questions than answers, determining how a commercial bank could help thousands of individual and corporate clients, across multiple sectors of the economy, and in different regions of the world, reduce their emissions was a huge challenge. One that none of us had ever faced before. Bankers are accustomed to communicating about results developed through standard models, backed up by reams of data and structured around clear regulations. Now we were asking our leaders to approve a report filled with data gaps and trying to predict results in the far future using new and untested models.
Despite the many uncertainties as to how we would align our portfolio with 1.5-degree C temperature pathways, walking away from our commitment to do so never entered the conversation. Instead, our concerns were about announcing that we were 100% committed despite having only 50% of the information (maybe even less). In the end, the only solution was transparency: to admit that we did not know all the answers. Exposing our limitations on such a critical commitment was a very difficult decision for our Managing Board to make. They were willing to be vulnerable and in doing so they preserved our integrity.
Related SDGs:
PARTNERING FOR A BETTER WORLD
Christiene Everaars
Sustainability Manager & Country Success Manager, Siemens Netherlands N.V.
Christiene Everaars is the Sustainability Manager and Country Success Manager at Siemens Netherlands N.V. In these roles she has been responsible for sustainability, public affairs and secretary to the board activities since February 2023. Driving the adoption of- and reporting on- the Siemens sustainability framework; contributing to lobbying for sustainability in business and promotes legislation that helps companies transition into a more digital and sustainable way of working. Previously, she developed the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ digital strategy (2020-2022), lobbied for women’s rights at the Council of Europe (2019), and held various management roles at Eneco, advancing renewable energy and data-driven efficiency solutions (20062018). She has a background in law and business management.
CHRISTIENE EVERAARS
PARTNERING FOR A BETTER WORLD
Essence
There is no sustainability without integrity: to achieve sustainability in business we need leadership that embraces integrity and mutual gains. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are essentially a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet. Building on the belief that we can tackle poverty, deprivations and climate change if we manage to work together. This is encapsulated by the last but certainly not least of the SDGs, SDG17: ‘Partnerships for the goals’.
This goal has its own challenges. In geopolitically volatile times, it may feel ever harder to establish consensus and common ground on difficult issues. However, in this essay I would like to focus on ways in which businesses can build and foster partnerships, and how integrity plays a key role in overcoming the associated challenges.
For an example of such challenges, let’s put ourselves in the position of a chemical producer in Europe, who faces high energy prices putting a brake on profits. This company may want to do the right thing, yet their path is riddled with dilemmas:
• Do I invest in making our plant more sustainable, and am I willing to stick to these investments when my books show red figures three quarters running?
• Can I secure the internal commitment of my board, or of external investors to make this transition?
• Wouldn’t it be easier to move part of my business to other parts of the world, where energy is cheaper and CO2 emissions seem less problematic?
• And finally, the crucial question: what do our shareholders prefer?
Unfortunately, these are still too often regarded as rhetorical questions. What does it take to change this?
Another way
At Siemens, we recognized that dealing with such dilemmas requires a fundamental change in the way we conduct our business. We put a business framework, DEGREE, in place that embed the SDGs in the way we work, both within the company and with our partners. Its name, DEGREE, reflects our commitment to Decarbonization, Ethics, Governance, Resource efficiency, Equity and Employability. For each topic targets and goals have been defined and KPIs are measured and
reported to our stakeholders. But that is not enough; We have also put the SDGs at the heart of our business strategy, making it part of our purpose.
We create technology to transform the everyday, for everyone, and we empower our customers to accelerate their digital and sustainability transformations, so they, and ultimately we as a community, can become more competitive, more resilient, and more sustainable. In other words: the purpose of business is solving problems for people and planet profitably, not profiting from causing problems.
Route à marcher
What does this mean in practice? I would like to highlight four areas in which partnering for ‘good’ can make a difference, as well as some dilemmas an organization may come up against, and how these can be successfully navigated with a consistent focus on ‘mutual gain’.
Focus on mutual gain: partnering in the supply chain
Long-term business success is all about trust and building long-term relationships. Fostering such relationships implies that you care about your business partner doing well. At its core is a simple yet powerful premise: when your partner does well, so do you. And in the equation sometimes it is more important to do well together in the long run, than to excel in the short term to the detriment of the other.
This focus on mutual gain is especially important in the context of sustainability. For example, legislation on carbon emission reductions demands that scope 3 emissions be reported and managed. This means that it no longer makes sense to try and lower your own emissions by carving out and outsourcing certain aspects of production; this will only postpone the inevitable, since your supply chain partner’s emissions will still remain part of your own footprint.
The course of integrity, in this case, is to accept and even embrace this shared responsibility, and either invest in alternative production methods or help your supply chain partner do so.
The discussion on shared supply chain responsibility has reached boardrooms across the world. At Siemens, it has resulted in the introduction of Carbon Web Assessments for our supply chain partners. We also realized early on that many of our partners are small and medium- sized entrepreneurs, who may lack the resources to tackle scope 1, 2 or 3 challenges in the way they would like. Helping them seemed the right thing to do. One way in which we do this is by making our Carbon Web Assessment tool available to the partners of our partners, free of charge, knowing that the emissions reduction it can help them achieve will have an impact throughout the supply chain.
DEGREE: partnering within a company
Focusing on integrity and mutual gains is equally important within an organization. The DEGREE framework emphasizes our core values and provides clear and specific direction as to how they should be reflected in the way we operate as a
company. Yet if we want to achieve our sustainability goals, we need more than guidelines: we need the wholehearted commitment of our employees.
This, in turn, requires a willingness on the part of our company to invest in a consistent, open dialogue with our employees. For example, we decided to incorporate DEGREE topics in the mandatory learning hours for employees. That means that all employees will spend some of their learning hours on topics such as Ethics, and the importance of consistently adhering to moral principles. On the surface this may seem to have very little impact on our productivity or financial results. But that is not the point. In fact, the training material used emphasizes that the whole point of doing ethical business is about consistently doing the right thing - even when it is not convenient or profitable.
Another example; like many technical companies, it can be a struggle for Siemens to meet targets for female hirings in technical roles. While it may be tempting to hide behind a general shortage of female candidates for these roles in the labor market, integrity requires that we also examine our own culture, and are alert to signs that it may not always be so inclusive as we would like to think. In which case a genuine commitment to SDG5 (achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls) means investing in a culture program that convinces people that diverse teams make for more successful teams.
Sustainable business: partnering with clients
As we transition into an age defined by sustainability goals we also face dilemmas in our conversations with clients. When a sales manager is struggling to meet his/ her targets, will he/she invest in building long-term value-creating partnerships or go for the short-term sale instead? And even if he/she is ready to take the long-term view, are his/her superiors of the same opinion?
These questions arise time and again, since setting up long-term strategic partnerships simply takes time.
For example, Siemens is collaborating with Heineken in a multi-phase decarbonization program. This program aims to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions at 15 breweries and malt houses by 2025. Setting up a program of this scope and level of ambition takes time, and genuine effort to understand each other’s concerns and expectations. However, it is a worthwhile investment. It means we help our partner to achieve the goal of net-zero production (scope 1 and 2) by 2030 and across the full value chain by 2040 (thus advancing both SDG9 and SDG13). It is also an example of doing good business: the partnership is of mutual benefit and has laid a solid foundation for future cooperation.
Another example is Siemens Xcelerator platform, which makes complementary business offerings from third parties accessible to both Siemens clients and the wider marketplace. This approach multiplies the impact of both our own and our partners’ solutions. For example, through Siemens Xcelerator we partnered with an electrotechnical company to introduce smart power distribution at a popular theme park in the Netherlands. This collaboration enabled our customer to develop a more sustainable and energy-efficient system, in the face of rising energy costs, environmental regulations, while minimizing the risk of unplanned outages.
Leadership: partnering with ourselves
First and foremost, sustainability is about showing leadership, in developing partnerships with your supply chain partners, your workforce, your business partners, and yourself. Doing the right thing not only for profit, but for the sum of efforts to add up to a positive impact.
In my career I have been fortunate enough to see different types of organizations. And time and again, I was struck by the fact that it is the leadership we as individuals portray, that determines the stewardship of our actions and the results we achieve and realize. Whether in business, public office or in international relations, there is only one way to achieve our shared goals: by choosing to act with integrity, and by doing so together.
Related SDGs:
AI AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: INSTITUTIONALIZING INTEGRITY FOR A BETTER FUTURE
Joris Krijger
Ethics & AI Officer, de Volksbank
Joris Krijger works as an Ethics & AI Officer at the Dutch bank de Volksbank while also holding a Ph.D. position at the Erasmus University Rotterdam on Ethics & AI. He has a background in Philosophy, Economic Psychology, and Media Studies. During his studies, Joris was awarded a Dutch national prize for both his high-tech startup Condi Food (Rabobank Wijffels Innovation Award 2014) as well as for his Philosophy thesis on technology, ethics, and the financial crisis of 2008 (Royal Holland Society of Sciences and Humanities, 2017). He presently works on bridging the gap between principles and practice in the responsible use of AI by studying the operationalization of ethical principles from an academic and practical perspective. Additionally, Joris holds positions as Founder of the Ethical Data Science Association and as Founding Editorial Board Member of Springer Nature’s AI and Ethics Journal.
JORIS KRIJGER
AI AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: INSTITUTIONALIZING INTEGRITY FOR A BETTER FUTURE
Introduction
As things currently stand, we are not delivering on the promise that was made in 2015 by all 193 United Nations Member States. This promise, to provide peace and prosperity for people and the planet, was captured in the 17 interconnected Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They stress the need for a holistic approach to addressing global challenges. Alarmingly, however, in almost ten years we are making very little progress and even seem to regress. As the 2024 SDG Report of the UN shows, according to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, that “the world is getting a failing grade.” With less than one fifth of the 17 targets on track and over one third of the goals stalled or even going in reverse, it seems our progress towards the SDGs is critically off course.
Given these challenges in our pursuit of the SDGs, the promise of AI as a powerful tool to accelerate progress is undeniably appealing. AI can open up new avenues of explorations and novel innovative solutions for some of the most pressing challenges. In this contribution, however, I want to critically examine the role AI can play in achieving the SDGs and provide a more nuanced perspective on both the promise and perils of AI. I agree that, from optimizing resource distribution to enhancing healthcare delivery all the way to enabling more sustainable practices, AI has the potential to drive significant positive change. However, this promise requires nuance and a critical understanding of the risks and limitations. AI systems are only as effective as the data and algorithms that power them and as the context they operate in allows them to be. This dual-edged nature of this technology, I argue, makes ethics and integrity not an optional, but a critical, choice in the use of AI. After half a decade of hands-on experience with the ethical aspects of AI in practice, combined with the same amount of years spent on academic research on ethical AI, I come to believe that while AI can support the SDGs, innovation alone isn’t enough to ensure success. If we integrate AI into our extant practices without adjusting the design of our institutions and the values they reflect, its use might inadvertently cause more damage than progress. In this essay, therefore, I will discuss why AI holds great promise for advancing the SDGs but also demands thoughtful governance,
an infrastructure for ethical considerations, and a commitment to ensuring that its benefits are shared universally and sustainably.
The potential of AI
Since the meteoric rise of AI and AI research in the ‘10s, many studies have been dedicated to understanding how AI can foster the pursuit of the SDGs. Without discussing all of these in great detail, I will instead suffice with a general introduction to AI and some exemplary applications of AI related to SDGs. These might illustrate just how revolutionary the technology is as well as how fundamentally it might transform the ways in which we are able to work toward the SDGs.
Although there is ongoing debate about the definition of what AI is, most of the definitions stress the same characteristics of AI systems. The elements of AI are that it is (1) a machine-based system that, (2) with varying levels of adaptiveness and (3) with some degree of autonomy, uses (4) inferences from the input it receives to (5) generate outputs such as predictions, decisions but also content in order to (6) achieve an explicit or implicit objective. This abstract definition doesn’t fully do justice to the achievements AI has reached in recent years but when you consider the capabilities of revered and impressive AI systems today, such as OpenAI’s GPT 4-o that provides real time feedback and interaction via video, text and sound, up to self-driving cars, you might catch a glimpse of the immense potential of this technology. Where we previously tried to program the rules of language or of driving into a computer we are now able to just provide millions of examples, let the machine learn the patterns, and let it determine what action is best suited given a specific prompt or situation in which it is asked to act.
What does that mean in the context of the SDG’s? Well, one of the most prominent and proven examples is the use of AI-powered tools in the education and learning space (SDG 4). With AI, adaptive and personalized learning experiences can be provided, tailored to the individual strengths and needs per child. This doesn’t just help to better align education with the knowledge and skills of each child or adult, it also has the significant advantage that, as a digital learning platform, AI offers a very scalable solution, enabling access to quality education almost regardless of geographical location. The same holds for AI in the domain of healthcare, where geographical constraints can be removed and personalized medical- or health related advice can be provided. The potential of AI to identify patterns in vast datasets, can assist in diagnostic tools, treatment plans but also in public health responses. Not a lot of people know this but during the very first days of the COVID-19 pandemic Moderna used AI to speed up vaccine development.
When we look at another SDG related to industry and infrastructure we can see the full breadth of what AI has to offer. Here the superior predictive capabilities of AI assist with efficient maintenance and, by providing insights in economic trends for businesses and governments to act on, can help boost economic productivity. These techniques are also widely useful in another key SDG, related to climate change and climate action (SDG 13). Here we already see an extensive amount of AI adoption. One well known example is Google’s DeepMind AI system, that Google used to optimize its energy usage and allegedly helped them bring their energy
use down by over 20%. AI can help improve our ecological footprint from energy optimization all the way to intelligent transportation systems that can reduce congestion and emissions. Furthermore we see startups leveraging AI to better predict wildfires or the tracking of deforestation. The European Space Agency, for one, is already using AI climate modeling, called Destination Earth (DestinE), to gain a deeper understanding of our planetary climate system.
The perils of AI
All of these examples show that AI holds immense potential for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals. But making sure AI is developed and deployed in a responsible manner that aligns with these goals is far from a walk in the park. We have seen reports of incidents where AI exacerbated existing disparities within society, disadvantaged women on the job market, or became an incomprehensible black box that couldn’t be meaningfully controlled. This points to some underlying ethical concerns that relate to the broad and fast adoption of AI. Also, in contrast to what terminology like ‘the cloud’ might suggest, AI has a material basis that, as for example Kate Crawford has stressed, requires increasingly more energy for its training and the mining of minerals for the production of crucial hardware such as semiconductors. So its great potential notwithstanding, the deployment of AI also poses significant risks that might equally jeopardize progress on the SDGs. Algorithms and AI systems, as for example Cathy O’Neil and Shannon Vallor poignantly stress in their books, don’t invent the future, they automate the statusquo. AI is trained on historical data, whether that is our past decisions in the field of education, hiring policies, climate policies, images, or just text available on the internet. What it reflects back at us, is our past biases and errors rather than that it is opening new futures. These concerns, taken together with the predicted impact AI will have on economies by automating substantial parts of the labor market we can see concerns related to reinforcing inequalities (SDG 5 and 10), to negatively impacting the environment (SDG 13), displacing workers (SDG 8) and potentially undermining the democratic process by concentrating economic power (SDG 16).
AI: Good, bad or complicated?
How can we benefit from the potential of AI while minimizing the risks AI might pose to the SDGs? As an important first step in answering this question we need to reflect on the very foundation of this discussion: technology itself. We often hear two contradicting yet equally persistent narratives in the world of technology: The first is that technology is a tool, an instrument at our disposal that is fully neutral and only bestowed with meaning and moral significance through the ways in which we use it. The other is the complete opposite, that technology is developing according to an autonomous logic independent of social influences or our intentions. In the former, we have full control over its use, development and trajectory. In the latter technology has full control over us. The truth is, of course, more nuanced: technologies require certain conditions (social, economical, political) to emerge, but once they emerge they enable certain forms of action, often contributing to the reproduction and advancement of the values that shaped them and as such have an inherent ethical dimension. In other words, technologies don’t force themselves on us, but in our choice to use them they provide us with a particular range and
order of possibilities. Although guns could make great candle holders or home decor, the forms of action enabled through its design seem limited and very much geared towards destructive purposes.
What does it mean to say that technology is fundamentally political and shaped by the institutional design in which it is developed and deployed in? Well, it points us in the right direction. Innovation alone isn’t enough to ensure our success on the SDGs, we need to address the contexts in which they emerge. That means critically examining the basic unit of that context, the organization. Whether implicit or explicit, each organization operates on the basis of a value system; a certain understanding of its values, priorities and underpinning beliefs. These value systems are a critical element in organizational performance and decision-making. A full elaboration of these issues would go beyond the scope of this essay but if organizations are not designed to identify and manage the ethical aspects of AI, and not incentivized to use AI for good we will not see the benefits we might hope. More often than not, there might not be a perfect answer or silver bullet for the hard ethical problems technology confronts us with (e.g. should we opt for maximum accuracy in our AI models at the cost of their explainability?) but that is why collective deliberation is required to move forward.
AI and a Prosperous Future
To effectively harness AI’s potential for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it is crucial to ensure that our social, economic, and political institutions are aligned with ethical principles and sustainable objectives. Since August 2024 the AI Act, Europe’s regulatory framework to govern the development and use of artificial intelligence, has gone into effect. The Act explicitly aims to ensure that AI systems are safe, transparent, and aligned with fundamental rights. However, compliance with the AI Act, while a step in the right direction, may not be sufficient for ensuring the ethical use of AI. The Act sets necessary regulatory standards to mitigate risks, but simply meeting these legal requirements does not guarantee that AI will be used in ways that genuinely benefit society and the environment. The deployment of AI must be guided by the principle of addressing real-world challenges and inclusive prosperity, not just conforming to regulatory checklists and private gains. Achieving this goal requires a deeper transformation of institutional frameworks—laws, norms, and standards must be reoriented toward creating shared value for all. This, in the end, is what business used to be about. As for example the economist Colin Mayer traces its etymological origins, ‘profit’ (from its Latin root, proficere) used to mean ‘making progress’, justified only when it results from solving problems for people and the planet. Only by making organizations responsive to social norms and by embedding these principles into our institutions, can we ensure AI that fosters the SDGs, instead of becoming a major problem itself.
Related SDGs:
GENDER EQUITY IN THE CONTEXT OF CLIMATE JUSTICE: A PATHWAY TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Samia Dumbuya
Climate Justice Advocate
Samia Dumbuya (she/they) is a climate justice advocate who focuses on upskilling and educating young people and marginalised communities in the UK to be active climate changemakers. They are currently studying MSc Sustainable Resources: Economics, Policy and Transitions at UCL, researching methods to build equitable and decolonial pathways towards sustainable development for all. They are also a researcher for The Wildlife Trusts and Uprising, supporting their research to understand young people’s connection to nature. For the past 8 years, they have been facilitating workshops dedicated to climate education to ensure young people understand the significance of how the climate crisis and the deterioration of the environment impact their lives and other people’s lives. Their clients have included: Complicité Theatre company, Oxford University, Samsung, The Natural History Museum, Friends of the Earth Europe, local London authorities and similar organisations using youth engagement as a tool to upskill tomorrow’s leaders. Within the past year, they have engaged with over 30 organisations supporting them with building holistic strategies to increase community engagement.
Their experience has led them to become this year’s Youth Delegate for COP29 on behalf of the Future Leaders Network representing young people across the UK, bringing their voices to the global stage. They also are a Fellow for the Bevisioneers Fellowship supported by Mercedes-Benz to experiment with community energy and local climate solutions.
Samia uses community engagement as a tool to create space for people to imagine climate-just futures for all and take action on a local level.
SAMIA DUMBUYA
GENDER EQUITY IN THE CONTEXT OF CLIMATE JUSTICE: A PATHWAY TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
It is time to correct humanity’s historical blunder of generating energy with fossil fuels and The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 aims to “achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls” (United Nations, 2015). In this essay, I will use equity rather than equality, as equity addresses the deeper nuances of authentic inclusion of marginalised genders. Despite significant strides towards equity, gender justice remains an evasive goal in the early 21st century. We continue to live in a patriarchal world where sexist decision-making processes dominate. n OECD countries, women hold 39% of environment minister positions. However, their representation is significantly lower in nations that face the greatest risks from climate change, where women are also more vulnerable to environmental threats (OECD, 2022). This underrepresentation is even starker when it comes to women of colour and those from marginalised communities, whose perspectives are often sidelined.
However, in age of information where resources and information is shared via digital means, and global connections becoming more and more accessible through the internet, more and more people are becoming aware of the severity of gender injustice and the lack of intersectional approaches. There is a global effort challenging these entrenched power structures that disempower those who do not fit the image or “vision” of divisive ideologies such as white supremacy, patriarchy, fascism and many more ideologies that aim to dominate and stratify society through a dehumanising lens. Movements like the Climate Justice movement have seen young activists, especially young women, trans women and gender nonconforming individuals, stepping forward to demand systemic change with the goal and vision for a climate-just world rooted in equity and sustainability. These movements highlight the fact that climate justice cannot be achieved without gender justice, as the impacts of the climate crisis disproportionately affect women and marginalised genders. Women account for 80% of people displaced by climate change (UNDP, 2016). This gendered impact illustrates why gender equity is not an optional element of climate action but a necessary foundation for its success.
The Role of Women in Environmental Justice: A Reflection from Wangari Maathai
The late Wangari Maathai, a Kenyan environmental activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, once said: “Women are responsible for their children, they cannot sit back, waste time, and see them starve. Women are the first to protest; they are the first to
put their bodies on the line for their families.” Maathai’s work, including the Green Belt Movement, was rooted in the recognition that African women play a crucial role in environmental justice. For African women, this connection to the land is not just one of sustenance but of survival, cultural preservation and community resilience.
On the African continent and parts of the Global South, women are at the forefront of climate justice. They bear the brunt of environmental degradation, as they are often responsible for securing food, water, and fuel for their families. Yet, they are also innovators and leaders in creating sustainable solutions. For instance, in many African nations, rural women are leading efforts to conserve biodiversity, adopt renewable energy technologies, and combat deforestation. Women make up 43% of the agricultural labour force in developing countries (FAO, 2011).
Case Studies: Women’s Leadership in Climate Justice from the Global South
In India, the Chipko Movement, dating back to the 1970s, is a strong example of women-led environmental activism. In response to deforestation in their villages, rural women in the Himalayas literally embraced trees to prevent them from being cut down. This grassroots effort not only protected their livelihoods but also highlighted the vital connection between gender justice and environmental conservation. The movement has inspired a new generation of climate activists, many of whom are women, fighting for ecological sustainability in India and beyond. Today, women in India lead approximately 85% of natural resource management projects (Shiva, 1988), reflecting their ongoing influence in climate and environmental activism.
In Chad, Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, a leader of the Mbororo pastoralist community, has emerged as a key figure in global climate justice. She works tirelessly to amplify the voices of Indigenous women, advocating for their inclusion in climate decisionmaking. Indigenous women in the Sahel region, like those in the Amazon and other ecosystems, are on the frontlines of climate change. Ibrahim’s work underscores the importance of traditional knowledge and the leadership of women in crafting climate adaptation strategies that are inclusive and effective. Globally, Indigenous communities manage 22% of the world’s land surface, making their role essential in conserving biodiversity (UNEP, 2020).
Both these case studies highlight that women from non-western countries are not only vulnerable to climate change but are also agents of change. Their leadership must be acknowledged and integrated into global climate strategies if we are to achieve meaningful progress.
Going Beyond the Binary: Creating Inclusive Spaces for All Genders
While much of the conversation around SDG 5 focuses on women and girls, it is crucial to move beyond the binary when discussing gender justice. The fight for gender equity must include people of all gender identities to create truly inclusive
and equitable solutions. Climate change impacts everyone, but non-binary, transgender, and gender non-conforming individuals often face heightened vulnerabilities due to social, economic, and legal marginalisation.
To ensure everyone has a seat at the table, we must actively work to dismantle binary thinking in decision-making spaces. In the context of climate justice, this means building safe, inclusive environments where all gender identities are recognised and respected. The intersectionality of gender, race, class, and geography must be central to these discussions, providing that climate solutions are not just inclusive in theory but in practice. Ensuring equitable access to green jobs is a critical area where marginalised genders must be included, For example, women hold only 32% of jobs in the renewable energy sector (IRENA, 2019), despite being crucial to the sector’s growth.
Connecting to My Work: Youth-Led Climate Justice Initiatives
In my work on climate justice, these principles are at the core of everything we do. Whether it’s through climate education or community-led solutions, gender equity is embedded in the way we approach systemic change. I focus on strengthening climate education, particularly for young people, recognising that young women, non-binary, and gender-diverse youth have a significant role to play in shaping our future.
Through the RECLAIM project, which provides young people with a platform to create local energy solutions, I aim to ensure that these spaces are inclusive and community-led. The energy transition must be equitable, with youth at the forefront, creating systems that work for all. In my climate justice workshops, I prioritise the voices of young people from marginalised backgrounds, ensuring that they have the tools, knowledge, and networks needed to advocate for their communities.
Climate solutions that do not consider gender equity risk reinforcing existing inequalities. By working directly with young people, particularly young women and gender-diverse individuals, we create a model of leadership that is participatory, holistic, and transformative. The future of climate action lies in these community-driven approaches, where gender justice is not just an outcome but a guiding principle.
Conclusion: The Path Forward
As we move forward in addressing the dual challenges of climate change and gender inequity, it is vital that we centre the voices and leadership of women and gender-diverse individuals. From the grassroots movements in India to Indigenous leadership in Chad, women’s roles in climate justice are essential. At the same time, creating inclusive environments that recognise all gender identities is critical for ensuring that no one is left behind in the fight for a sustainable future.
In my work and in the broader climate justice movement, I see a generation of
young people stepping up to challenge patriarchal systems and demand a more just world. Gender equity is not just a goal but a necessity in the fight for climate justice. Climate justice is ensuring all communities are heard, seen and protected. We must proactively build a world that is alternative to the current world, and ensure we dismantle harmful ways of being and co-existing. Together, we can build a world where everyone, regardless of gender, has the opportunity to shape the future of our planet.
Related SDGs:
References
• FAO (2011) The Role of Women in Agriculture, Available at: https://www.fao. org/3/am307e/am307e00.pdf
• IRENA (2019) Renewable Energy: A Gender Perspective. Available at: https:// www.irena.org/publications/2019/Jan/Renewable-Energy-A-Gender-Perspective
• OECD (2022) Gender and the Environment: Building Evidence and Policies to Achieve the SDGs. Available at: https://one.oecd.org/document/ENV/ WKP(2022)5/en/pdf
• Shiva, V. (1988) Staying Alive: Women, Ecology and Development. London: Zed Books.
• UNDP (2016) Gender, Climate Change and Food Security. Available at: https:// www.undp.org/publications/gender-climate-change-and-food-security
• UNEP (2020) Global Biodiversity Outlook 5. Available at: https://www.cbd.int/ gbo/gbo5/publication/gbo-5-en.pdf
• United Nations (2015) Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Available at: https://sdgs.un.org/goals
COMPLIANCE & GOVERNANCE: INTEGRITY IN SUSTAINABILITY
Susan du Becker
Director, Risk & Compliance, Microsoft
Susan is a director, Risk & Compliance for Microsoft’s Supply Chain Hardware team with primary responsibility for ensuring that the Supplier base is compliant with the Microsoft policies and stated requirements for the group.
A UK national now residing in the Netherlands, Susan came to Microsoft from Cisco where she was the designer and architect of the Corporate Ethics & Compliance Program across Cisco with an emphasis on Anti-Bribery & Corruption. She developed, introduced, and initiated the program globally ensuring compliance & ethics were embedded down through the country locations as well as with customers and partners alike.
Prior to Cisco, Susan has come from alternate industries such as GE Lighting where she was European Product General Manager responsible for the business deliverables for Automotive lighting in three factory locations. She attended the G20 on lighting quality, delivered cost savings in manufacture of 27% through business process reengineering and, won several awards on ‘Best in Class’ manufacturing capabilities with Ford Motor Company (Europe) as well as BMW and Mercedes.
Susan started her career in the Oil & Gas sector in the drilling area where she worked with Schlumberger and the then ‘Sedco’ drilling companies on join venture negotiations and business methodology. It is this business methodology and understanding that has helped her drive to understand the balance in the needs of business and regulatory practise.
Susan holds a legal degree in International law, is certified through the Society of Corporate Compliance & Ethics (SCCE) on compliance, is an adjunct professor at the Sorbonne university teaching Compliance programs, is a certified Stanford Project Management SME as well as a major speaker at compliance conferences on the topics of Anti-Bribery & Corruption, ESG and compliance programs in general.
SUSAN DU BECKER
COMPLIANCE & GOVERNANCE: INTEGRITY IN SUSTAINABILITY
In the contemporary business landscape, sustainable practices have become a fundamental aspect of corporate governance. The concept of sustainability encompasses environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and economic viability, collectively referred to as ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) criteria. As companies strive to meet these criteria, the importance of integrity in sustainability cannot be overstated. This essay explores the critical role of compliance business governance, tolerance, and ethics in maintaining integrity within sustainability initiatives. It also addresses the challenges posed by increased compliance across ESG and suggests solutions from a governance perspective.
The Importance of Compliance in Business Governance
Compliance refers to the adherence to laws, regulations, standards, and ethical practices in business operations. In the context of sustainability, compliance ensures that companies not only meet legal requirements but also uphold ethical standards in their pursuit of environmental and social goals. Effective compliance mechanisms are essential for fostering trust, accountability, and transparency. It is understanding the difference between a ‘Regulatory’ and a ‘Business’ Compliance Focus and how they align.
Compliance and Social Responsibility
Although environmental sustainability requires companies to minimize their ecological footprint by reducing waste, conserving resources, and mitigating pollution, Social responsibility involves the ethical treatment of employees, communities, and other stakeholders. Labor laws, anti-discrimination policies, and human rights standards are critical components of social sustainability. Companies must comply with these regulations to ensure fair labor practices, promote diversity and inclusion, and support community development. Compliance in social responsibility fosters a positive corporate image and strengthens stakeholder relationships. These are the standards but the question remains, how does this align with the business needs.
Compliance and Economic Viability
Economic viability ensures that businesses remain profitable while pursuing sustainability goals. Financial regulations, anti-corruption laws, and corporate governance standards are essential for maintaining economic integrity. Compliance with these regulations ensures financial transparency, prevents fraud, and promotes ethical business practices. Economic sustainability, supported by robust compliance mechanisms, enhances investor confidence and drives long-term growth.
Ethics and Integrity in Sustainability
Ethics play a pivotal role in shaping corporate behavior and decision-making. Integrity, defined as the adherence to moral and ethical principles, is fundamental to achieving sustainability. Ethical governance ensures that companies prioritize long-term sustainability over short-term gains.
Ethical Governance and Environmental Stewardship
Companies with strong ethical governance are committed to environmental stewardship. They go beyond mere regulatory compliance to adopt proactive measures such as investing in renewable energy, reducing carbon emissions, and implementing sustainable supply chain practices. Ethical governance drives innovation and encourages businesses to develop eco-friendly products and services, contributing to a healthier planet.
Ethical Governance and Social Equity
Ethical governance promotes social equity by ensuring fair and just treatment of all stakeholders. Companies with high ethical standards prioritize employee wellbeing, support local communities, and uphold human rights. They implement policies that address social inequalities, such as equal pay, safe working conditions, and community engagement initiatives. By fostering social equity, ethical governance enhances corporate reputation and builds stakeholder trust. Now, couple this with Economic Integrity and you have a view to the future. Economic integrity is safeguarded through ethical governance, which emphasizes transparency, accountability, and responsible financial practices. Companies with strong ethical foundations are less likely to engage in fraudulent activities or corrupt practices. They uphold ethical standards in financial reporting, risk management, and corporate governance, ensuring long-term economic sustainability.
The Role of Tolerance in Business Compliance
Tolerance, defined as the willingness to accept and respect diverse perspectives and practices, is crucial for fostering a culture of compliance. In a business context, tolerance promotes inclusivity, collaboration, and open communication, which are essential for effective governance. This is a term that many people tend to ignore or, forget in their zeal to implement rules based compliance.
Tolerance with Inclusive & Collaborative Compliance & Governance
Inclusive governance involves the participation of diverse stakeholders in decisionmaking processes. Tolerance creates an environment where different opinions and ideas are valued, leading to more comprehensive and balanced governance. Inclusive governance ensures that sustainability initiatives address the needs and concerns of all stakeholders, promoting social and environmental justice, being collaborative compliance requires cooperation between various departments, stakeholders, and regulatory bodies. Tolerance facilitates collaboration by fostering mutual respect and understanding. Companies that embrace tolerance are
better equipped to navigate complex regulatory landscapes, implement effective compliance strategies, and achieve sustainability goals.
Transparent Communication
Transparent communication is essential for building trust and ensuring accountability in business operations. Tolerance encourages open dialogue and constructive feedback, enabling companies to address compliance issues proactively. Transparent communication enhances stakeholder engagement and supports the continuous improvement of sustainability practices.
Challenges of Increased Compliance Across ESG
As ESG regulations become more stringent, companies face several challenges in maintaining compliance. These challenges include regulatory complexity, resource constraints, and the integration of ESG criteria into core business operations.
Regulatory and Implementation Complexity
The proliferation of ESG regulations across different jurisdictions creates a complex regulatory landscape. Companies must navigate varying standards, reporting requirements, and compliance frameworks, which can be overwhelming. Regulatory complexity increases the risk of non-compliance and requires significant resources to manage. So, How do you then marry that with the needs of the business. It’s not all about regulatory or standards ONLY, there has to be an economic initiative as well.
Implementing and maintaining ESG compliance requires substantial financial, human, and technological resources. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often struggle with resource constraints, making it difficult for them to meet stringent ESG standards. Integrating ESG criteria into core business operations requires a fundamental shift in corporate culture and strategy. Companies must align their sustainability goals with business objectives, which can be challenging. The lack of standardized ESG metrics and reporting frameworks further complicates the integration process.
Solutions to the Challenges of Increased Compliance
To address the challenges of increased compliance across ESG, companies can adopt several strategies from a governance perspective. All efforts need to take into account the balance between the economic realities and the regulatory/standards landscape
Streamlining Regulatory Requirements
Simplifying regulatory requirements reduces complexity and enables companies to focus on achieving sustainability goals. Look at what YOUR COMPANY requires and don’t over pivot, the landscape of your operation is pivotal.
Investing in Compliance Infrastructure
Companies should invest in compliance infrastructure, including advanced technologies, training programs, and dedicated compliance teams. Compliance can be the driver for many programs – not owning but, driving the content of deliverables. Leveraging technology such as data analytics, artificial intelligence, and blockchain can enhance compliance monitoring and reporting. Training programs can equip employees with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate ESG regulations effectively.
Promoting a Culture of Sustainability
Fostering a culture of sustainability within the organization is essential for integrating ESG criteria and accountability into business operations. Leadership commitment, employee engagement, and stakeholder collaboration are critical components of a sustainable corporate culture. Companies can implement incentive programs, awareness campaigns, and sustainability committees to promote a culture of sustainability.
Conclusion
Compliance business governance, underpinned by integrity, ethics, and tolerance, is essential for achieving sustainability. Companies must navigate the complexities of ESG regulations, CSRD, Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) etc, while upholding ethical standards and fostering a culture of inclusivity and transparency. By addressing the challenges of increased compliance and adopting effective governance strategies, businesses can contribute to a more sustainable and equitable future. Sustainable governance not only benefits the environment and society but also drives long-term economic success and corporate resilience.
Related SDGs:
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
GOAL 7 AND THE GREAT TRANSITION Grant Dawson
Senior Legal Counsel, Wildlife Justice Commission Lead Legal Specialist, University of Groningen
Grant Dawson earned a Bachelor of Arts in Classics from Columbia College in New York City; a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Centre in Washington, DC; and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in international environmental law from Groningen University Faculty of Law in the Netherlands. Dr. Dawson has served in a variety of legal positions in academia, non-governmental organizations, private practice, government, and international organizations. He has researched, written, published, and lectured on a wide range of international legal topics.
GRANT DAWSON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 7 AND THE GREAT TRANSITION
It is time to correct humanity’s historical blunder of generating energy with fossil fuels and to accelerate our transition to sustainable energy. The way in which we have historically generated the energy that we use to power our civilization accounts for a significant portion of the carbon that we have released into the atmosphere. For decades, we have known about the problem of climate change and also possessed the means to reverse it; nevertheless, since the early 1990s, CO2 emissions on a global scale have almost doubled.
The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 calls upon the world to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. Three of the main components that are necessary to achieve the global transition envisaged in SDG 7 are the following: reducing—or even eliminating—our use of fossil fuels (decarbonization); developing renewable and sustainable energy sources and then using that energy as efficiently as possible; and increasing the resilience of our most vulnerable communities to the impacts of climate change (which is already upon us). In addition, the full and fair implementation of SDG 7 will enable progress in respect of the other SDGs, including climate action (SDG 13).
Renewable Energy Sources and the Great Transition
Solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, and green hydrogen are the means by which this Great Transition—a term used by Lester Brown—will be achieved. Europe is at an inflection point. A variety of public and private stakeholders are at the forefront of efforts to implement the transition to sustainable energy. The European Union’s constituent legal instrument contains an obligation to promote energy efficiency and to develop new and renewable forms of energy. The states of Europe have been striving to make this a reality through countless directives, regulations, and political declarations, such as the Political Declaration on Energy Cooperation Between the North Seas Countries (2016), the Esbjerg Declaration on the North Sea as a Green Power Plant of Europe (2022), the Marienborg Declaration (2022), and the Ostend Declaration (2023). In particular, Europe’s Green Deal (2023) aims to accelerate the move away from fossil fuels and to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Although governments are only one part of the solution, the legislation and regulations they enact can play a critical role in creating the markets for the private sector to then leverage and scale.
The keys to progress include the following: the development and scaling of new technologies; bold and progressive regulatory frameworks; public and private investment in new energy generation and transmission systems; and strict energy efficiency measures. The private sector is pivotal, as businesses are the actors that are designing and constructing our new energy generation and transmission systems. Corporate interests must be carefully calibrated with cooperation between the myriad entities that must work together in order to construct the energy systems of the next generation, and innovation must be encouraged and rewarded. Some examples of recent cooperative projects to improve Europe’s electricity transmission systems include Best Paths Transmission for Sustainability, Progress on Meshed HVDC Offshore Transmission Networks (PROMOTioN), Ready4DC, and InterOPERA—which focus on one piece of the gigantic puzzle of transitioning Europe (and the world) to sustainable energy at large scale and setting future legal and technical interoperability standards to enhance offshore wind development and integration.
A single one-size-fits-all plan will not be appropriate for every community’s energy needs. All voices must not only be heard, but also heeded, when they are in-line and consistent with the goals of providing sustainable energy to all: both communities seeking to decarbonize and those that are attempting to create reliable and clean energy for themselves for the very first time.
Humans and the Environment
When compared with many other species, humans have a rather long infancy stage in their development. As a society, our maturation has also been a long road. The development of agriculture was an important stepping-stone to our ability to control our environment and our own destinies—to give up the itinerant life, settle down, and increase our technological prowess. With the Industrial Revolution, our power to harness the potential of our natural environment dramatically increased, but our power has outstripped our moral development and wisdom as a species.
We are an inextricable part of the environment in which we live. At the same time, we are out of balance with that environment. We are just starting to internalize the notion that there is nowhere other than Earth that we can exist. Our environment is not perfectly tailored to suit us; rather, we have been carefully sculpted by evolution to fit our environment. The day is many years away when we will be able to create a permanent residence anywhere in the solar system, much less in another star system. We have not even managed to establish a permanent presence on the Moon; and Mars is a challenge currently beyond our reach. Even if that day comes, it is unlikely that we will be able to move billions of humans there, not to mention our fellow non-human Earthlings.
Some put all their hopes in technological solutions to the climate crisis and other environmental dilemmas that we have created for ourselves. These technological solutions are sometimes referred to as “geoengineering” and began to be developed in the mid-twentieth century CE. There is nothing inherently wrong with
such approaches to addressing the climate crisis; and the application of present and yet to be developed technologies will be a critical part of how we manage our environment in the decades and centuries to come. But geoengineering is not a comprehensive and holistic solution, nor is it prudent to put all our eggs into a single basket. It is also irrational to cede responsibility to someone else—be it a government or a private company—to solve the climate crisis. And this is where individual and collective ethics come into play.
The need for a new code of ethics
We need a new code of ethics—one of responsibility, caretaking, and no-harm towards the environment. Or perhaps we simply need to relearn some of the things we forgot along our road of technological progress.
Depending upon the situation, sometimes we feel that life is short, and sometimes we feel that life is long. But when compared to the geological and evolutionary processes that have shaped the world around us, it is clear that we are tragically finite and ephemeral creatures. As expressed by Rabindranath Tagore: “The one who plants trees, knowing that he will never sit in their shade, has at least started to understand the meaning of life.” This eloquent statement reflects the principle of intergenerational ethics: the concept that we, in the present, have a moral obligation to preserve the Earth for those who will come after us, for those who do not have a say in the matter now because they do not even exist yet. The work to be done is overdue, will take generations, and will outlive all of us who are living today.
Such an intergenerational view requires humility and an understanding—and acceptance—that each of us is merely one modest link in a chain that reaches back thousands, and even millions, of years. As individuals, we may not have created the environmental problems that we have today, but we are the heirs of what has been left to us by our ancestors. Are we going to deny responsibility and give ourselves over to the tides of path dependence; or are we going to roll up our sleeves and fix the mistakes of the past? Not only for ourselves, but also so that succeeding generations can live in a place worth living. For the chain stretches not only back into the past, but also flows inexorably into the future. We do not want our generation to be the weak link in that chain. We need to do our part and then pass the work on to our progeny.
It was Carl Sagan who observed: “No species is guaranteed its tenure on this planet.” Whether we humans continue to enjoy our “tenure” may not only come down to technological solutions, but also to our ability to adopt a new and more mature set of ethics, whereby we seek to live in balance with the natural environment, rather than continuing to adhere to an anachronistic and childish view of ourselves as “masters” or “conquerors” of Nature. The accumulation of individual, ethical decisions can lead us to massive cultural changes in the way we live and in the way we interact with the environment that—thus far—has sustained all life on planet Earth. If we can adapt and change and if we can rise to the challenge, perhaps someday we will reach our adulthood as a species and recapture the balance we once had with the world around us.
Related SDGs:
RIDING TOWARD CHANGE: HOW INTEGRITY CAN GUIDE BUSINESS IN PROMOTING CYCLING FOR THE NEXT GENERATION
Rosa Suriñach
City Councillor, Barcelona City Council
Rosa Suriñach is an expert in public policies and advocacy with over 20 years of professional experience with local governments and international organizations. She has led projects, campaigns and initiatives to promote more sustainable and resilient cities around the world.
For more than 10 years she was part of UN-Habitat, from she participated in the development of the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs; and, more intensively, in the creation of the New Urban Agenda, coordinating the mobilization of the main urban stakeholders and groups. With a global vision, Rosa has managed field projects in the USA, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Japan, Kenya and Europe.
She is currently a political city councillor in Barcelona, Spain.
She has a degree in Advertising (UAB), a Master’s in Strategic Communication (URL) and the International Relations Program (New York University).
ROSA SURIÑACH
RIDING TOWARD CHANGE: HOW INTEGRITY CAN GUIDE BUSINESS IN PROMOTING CYCLING FOR THE NEXT GENERATION
Introduction: General Context in Europe and Decline in Child Population in Cities
In recent decades, European cities have experienced a significant decline in the population of children, a trend that is reshaping urban landscapes and demographics. Concerning children (those aged below 15), the decrease in the EU was 2 pp, from 17% in 2002 to 15% in 2022 (Eurostats 2023). This decline is most pronounced in densely populated urban areas. For instance, in Barcelona, a recent report indicates that only 22% of households have children, compared to 27% in 1997. What’s more, the total number of pet dogs is higher than the number of children in the city.
Several factors contribute to this demographic shift: high living costs, housing shortages, inadequate child-friendly infrastructure, mass tourism gentrification that drives young families out of city centers. Moreover, after the Covid-19 Pandemic, the growing preference for suburban or rural environments further exacerbates the situation.
The decline in child populations is not merely a demographic statistic but a critical indicator of the need to rethink urban planning and policies.
Urban Challenges for Children: How Cities Are Not Designed for Them
Urban design significantly impacts children’s ability to navigate their environment safely and independently. Traditionally, cities have been designed with economic efficiency and vehicular traffic in mind, often at the expense of pedestrian safety and accessibility. This car-centric approach has resulted in urban spaces where children have limited freedom and autonomy.
Urban environments need to consider the specific needs of children of different ages. For younger children, safe spaces to play, such as parks and playgrounds that are accessible without crossing major streets, are essential. For teenagers, community centers where they can meet friends and explore autonomy are
decisive. For all of them, safe biking routes and pedestrian-friendly zones are key. The “15-minute city” concept, popularized by professor Carlos Moreno and which has gained traction in cities like Paris, proposes that all essential services should be within a 15-minute walk or bike ride. This model is particularly relevant for children, ensuring they have access to schools, parks, and other amenities without needing to rely on cars or public transport.
Air quality is another pressing concern. The European Environment Agency (EEA) reveals that over 90% of urban populations in Europe are exposed to levels of air pollution that exceed the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, with children being particularly vulnerable. Children living in cities are more likely to suffer from respiratory issues, such as asthma, and are at higher risk of developing chronic conditions due to prolonged exposure to pollutants.
Furthermore, European data show that only 40% or less of children walk to school and a small percentage cycle to school, which has many implications for the health of children. The lack of independent mobility in cities leads to decreased physical activity, increased anxiety, and fewer social interactions among children, impacting their overall development and well-being.
In contrast, children in suburban or rural areas are nearly twice as likely to engage in active modes of transport, highlighting the disparity in how urban spaces cater to children’s needs.
The challenge is not just about physical safety. Green spaces, playgrounds, and recreational areas where children can engage in unstructured play are crucial for their cognitive and emotional development. Studies by the Child-Friendly Cities Initiative indicate that children who grow up with limited access to green and open spaces are more likely to suffer from attention disorders, reduced social skills, and lower academic performance.
To address these challenges, urban planners and policymakers need to adopt a child-first approach. By redesigning streets to prioritize pedestrians and cyclists, increasing green spaces, and implementing traffic-calming measures, cities can provide safe and supportive environments that encourage children to explore, play, and grow. This also contributes to a more inclusive, vibrant, and sustainable city for all its residents.
A Model for Child-Friendly Urban Mobility: the Bikebus and other Global Movements
Around the world, cities are embracing innovative movements to reclaim urban spaces for children and promote sustainable mobility. One prominent example is the 2021 Bikebus (“Bicibús” in Catalan language) initiative in Barcelona. The Bikebus is a community-led effort where groups of children, escorted by parents and volunteers, cycle to school together along safe, designated routes.
This initiative was copied in European and American cities: the Alameda bikebus (Portland, US), the Shawlands bikebus (UK), Frankfurt (Germany), Lisbon (Portugal), among others.
The benefits of the Bikebus for Children are significant: safety in numbers, physical health, mental and emotional well-being, environmental awareness, fostering independence, road safety education.
Also for the community its benefits are considerable: reduction in traffic congestion, community building, increased attention for safe cycling infrastructure for all ages, improve a city’s ambition to change.
There are other initiatives in many cities that adopt similar goals: the “School Streets” initiative in London, temporarily restricting motor vehicle traffic on streets outside schools during drop-off and pick-up times. In Toronto (Canada), school communities and local governments collaborate to reclaim streets for children, promoting safer walking and cycling environment. Worth mentioning also is the “Ciclovía” model, in Bogotá (Colombia), where streets are closed to cars every Sunday and public holidays to allow for biking, walking, and recreational activities. Copenhagen, a city known for its bike-friendly infrastructure, launched a “Cycling to School” campaign. The city has developed extensive networks of safe cycle paths that connect neighborhoods to schools, coupled with education programs that teach children road safety and bike maintenance. Similarly to the Bikebus, in the “Pedibus” concept, children walk to school in groups along safe, predetermined routes. This concept has been widely implemented in Italy and France, especially in cities like Milan, Paris, and Lyon. Finally, the ‘Critical Mass’ movement is replaced by the concept of ‘Kidical Mass’. In some cities “Kidical Mass” events are organized to create safe, fun, and festive bike rides for children.
Reflection on Investing in Children for Future Generations
Investing in children means investing in the future. The future of our cities, economies, and societies depends on nurturing the next generation with the right values and experiences. We know that children who grow up in environments that encourage biking, walking, and outdoor play are more likely to develop higher levels of social cohesion, environmental awareness, and civic engagement. They also tend to adopt healthier lifestyles and display greater independence and resilience.
Moreover, the connection between childhood experiences and adult behavior is well-documented. If kids grow up in car-dominated environments will be more likely to prefer driving over walking or biking, even for short distances. Conversely, those who are raised in pedestrian and bike-friendly neighborhoods might be more likely to use sustainable modes of transport and support policies that promote green urban development. To ensure that future generations manage businesses, cities, and governments with a mindset focused on sustainability and social progress, we must start by creating urban environments that reflect these values today.
Role
of Companies: Why the Private Sector Must Support This Journey
These urban transformations require a multi-faceted approach involving not just public policies but also cultural shifts and behavioral changes, which are beyond the scope of government actions alone. This is where the private sector comes in.
Companies are key stakeholders in urban development and have a responsibility to support initiatives that enhance the quality of life in the cities where they operate. For instance, guided by business integrity, public-private partnerships (PPPs) can be particularly powerful for financing active mobility and have been used to introduce bikeshare systems in several large cities, such as London, Mexico City, New York and Paris.
Companies can invest in sustainable infrastructure, sponsor community cycling events, or provide grants for initiatives like the Bikebus. Such efforts not only contribute to a company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals but also improve the quality of life in the city and employee satisfaction.
In addition to direct investments, companies can also play a crucial role in advocacy and awareness. They can leverage their platforms to promote childfriendly urban policies, influence public opinion, and encourage employees and customers to engage in sustainable practices. This kind of advocacy can be particularly powerful when it comes from influential business leaders who recognize the long-term benefits of creating cities that are safe and welcoming for children.
Conclusion: A Call to Action for a Collaborative Urban Future with Integrity
A sustainable, child-friendly city is a collective responsibility that extends beyond the scope of government. When following the path of integrity, private actors can collaborate with public institutions and civil society. By investing in biking initiatives, supporting community-driven movements, and advocating for child-friendly urban planning, businesses can play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our cities.
The future of urban life depends on the decisions we make today. Ensuring that cities are accessible, safe, and nurturing environments for children is not just a policy decision; it is a moral imperative. To achieve this vision, we need collective action— where city governments, businesses, and civil society work together to prioritize children’s needs and redefine what it means to live in a sustainable, inclusive city. Companies have a critical role to play, not just as sponsors or funders but as active participants in creating a shared urban future. By investing in child-friendly urban development, we are investing in our own urban future.
Related SDGs:
THE PLACE OF INTEGRITY IN SUSTAINABILITY EDUCATION
Sylvia Bergh
Senior researcher, Research Group Multilevel Regulation, Centre of Expertise on Global and Inclusive Learning, The Hague University of Applied Sciences (THUAS)
Associate Professor in Development Management and Governance, International Institute of Social Studies (ISS), Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR)
Sylvia is currently working as a senior researcher in the Research Group Multilevel Regulation, Centre of Expertise on Global and Inclusive Learning at The Hague University of Applied Sciences (THUAS), and an associate Professor in Development Management and Governance at the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR). She acquired her Doctorate in Philosophy from University of Oxford, specializing within the field of Development Studies, with her fascinating career starting with the role of Junior Professional Associate with the World Bank.
Her goal is to acquire and conduct innovative interdisciplinary research projects on global and multi-level governance issues. Sylvia is passionate, yet practical at connecting with relevant stakeholders from academia, policy-making, and NGOs in order to design, conduct, and learn from research.
SYLVIA BERGH
THE PLACE OF INTEGRITY IN SUSTAINABILITY EDUCATION
Over the last decade or so, courses and programs on sustainability not only focus on sustainability issues but also increasingly foster the practices, ways of being, and skills needed to be an effective sustainability leader. This is in line with the UNESCO’s agenda on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). In addition, Global Citizenship Education courses share the concern for ‘education that opens people’s eyes and minds to the realities of the world and awakens them to bring about a world of greater justice, equity and human rights for all.’ (Maastricht Global Education Declaration, 2002). In this contribution, which is partly based on my recent experience with a research-action project on the skills and qualities needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (EmpowerSDGs) I would like to explore the place of ethics and integrity in such programs, and how such qualities can be fostered.
Normative Competency
According to the UNESCO (2017: 1), education is both an SDG in itself and a means for attaining all the other SDGs. There is general agreement that “sustainability citizens” (i.e. people who learn to understand the complex world in which they live, are able to collaborate, speak up and act for positive change) need to have certain key competencies that allow them to engage constructively and responsibly with today’s world. Competences are ‘an interplay of knowledge, capacities and skills, motives and affective dispositions.’ The UNESCO’s list of key competencies includes “normative competency”, which is defined as ‘the abilities to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one’s actions; and to negotiate sustainability values, principles, goals, and targets, in a context of conflicts of interests and tradeoffs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions.’ This competency is linked to “critical thinking competency”, i.e. ‘the ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on own one’s values, perceptions and actions; and to take a position in the sustainability discourse’ (UNESCO 2017: 10).
Similarly, the relatively new initiative (or perhaps it should be called a ‘movement’) of the ‘Inner Development Goals’ or IDGs includes two related qualities, namely “having an inner compass” and “integrity and authenticity”. As for the former, it is defined as ‘having a deeply felt sense of responsibility and commitment to values and purposes relating to the good of the whole.’ (Jordan 2021: 13). By “whole” is meant something much larger than oneself such as humanity, the global
ecosystem, or particular large-scale issues such as climate change. As for “integrity and authenticity”, the IDG report (Jordan 2021: 13) defines it as ‘a commitment and ability to act with sincerity, honesty and integrity.’ This is clearly related to one’s values, but also presupposes personal maturity and the ability to be aware of his or her inner processes (such as reactions, emotions, identifications).
Ability of ‘being in tune with oneself and the outside world’
This ability of ‘being in tune with oneself and the outside world’ also links to what is called psychological literacy (see O’Hara 2007, based on the work of Carl Rogers), i.e. the capacity to read one’s own psychological response to challenge and become the master of that response, rather than its victim. This requires strong self-awareness, where leaders can understand their thoughts, feelings and motives, and how they may impact their response (O’Hara and Leicester 2019).
How can (higher) education foster ethical competency and self-awareness? Some scholars (see Woiwode et al 2021: 854) argue that it is crucial to support individuals and groups in a process of connecting to the ‘whole’ and to reflect on one’s personal values, beliefs, worldviews, religion, spirituality. However, talking about these aspects is not common ground in sustainability education. Addressing such issues requires a protective environment or “safe space”, where ‘differences are more likely to be accepted, conflicts can be addressed, and the main goal is to connect for the common good.’ (ibid. p. 854).
Being able to connect to the ‘whole’ also means being able to deal with complexity, think through complex problems, and engage groups in dynamic adaptive organisational change. In addition, and linking to the point above about personal maturity, such leaders must ‘have the emotional intelligence to adaptively engage with their own emotions associated with complex problem solving’ (Metcalf and Benn 2012: 369). This is crucial for sustainability leadership.
Developing Sustainability Leadership with Integrity
More generally, Burns and Wolf (2014) argue that sustainability leadership identity and skills can be developed with community building (or what they call ‘attending to relationships’), reflective practice, and experiential learning (‘making it real’ by going out and learning with and in communities and projects).
Integrity is linked to ‘virtue’, which is the disposition to ‘do the right thing in the right situation’. It can be developed by watching other people exhibiting the virtuous behaviour (role models), imitating their behaviour and reflecting on one’s behaviour. The crux lies in the fact that there is no automatic agreement on a set of “appropriate values” that can (or should) be imposed on educational communities. On the contrary, there is need for stakeholders to establish shared value systems and standards, which will be negotiated and revised. Ethical inquiry as a competence in students means that personal norms, values and interests are open to discussion and criticism by a community of people where they undergo a “peer-review” process that leads to their validation or abolishment. (Kioupi and Voulvoulis 2019: 10).
As UNESCO puts it in its work on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), such an education necessitates an ‘action-oriented, transformative pedagogy, which supports self-directed learning, participation and collaboration, problemorientation, inter- and transdisciplinarity and the linking of formal and informal learning.’ (UNESCO 2017: 7). I am hopeful that the curricula reforms at our universities are increasingly enabling such a pedagogy, and that they will gradually also include integrity and other normative competencies.
At The Hague University of Applied Sciences (THUAS), there are many promising initiatives. Next to the EmpowerSDGs project mentioned earlier, examples include the International Public Policy and Leadership program, the Student-led Research Unit, the Comenius Leadership Fellow on ‘Relational peer mediation training to foster affective learning at THUAS through the pedagogy of discomfort’, the Integrity Digital Learning Module, the Comenius Fellowship on Negotiating Sustainability as well as work on regenerative education and climate justice.
I would like to conclude this contribution with a set of questions that are part of a self-reflection tool on integrity and authenticity developed under the Inner Development Goals initiative by Stålne and Greca (2022: 30). At the individual level, they ask: ‘In what situations and why do you stop being yourself? In what situations do you feel challenged to be true to your values and who you want to be?’ At the organisational level, the questions include: ‘In what situations and why does your organisation stop to act in line with its values? In what situations do you feel challenged to act in line with the values of the organization you work for?’ I believe asking these questions on a regular basis will help calibrate our moral compasses and enable us to contribute (in small ways) to the SDGs.
Related SDGs:
References
• Burns, H., & Wolf, J. R. (2014). Leadership for sustainability: Pedagogical practices that empower learners to become leaders. Educational Leadership and Policy Faculty Publications and Presentations, (46) Retrieved from https:// pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/elp_fac/46
• Jordan, T. (2021). Inner development goals: Background, method and the IDG framework. Growth that Matters AB. Retrieved from https://drive.google.com/ file/d/13fcf9xmYrX9wrsh3PC3aeRDs0rWsWCpA/edit
• Kioupi, V., & Voulvoulis, N. (2019). Education for sustainable development: A systemic framework for connecting the SDGs to educational outcomes. Sustainability, 11(21), 6104. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/su11216104
• Leicester, G., & O’Hara, M. (2019). Dancing at the edge: Competence, culture and organization in the 21st century, Triarchy Press Ltd.
• Metcalf, L., & Benn, S. (2013). Leadership for sustainability: An evolution of leadership ability. Journal of Business Ethics, (112), 369–384. doi:https://doi. org/10.1007/s10551-012-1278-6
• O’Hara, M. (2007). Psychological literacy for an emerging global society: Another look at rogers’ “persons of tomorrow” as a model. Person-Centered & Experiential Psychotherapies, 6(1), 45–60. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/14779757.20 07.9688427
• Stålne, K., & Greca, S. (2022). Inner development goals: Phase 2 research report. Retrieved from https://drive.google.com/file/d/1I0ThTPl75h3M6iLzZ7KgYOsiLcrZw 3Bw/edit
• UNESCO. (2017). Education for sustainable development goals: Learning objectives. Paris: doi:https://doi.org/10.54675/CGBA9153
• Woiwode, C., Schäpke, N., Bina, O., Kunze, I., Parodi, O., Schweizer-Ries, P., & Wamsler, C. (2021). Inner transformation to sustainability as a deep leverage point: Fostering new avenues for change through dialogue and reflection. Sustainability Science, (16), 841–858. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-02000882-y
PATRIOTIC MILLIONAIRES:
STANDING FOR A MORE JUST ECONOMY AND THE END OF EXTREME WEALTH
Lindsay Storie
Head of Community, Patriotic Millionaires UK
Lindsay has dedicated his career to helping wealth holders think beyond traditional philanthropy towards systemic change, addressing the root causes of inequality. Before joining Patriotic Millionaires UK, he served as Chief of Staff for a Single Family Office, witnessing firsthand the profound influence of wealth and the disproportionate power it often carries. Lindsay has a Masters in Philanthropic Studies, further refining his approach to creating meaningful change and impactful solutions.
PATRIOTIC MILLIONAIRES:
STANDING FOR A MORE JUST ECONOMY AND THE END OF EXTREME WEALTH
Patriotic Millionaires believe in a vision of economic justice and inclusivity, where extreme wealth does not overshadow the common good. As a non-partisan network of over 300 millionaires, we stand firmly for a just economy and the end of extreme wealth.
Our commitment is rooted in the understanding that significant economic and political inequality undermines democracy and societal stability. We are dedicated to addressing these issues by challenging the concentration of wealth and power, both nationally and globally.
Our Vision and Mission
Our mission is to confront the destabilizing effects of extreme wealth and inequality by leveraging the influential voice of millionaires. We aim to build a fairer and more stable economy through strategic media engagement, communications, and advocacy campaigns. Driven by a shared vision of a society where wealth does not undermine democratic values or contribute to social divisions.
Extreme wealth has become a defining feature of our economic system, creating a chasm that exacerbates inequality and erodes trust in democratic institutions. Our goal is to use the unexpected voice of wealth to bring attention to this issue, advocating for reforms that will address these disparities and promote a more inclusive economy.
Our work is closely aligned with the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular Goal 10 and its aims to reduce inequality. Progressive taxation directly reduces income and wealth disparities and will actively contribute to a reduction in inequality.
Our Strategic Focus
Our advocacy is centered around three key pillars of the political economy:
1. Progressive Taxation on Extreme Wealth: We advocate for higher taxes on millionaires, billionaires, and large corporations. This is not just a matter of fiscal policy; it is a fundamental aspect of a functioning democracy and the social contract. Taxes are essential for funding public services such as education, healthcare, and justice, which are crucial for maintaining societal cohesion and promoting equity. By increasing the tax contributions of the wealthiest individuals and corporations, we can generate the revenue needed to address pressing social issues and invest in critical public services.
2. Fair Compensation for Work: We support policies that ensure fair compensation for all types of work. In a just economy, the value of work should be recognized and rewarded appropriately, regardless of the sector or occupation. This includes advocating for better wages, fair labor practices, and stronger workers’ rights. Ensuring that everyone receives fair compensation is crucial for reducing income inequality and fostering a more equitable society.
3. Preventing Wealth from Undermining Politics: Wealth should not be used to corrupt or influence political processes. We advocate for transparency and integrity in political funding, ensuring that political decisions are made in the best interest of the public rather than being swayed by the financial interests of the wealthy. This includes supporting reforms that enhance the accountability of political leaders and reduce the impact of money in politics.
Our History and Achievements
Founded internationally and in the UK in January 2021, Patriotic Millionaires International builds on a decade of impactful advocacy that began in the United States. In 2010, political strategist Erica Payne rallied against proposed tax cuts for millionaires, leading a campaign that contributed to their reversal. This marked the inception of Patriotic Millionaires in the US, which now boasts over 250 members.
Inspired by the success in the US, we established Patriotic Millionaires UK with the aim of applying similar strategies to the UK context. Our initial year of operation demonstrated the effectiveness of our approach, allowing us to cut through the noise on inequality and amplify our message. Since then, we have continued to build momentum and extend our influence.
Our efforts have garnered significant attention, with extensive media coverage across major outlets such as the BBC, Financial Times, The Guardian, and Al Jazeera. We have also engaged in numerous parliamentary events, public letters to global forums, and achieved thousands of media hits worldwide. This visibility has enabled us to reach millions of people and advance our advocacy agenda.
Aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals
Our work is closely aligned with the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those focused on reducing inequality and fostering sustainable economic growth.
• Goal 1: No Poverty: A wealth tax could allow for redistribution resources to alleviate poverty and enhance living standards.
• Goal 2: Zero Hunger: Funds from a wealth tax can support initiatives to eradicate hunger and ensure food security.
• Goal 3: Good Health and Wellbeing: Revenue from wealth taxation can be invested in healthcare systems to improve public health.
• Goal 4: Quality Education: A wealth tax can provide funding for quality education and reduce disparities in access to learning.
• Goal 5: Gender Equality: Wealth taxes can support programs promoting gender equality and empower those underrepresented in society.
• Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation: Funds from a wealth tax can be used to improve access to clean water and sanitation facilities.
• Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy: A wealth tax can finance the transition to clean and affordable energy sources.
• Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: Tax revenue can be invested in creating decent jobs and promoting sustainable economic growth.
• Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: Wealth tax revenue can support innovation and infrastructure development for sustainable industry.
• Goal 10: Reduced Inequality: Progressive taxation directly reduces income and wealth disparities.
• Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: Funds from wealth taxes can be used to develop sustainable and resilient urban areas.
• Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: Wealth tax revenue can promote sustainable consumption practices and reduce waste.
• Goal 13: Climate Action: Wealth taxes can help fund climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts.
• Goal 14: Life Below Water: Revenue from wealth taxes can support ocean conservation and protect marine ecosystems.
• Goal 15: Life on Land: A wealth tax can finance efforts to preserve biodiversity and combat land degradation.
• Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions: Wealth taxation promotes transparency and strengthens institutions by reducing economic inequalities.
• Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals: A wealth tax fosters collaboration by providing resources to support global partnerships and initiatives.
The Path Forward
Our unique role is to leverage the voice of wealth to highlight the urgent need for economic reforms that benefit both people and the planet. We are committed to amplifying the call for tax policies that support a sustainable and inclusive future. As we continue to advocate for these changes, we recognise the importance of working collaboratively with other organizations, policymakers, and stakeholders to drive progress and achieve our shared goals.
Our message is clear: the current economic system, characterized by extreme wealth and inequality, is unsustainable and detrimental to both individuals and society as a whole. By addressing these issues and advocating for fairer policies, we can contribute to building a more just, stable, and inclusive world.
In conclusion, Patriotic Millionaires remain dedicated to using our platform to advance economic justice and support the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We believe that by addressing extreme wealth and promoting progressive taxation, we can create a fairer and more equitable society for all.
Join us today: www.patrioticmillionaires.uk
Related SDGs:
PROMOTING WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP
Angela Sofía Caicedo
Vice President of Public-Private Articulation, Chamber of Commerce of Bogotá
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Universidad Nacional de Colombia and an specialization in Negotiations and International Relations from Universidad de los Andes.
She has been City Councillor of Bogotá, Deputy Director of International Projection of the Mayor’s Office of Bogotá, Director of the Bogotá Archive and has been responsible for the management of external relations in several companies. Currently she is Vice President of Public-Private Articulation of the Chamber of Commerce of Bogotá.
ANGELA SOFÍA CAICEDO PROMOTING WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP
I am very proud to be a woman. We are resourceful, intelligent, strong, sensitive to the needs of others and we have many more qualities. However, we still need to realize the great value we have and how capable we are to lead the transformation of the society in which we live, and to close numerous gaps that make women exercise fewer leadership roles in terms of economic world’s level, but also in political and social terms.
According to UN Women, the percentage of females in working age that participate in the labor market is 10 percentage points lower than men’s; the wage gap is 20% and very few hold management positions, both in private companies and in the public sector. Likewise, according to the Social Institutions and Gender Index - OECD 2023, at global level, 16% of women live in countries where domestic violence is not criminalized, 13% of young females are married before the age of 18, and women only represent 27% of the members of parliaments.
The World Economic Forum, in the Global Gender Gap Report 2023, estimates that it will take 131 years to eliminate gender inequalities in the world. In 2020, it was estimated that it would take 99.5 years, therefore, the Covid-19 pandemic delayed the achievement of equality for one more generation.
Additionally, according to data from the International Labour Organization, although in 2022 women represented 50% of the worldwide working-age population, only 40% of the total were active and only 27% held managerial positions. Globally, 22% of working-age women perform full-time unpaid care, compared to 1.5% of working-age men.
In Colombia, a study carried out in 2023 by the Chamber of Commerce of Bogotá revealed that of the total number of people on boards of directors, 40.8% are women and 58.9% are men, and that when a company has a female legal representative, the percentage of women on the company’s board of directors is 53.2%. However, if it is a man who acts as legal representative, females in the board drops to 32.9%.
In addition, a survey conducted by the Chamber of Commerce of Bogotá to adult people in Bogotá in 2023 revealed other barriers for women in the labor market: I) 58.2% of women have been asked for or applied pregnancy tests during the selection process; II) 73.1% have been asked during an interview if they have children or have plans to conceive, while this happens to only 64% of men; III) 33% of females
have been asked if care activities will be an impediment to their work performance, while this happens to only 19.1% of men; and IV) 28.55% of women consider that care activities are an impediment to progress in working life, when only 13.6% of men consider this.
All the data mentioned above shows that there are significant barriers that limit women’s full participation in the labor market. These include inequality in access to resources, lack of training and professional development opportunities, and gender discrimination, especially in the workplace. That is why it is essential to create an environment that fosters inclusion and promotes women’s leadership in all sectors.
Working for the empowerment of women, and the possibility for them to assume leadership roles, is the key to achieve a real transformation of the society in which we live. An empowered woman claims her rights, takes charge of her life and decides for herself. She does not allow herself to be discriminated against because of her condition and does not allow herself to be physically or psychologically abused. An empowered woman breaks the silence and raises her voice to denounce the abusers to the authorities and to society, so that they cannot continue mistreating her or other women. An empowered woman becomes a leader who pushes processes of growth and transformation.
It is widely recognized that female inclusion in the labor market has a multiplier effect on the economy. When they have access to decent jobs and actively participate in the labor market, more equitable economic growth is generated, and the social fabric is strengthened. Women bring unique perspectives and valuable skills that, when integrated into the working and business world, contribute to the innovation, productivity and sustainability of companies and communities.
And this is even more powerful if women come together in networks or ecosystems where they complement and support each other. It has been demonstrated throughout history that great changes have occurred when women have managed to unite for common causes, creating platforms of opinion and action that lead to transformations of traditional structures.
But this is not achieved overnight, it is necessary to work on educating and training women, and even men, so that they can recognize and enhance their capacities and learn to respect and value each other.
Empowering women is one of the most important ways to transform communities and societies. It is important to persist in teaching women that they have no limits and can become anything they dream of being, without stereotypes or limitations.
And it is important to point out that not only economic empowerment is required, but also to create awareness that, regardless of what they do, they are valuable for the mere fact of being who they are. Empowerment includes equity and recognition for their work, even if it is done at home doing household chores, caring for the elderly or supporting children in their upbringing.
The United Nations, especially in the Human Development Reports, has highlighted that women’s participation in different fields is a fundamental aspect to reduce gaps. And it makes special emphasis in defining gender equality and what equity should be. Equality is the fact that there are equal number for both genders, while equity speaks of the relationships of respect and equality in access to opportunities between men and women, being something much deeper.
Therefore, the work that is carried out must seek objectives that go beyond equality to seek true equity, and this begins by recognizing that women’s leadership roles must be enhanced.
In addition to focusing on leadership scenarios, there should be programs that ensure the access of women to education, participation, and economic empowerment. This can be achieved through accompaniment and mentoring for the creation and operation of businesses. Also, through lines of specific financing, motivation, and incentives for companies who prioritize the hiring of women and supplying companies led by woman or a significant percentage of them on its payroll.
Considering the importance of promoting this leadership and doing so with concrete actions, the Chamber of Commerce of Bogotá has promoted the creation of a network of female entrepreneurs and businesswomen called “Believe in you”. This network is not only a strategic initiative but is also based on the Colombian Law Creo En Ti – Law 2125, which has existed since 2021. This legislation establishes incentives for the creation, formalization and strengthening of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises led by women. In addition, the Law urges the Chambers of Commerce, together with other actors from the public and private sector, to formulate and implement public policies that promote women-led entrepreneurship and to create networks that facilitate their active participation in the business ecosystem.
With this Network, the Chamber of Commerce of Bogotá:
• Facilitates the economic empowerment of woman by providing them with tools and resources to develop and grow their businesses.
• Encourages the creation of solid connections between businesswomen and entrepreneurs to promote the exchange of experiences and opportunities.
• Offers training and professional development programs that address the specific needs of women in the business environment, including technical and soft skills.
• Connects them with institutional programs, allies and specialized routes that enhance their businesses.
• Promotes diversity and inclusion in the business world, ensuring the network to be representative of a plurality of sectors, regions and profiles.
• Works to improve the access of women to financing opportunities so they can develop and grow their businesses.
It is important to keep in mind that encouraging and supporting the creation of these women networks and ecosystems must be a commitment that we must always have, no matter where we are. Much is said about sisterhood but there is still a long way to go to see it reflected permanently. As women, we can achieve what we set out to do, specially if we are united and convinced that by adding experiences, resources, capabilities and opportunities we can make it far in life. It is up to all of us to continue opening paths, as it has been done before by women such as Ada Lovelace (the first computer programmer), Marie Curie (precursor of women in STEM careers), Rosa Parks (activist against segregation), Emmeline Pankhurst (precursor of female suffrage), among many others who have often been erased from history.
Related SDGs:
ENSURING CLEAN WATER AND SANITATION WITH INTEGRITY
Noa Maria Hartog
Policy Officer, Vewin
Noa Maria Hartog is a dedicated policy advisor at Vewin, the national association representing drinking water companies in the Netherlands. She also serves as the alliance coordinator for SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) at SDG Nederland, fostering collaboration to achieve sustainable water management goals. With a strong focus on advocacy and policy, Noa gained international experience through an extracurricular internship in Brussels, where she represented Dutch drinking water companies and water authorities, highlighting her expertise in European water policy.
Noa holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering and a Master’s degree in Water Management, specializing in Urban Water Engineering, both from TU Delft. Her academic foundation, combined with her professional roles, underscores her commitment to ensuring sustainable and equitable access to clean water, making her a significant contributor to the water sector in the Netherlands.
NOA MARIA HARTOG
ENSURING CLEAN WATER AND SANITATION WITH INTEGRITY
Introduction
Clean water and sanitation; the exact description of Sustainable Development Goal 6. Access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene is the most basic human need for health and well-being. On top of that, it is a human right. This is why ensuring access to water and sanitation for all is one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, a call for action by all countries.
The Netherlands is one of them, where Vewin (the national association of the regional drinking water companies in the Netherlands) and the Dutch Water Authorities (the national association of the regional water authorities in the Netherlands) are responsible for ensuring clean water and sanitation for all inhabitants. This essay discusses how both associations try to do this with integrity.
First, Vewin and the Dutch Water Authorities are shortly introduced. Then, it is enlighted what is needed to ensure clean water and sanitation; what are the current challenges? The essay ends with solutions and next steps. This consists of actions currently taken by regional drinking water companies and water authorities on the one hand, and necessary future actions on a national level on the other hand, emphasizing the need for integrity.
Vewin & Dutch Water Authorities
Vewin is the national association of the regional drinking water companies in the Netherlands. There are ten drinking water companies of public interest, delivering drinking water throughout the whole country, represented by Vewin in The Hague and Brussels. The main aim of Vewin is to establish and maintain favorable conditions for the continuous production and 24/7 supply of good drinking water; this is even their legal duty. Therefore, Vewin plays an essential role in ensuring clean water and sanitation with integrity.
The Dutch Water Authorities is the national association of the regional water authorities in the Netherlands. There are 21 water authorities, exclusively dedicated to water management. Their main aims are to keep the Netherlands a safe place to live in, as it is actually a low-lying delta area. Since the Dutch Water Authorities is their representation both on a national and on an international level, it also plays an essential role in ensuring clean water and sanitation with integrity.
The tasks of the regional drinking water companies and the regional water authorities come together where it concerns clean drinking water. The ten drinking water companies are responsible for producing it at their production locations, using specific drinking water resources, both groundwater and surface water. After use by its consumers, the 21 water authorities are responsible for cleaning it in their sewage treatment plants.
Challenges
To be able to perform those tasks, the interests of the drinking water companies and water authorities are represented by Vewin and the Dutch Water Authorities. Although this might feel unnecessary, it is not, especially now. It might seem logical, that opening the tap leads to water coming out of it, but that is not that naturally anymore; not even in the Netherlands. We have grown used to having sufficient, clean and safe water from the tap, but having access to clean drinking water wherever and whenever possible is no longer a certainty.
There are a few challenges in ensuring clean water and sanitation, according to the report Water availability for drinking water production up to 2030: difficulties and solutions (RIVM, 2023). In 2020, water availability was sufficient to produce drinking water for the whole of the Netherlands. However, Dutch demand for drinking water is expected to be substantially higher in 2030 than in 2020, because of the growing economy and expanding population amongst others. On top of that, increased temperatures due to climate change, resulting in warm summers, will push the demand for drinking water up even as availability goes down. Moreover, the Netherlands will need a water system that is able to cope with both drought and prolonged wet periods, also because of the projected changes in climate.
Ensuring clean water and sanitation with integrity
So, despite the challenges; how do Vewin and the Dutch Water Authorities still seek to ensure clean water and sanitation with integrity? The integrity lies in the addition that is done in the definition of Sustainable Development Goal 6: ensuring access to water and sanitation for all. What are the current actions and next steps that should be taken?
Vewin (in collaboration with the provinces and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water) is currently drafting an National Action Program for the Availability of Drinking Water Resources 2023-2030, based on bottlenecks as indicated by the regional drinking water companies. Goal of this program is to prevent drinking water shortages (estimated to be 102 million cubic meter in 2030) and thus to guarantee the production of drinking water throughout the Netherlands.
The Dutch Water Authorities, on the other hand, are contributing to the continuous supply of drinking water via the prevention of water pollution at the origin. The quality of drinking water resources is namely threatened by many substances, such as PFAS, pharmaceuticals, pesticides and nitrate from fertilizers. By preventing water pollution at the origin, the chances that those drinking water resources get contaminated can become much lower.
This is also where Vewin and the Dutch Water Authorities work together on future solutions to guarantee access to clean water and sanitation wherever and whenever possible. The Water Framework Directive sets standards for the quality of surface water and groundwater; the most important resources for drinking water production. Both associations want to make sure that all discharges of substances of very high concern into these resources will be reported in the very near future. Also, permits for those discharges should be updated periodically in order to minimize emissions. Last but not least, the emission of PFAS should be minimized as fast as possible, awaiting an European ban.
Conclusion
Access to clean water and sanitation is a human right, but unfortunately not guaranteed to all. Task of Vewin (representing the regional drinking water companies) and the Dutch Water Authorities (representing the regional water authorities) is however to ensure clean water and sanitation to the Dutch inhabitants. Doing this with integrity means ensuring it to all of them, 24/7. Despite the current challenges, like economy growth, population growth and climate change, Vewin and the Dutch Water Authorities still work hard to guarantee the supply of drinking water in the Netherlands. Through securing the availability of drinking water resources by collaborating with national and regional authorities within the Netherlands, and through securing the quality of drinking water resources by preventing pollution at the origin and collaborating together, Vewin and the Dutch Water Authorities will keep ensuring clean water and sanitation to all; with integrity.
Related SDGs:
FIGHTING ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE WITH INTEGRITY: THE ROLE OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR
Audrey Chambaudet
Wildlife Trade & Wildlife Crime Policy Officer, WWF European Policy Office
Audrey Chambaudet is leading the WWF European Policy Office’s work on wildlife trade and wildlife crime. She has extensive experience in this field having started her career in the Enforcement Unit of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Before joining WWF, she worked for the Environment Programme of the World Customs Organization, and for the French Biodiversity Agency, focusing mainly on wildlife crimes. At WWF, she is responsible for coordinating the European wildlife trade and crime hub, representing WWF’s voice towards the European institutions to ensure that wildlife trade is legal and sustainable, and that wildlife crimes are effectively tackled.
FIGHTING ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE WITH INTEGRITY: THE ROLE
OF THE PRIVATE
SECTOR
Wildlife trade is an integral part of most people’s lives, even though it often goes unnoticed. If you have tried some caviar or taken food supplements, then wildlife trade is present in your life. It is estimated that the legal international trade in wildlife is worth about USD 220 billion annually. However, when wildlife trade is conducted unsustainably or illegally, it can contribute to species overexploitation, which is one of the main drivers of biodiversity loss. Companies play a crucial role in combating illegal wildlife trade as multiple sectors, for instance digital and financial, are indispensable for criminals to carry out their illicit activities. Companies can take several steps to tackle the often invisible but costly consequences of illegal wildlife trade, acting with and protecting their integrity.
Understanding illegal wildlife trade
Wildlife trade covers a range of industries such as cosmetics, the manufacture of instruments, or exotic pets, and is regulated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which ensures that this trade does not threaten the survival of species in the wild. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially those related to biodiversity conservation and responsible consumption (Goals 12, 14, and 15) are dependent on a wellregulated wildlife trade. When conducted legally and sustainably this trade provides crucial benefits to conservation, local economies, and people. On the other hand, the illegal wildlife trade directly threatens the achievement of the SDGs.
Illegal wildlife trade causes significant damage to the environment, rule of law, economy, and ultimately human lives. It is one of the most lucrative crime categories globally alongside other environmental crimes, as well as trafficking in drugs, humans, and counterfeit goods. Often linked to organised crime, illegal wildlife trade converges with money laundering, fraud, and corruption. Yet, it receives far less attention and resources than other transnational crimes, with the majority of wildlife seizures being the results of random checks, and rarely leading to any prosecutions.
The vulnerability of the private sector
The fight against illegal wildlife trade is constantly evolving; while a few years ago interventions were highly focused on enforcement, more holistic approaches from source to consumers are now considered. With these novel approaches, come new partnerships and opportunities. Amongst those is understanding the role of the private sector in facilitating illegal wildlife trade, often unintentionally, but also in supporting efforts to effectively combat these crimes. Numerous sectors (digital, financial, logistics and transport, tourism, etc.) are vital for criminals to carry out their illicit activities, especially since they operate across multiple jurisdictions and take advantage of the existence of the parallel legal wildlife trade to hide their actions. Considering the sheer volume of commercial and financial transactions in our global world, as well as the number of customers companies provide services to, and the lack of awareness about their potential role in the wildlife trafficking chain, it makes these critical sectors highly vulnerable to illegal wildlife trade.
To give some examples, the Coalition to End Wildlife Trafficking Online, which is composed of major digital platforms, blocked and/or removed more than 11.6 million adverts for prohibited wildlife from 2018 to 2021. Continuing along the value chain, most seizures in the European Union occur at mail centres and airports, highlighting major points of vulnerability. Yet, it is estimated that up to 90% of global illicit wildlife volumes go through maritime transport, indicating that this sector also warrants particular attention. Finally, Interpol estimates that only 1% of illicit financial flows and criminal proceeds, all crimes combined, are intercepted, frozen and recovered successfully.
Legal frameworks are essential to raise awareness about the role of the private sector in illegal wildlife trade, and establish obligations that will provide the necessary incentives for action (e.g. Anti-Money Laundering Directive, Corporate Due Diligence Directive, Digital Services Act). The integrity of the private sector is equally important in enabling the successful implementation of these laws, the allocation of proper resources, and the adoption of higher standards to truly champion the combat against illegal wildlife trade in line with companies’ environmental and sustainability commitments. The engagement of the private sector in fighting illegal wildlife trade is also a sound business investment to preserve companies’ integrity. Illegal wildlife trade is facilitated and contributes to money laundering, fraud, and corruption, so the involvement in this illicit activity, even unwittingly, can expose to legal risks when companies fail to implement the required checks and due diligence that are prescribed by law. Not to mention the reputational risks that they can face in the eyes of the public, customers, and investors, all of which can have serious financial implications, including in cases of regulatory violations.
Championing the fight against illegal wildlife trade
There are many ways in which the private sector can support the fight against illegal wildlife trade with integrity, and reduce exposure to the risks it entails. First, companies should ensure that the linkages between illegal wildlife trade, corruption and money laundering are acknowledged in relevant internal policies, as well as in their general codes of conduct or ethics statements. They should also publicly commit to fighting illegal wildlife trade, recognizing the complexity of these crimes, and the role that they can play in facilitating them, but more importantly in disrupting them with the right tools.
The second step is to adapt existing or establish internal screening processes and controls, such as risk assessments and due diligence mechanisms, to detect, evaluate and remediate risks associated with illegal wildlife trade (e.g. suspicious transactions, investments, customers or behaviours). Identifying and using red flag indicators, tailored to the specificities of the illegal wildlife trade is essential for these controls to be effective. In addition, it is important for companies to report any suspicious activities to relevant authorities, which can become critical evidence to launch or support investigations, and ultimately disrupt the criminal networks involved. This is mutually beneficial since enforcement authorities can also provide valuable intelligence to companies to help strengthen their internal controls and reduce vulnerabilities.
Having strong internal processes and controls can protect companies’ integrity by preventing their exploitation by criminals involved in illegal wildlife trade and discouraging unethical behaviours. This needs to be accompanied by awareness raising amongst their staff to ensure that these tools are effectively and successfully used. Training employees on the nature and consequences of illegal wildlife trade, as well as actions they can take to prevent and detect suspicious activities is indispensable. Similarly, companies can play an important role in raising awareness among their customers to help them make the right choice when trading or purchasing wildlife commodities, as well as allowing them to report suspicious activities. For example, some airports and airline companies have developed awareness-raising campaigns to provide travellers with information on wildlife trade regulations, while digital platforms can allow their users to report problematic posts or adverts.
Numerous initiatives exist to inform critical private sectors about their role in the illegal wildlife trade, empower them to take action, and facilitate collaboration. Companies that are not yet aware or part of these initiatives should participate and support them (e.g. the United for Wildlife Financial and Transport Taskforces). Reports, online courses, and guidance have also been published to ensure that illegal wildlife trade does not stay in the private sector’s blind spot. WWF and the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists developed a training module on illicit finance linked to the illegal wildlife trade, and a financial flows toolkit for financial institutions was developed by the UK government, SOCNet, Themis, TRAFFIC, and WWF. More recently, the International Maritime Organization adopted Guidelines for the prevention and suppression of the smuggling of wildlife on ships engaged in international maritime traffic. These initiatives offer excellent opportunities for companies to share knowledge and best practices with one another, while also leveraging the expertise from these initiatives, and other stakeholders involved in them, to enhance their own internal processes and controls.
Finally, the private sector can also become a source of innovation by developing new tools to facilitate the work of law enforcement authorities and other relevant stakeholders involved in combating illegal wildlife trade. A lot of research is focusing now on the power of artificial intelligence to develop models and algorithms that could, for instance, improve the detection of suspicious adverts online or the ability of airports’ x-ray machines to detect wildlife hidden in luggage.
Conclusion
Illegal wildlife trade poses significant risks to the private sector, threatening their integrity both in terms of achieving sustainable and environmental commitments, as well as creating major legal, reputational and financial risks. There are many ways in which the private sector can reduce exposure to these risks, as well as put their commitments to the test by adopting high standards and becoming champions in this field. Combating illegal wildlife trade and disrupting the criminal networks involved in it require a whole-of-society approach, and the private sector is part of the solution.
Related SDGs:
PROMOTING FAIR LABOUR
PRACTICE: THE IMPACT
AND FUTURE OF OECD NCPS
Otgontuya Davaanyam
Research Associate, OECD Case Law Project
Otgontuya Davaanyam holds an LL.M. from the University of Liverpool and an M.A. in Global Challenges: Law, Policy, and Practice from Swansea University, United Kingdom. She was a fellow of the Hillary Rodham Clinton Global Challenges Programme and is currently a PhD candidate at FriedrichAlexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg. In addition to her doctoral studies, she serves as a Research Associate for the OECD Case Law Project, a German Research Foundation (DFG)-funded initiative. This project systematically analyses approximately 400 completed OECD NCP specific instances to explore corporate human rights and environmental responsibility within the framework of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
Otgontuya has also contributed to the development of the National Action Plan (NAP) on Business and Human Rights for the Government of Mongolia. Her research specialises in human rights due diligence, corporate responsibility to respect human rights, and environmental issues.
PROMOTING FAIR LABOUR PRACTICE: THE IMPACT AND FUTURE OF OECD NCPS
Introduction
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) established National Contact Points (NCPs) as a mechanism to promote and ensure adherence to the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct (the Guidelines). The Guidelines offer comprehensive recommendations that set voluntary principles and standards for responsible business conduct in a global context, thereby helping businesses align their practices with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and contribute to global sustainable development. A significant aspect of these guidelines as articulated in Chapter VI is the promotion of fair labour practices. NCPs play a pivotal role in mediating disputes and ensuring that multinational enterprises (MNEs) respect human rights, including workers’ rights, across their operations with a focus on integrity. This essay examines the role of NCPs in advancing fair labour practices by analysing specific instance statements where NCPs have made notable decisions. Additionally, it offers recommendations for enhancing the effectiveness of NCPs in fulfilling their mandate in this domain.
The Role of NCPs in Promoting Fair Labour Practices
The Guidelines outline essential labour rights principles that all companies—not just MNEs—should follow to promote fair labour practices within their organizational culture, grounded in integrity. These principles include the right to freedom of association, the elimination of forced labour, the abolition of child labour, the eradication of employment discrimination, and the establishment of safe and healthy working conditions. When issues arise, stakeholders such as workers, unions, and civil society organisations can bring forward specific instances to NCPs alleging non-compliance with the Guidelines by a company. NCPs then serve as a platform for dialogue and mediation, aiming to resolve disputes amicably and ensure corporate adherence to the Guidelines with a commitment to integrity.
Beyond mediation, NCPs also provide recommendations to MNEs on how to align with the Guidelines, often suggesting specific actions to address the issues at hand. These recommendations are included in the final statements issued by the NCPs. By analysing specific instances, this research not only highlights the
effectiveness and challenges NCPs face in promoting fair labour practices within MNE operations but also underscores the critical role of integrity in corporate conduct. Notably, this study represents the first comprehensive analysis of NCP decisions on a global scale.
Analysis of Specific Instances
There are over 40 cases where NCPs have provided specific recommendations to MNEs on complying with the Guidelines, particularly regarding the respect for workers’ rights and the promotion of fair labour practices within their corporate operations and supply chains. Many of these cases emphasise the importance of respecting workers’ rights to collective bargaining and their ability to establish unions at both corporate and global levels to negotiate better working conditions, underpinned by the principle of integrity.
In several instances, such as the case against Cermaq managed by the Norwegian NCP and the case against Adidas handled by the German NCP, the NCPs consistently reference ILO Conventions, urging companies to adhere to the core principles outlined in these conventions. Furthermore, NCPs stress the importance of conducting risk-based due diligence as per the Guidelines, with particular focus on the risk of collective bargaining rights within supply chains. For example, the Dutch NCP specifically asked IKEA to assess whether workers throughout its supply chain have the right to exercise this fundamental right in their workplaces, highlighting the role of integrity in ensuring fair labour practices. This underscores the NCPs’ role in promoting fair labour practices in cross-border labour issues. Moreover, certain cases demonstrate that the NCP mediation platform is effective in resolving labour rights disputes, showing the impact of integrity in mediation processes. Notable examples include the case against Natixis at the French NCP and the case against PvM at the Dutch NCP, where union rights were promptly recognised following the proceedings, proving the effectiveness of NCP mediation.
In addition to addressing the right to collective bargaining, NCPs often play a vital role in resolving cases related to poor working conditions and unfair dismissals. A notable example is the French NCP’s successful mediation of a case against Teleperformance, where the company was accused of failing to adequately address health risks for its global employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this instance, the NCP underscored the importance of MNEs, especially those with extensive global operations, conducting risk-based due diligence on a global scale with a focus on addressing health risks in their subsidiaries during crises like a pandemic, reinforcing the importance of integrity in corporate responsibility. This case highlights the responsibility of parent companies to influence all their subsidiaries to ensure the protection of workers’ rights during global emergencies, demonstrating the role of integrity in crisis management.
Regarding unfair dismissals, cases like the Australian NCP’s intervention in the case against Ansell highlight the effectiveness of NCPs in advocating for workers. In this instance, the NCP successfully facilitated the rehiring of dismissed employees, securing a written agreement for their reemployment on-site.
Additionally, dismissals may sometimes occur under seemingly fair pretexts, such as conflicts in host countries, yet still be unjust if the process lacks fairness, particularly in terms of adequate compensation. This was evident in the case against Heineken Bralima, where the Dutch NCP played a pivotal role in addressing the dismissal of Congolese workers after the sudden liquidation of Heineken’s subsidiary during a conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo without proper compensation or payment for their work. Heineken acknowledged its responsibility, albeit after a decade, leading to a substantial compensation agreement between the parties involved. The NCP’s intervention not only secured compensation for the affected workers but also prompted Heineken to commit to improved labour practices, a clear reflection of integrity in action. This case underscores the NCP’s effectiveness in ensuring corporate accountability even in complex and challenging environments.
In promoting workers’ rights in conflict-affected areas, the Dutch NCP emphasised in the case against Philips Lighting that MNEs must recognise the significant impact their decisions have on employees in conflict zones. The NCPs highlight the importance of adopting a conflict-sensitive approach, acknowledging that corporate decisions in such environments can profoundly affect employees’ livelihoods and lives, further stressing the need for integrity in decision-making processes.
Furthermore, NCPs often emphasise and recommend that MNEs recognize workers as essential stakeholders, urging them to engage with these stakeholders in an effective and meaningful way to promote decent work across their global operations. In many cases, NCPs advocate for MNEs to maintain transparent decision-making processes and structures, ensuring that workers receive critical information, especially regarding liquidation and disinvestment from host countries, underscoring the role of integrity in corporate governance.
For example, in the case against Molex Automotive, the French NCP stated, “The NCP takes this opportunity to issue a reminder of how important it is for MNEs to comply with the principle of providing information to and consulting employee representatives as outlined in the Guidelines Chapter III Disclosure and Chapter V Employment and Industrial Relations.” The NCP further stressed the importance of disclosing information on all significant aspects of a MNE’s activities, including its financial structure, earnings, shareholders, and governance system. Additionally, the NCP highlighted the importance of promoting consultation and cooperation between employers and employees and their representatives on matters of mutual concern, particularly in the event of an entity’s closure or decisions that could significantly impact employees’ livelihoods. These practices emphasise the critical role of integrity in maintaining fair and transparent labour practices.
Recommendations for Improving NCP Performance
While NCPs have made notable progress in advancing fair labour practices, there remain critical areas where their impact can be significantly strengthened. A key priority is upholding the principle of functional equivalence across different countries, ensuring that companies are held to consistent standards and face uniform consequences for labour rights violations, regardless of where they operate. While NCPs in countries like the Netherlands and France have been successful in resolving
labour disputes by issuing clear and decisive recommendations, others, particularly in Japan, Korea, and Latin America, often struggle to secure agreements and deliver compelling outcomes. To elevate the effectiveness of all NCPs to the highest standard, several improvements are essential:
• First, enhancing transparency within NCP processes is vital. This can be achieved by providing more comprehensive public reports on specific instances and detailing the outcomes of NCP interventions. Proactive engagement with stakeholders is equally important; NCPs must ensure that the perspectives of workers, unions, and civil society organizations are meaningfully integrated into the mediation process. The Dutch NCP’s inclusion of workers’ representatives during the mediation in the Heineken Bralima case is a best practice example that should be adopted universally.
• Second, the implementation of rigorous monitoring and follow-up mechanisms is crucial. Companies must be held accountable for adhering to agreements reached during mediation, as the failure to follow through on commitments— such as enhancing due diligence and promoting fair labour practices—can undermine the credibility of the process. Effective follow-up by NCPs ensures that compliance translates into tangible benefits for workers. Furthermore, strengthening enforcement mechanisms within the Guidelines’ voluntary framework could involve linking corporate compliance to access to government support and contracts, thereby adding a layer of accountability.
Conclusion
The NCPs play a vital role in promoting fair labour practices by providing a platform for resolving disputes and holding MNEs accountable, with integrity as a cornerstone of these efforts. The analysis of specific instances demonstrates the impact of NCPs in addressing labour rights issues across different contexts. By offering guidance for labour rights compliance, these instances contribute directly to the achievement of the SDGs, particularly those related to decent work and economic growth. However, there is a clear need for enhanced consistency, transparency, and stakeholder engagement across all NCPs to ensure more effective and equitable outcomes globally. Strengthening enforcement mechanisms and ensuring robust follow-up on agreements are essential steps to solidify the impact of NCPs in promoting decent work, particularly in complex and challenging environments.
Related SDGs:
WEEK OF INTEGRITY FOUNDATION
An ICC Netherlands initiative
Since its launch in 2016, ICC Netherlands has been organizing the Week of Integrity, a multi-stakeholder initiative dedicated to fostering discussions and promoting best practices on integrity. Taking place annually around 9 December, in observance of the UN Anti-Corruption Day, the Week of Integrity highlights the importance of ethical behaviour in the public and private sectors, boardrooms, and society as a whole. The Week of Integrity Foundation, established in 2019, ensures the long-term sustainability of this impactful and evolving initiative.
Partnering for Integrity
The Week of Integrity unites a diverse network of partners from the private and public sectors, as well as educational institutions and civil society organizations. Together, these partners initiate meaningful discussions and share practical solutions to promote integrity across sectors.
The week itself features a variety of activities organized by partners, including workshops, lectures, debates, and interactive sessions—all aimed at raising awareness and driving positive change. Beyond the week, initiatives and activities are organized throughout the year, providing ongoing opportunities to engage with and promote the principles of integrity. We extend our heartfelt thanks to our sponsors and active partners for their participation and commitment, which make this initiative possible and impactful.
Join Us
The Week of Integrity Foundation, alongside its sponsors and partners, has developed a toolbox designed to help organizations of all sizes initiate meaningful conversations about integrity. This year, we are proud to introduce the Integrity Game, which aims to break silos and spark dialogue around integrity in sustainability, guided by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In addition, this year’s publication serves as a testament to our commitment, featuring a collection of essays from a diverse group of contributors, including voices from the new generation, who share their perspectives on Integrity in Sustainability.
Are you interested in becoming a partner in the Week of Integrity?
Visit www.weekofintegrity.org for more information and to explore how you can contribute to promoting integrity within your organization and beyond.
I am proud to be part of a company whose values are based on integrity, respect, and responsible conduct. This also includes taking ethical considerations into account, because we must always do what’s right, even when it’s difficult.
Hanno Kunkel Chief Compliance Officer of Siemens AG
The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Week of Integrity Foundation nor of ICC Netherlands. The Week of Integrity Foundation does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this publication and accepts no responsibility for any consequences of their use.
The Week of Integrity Foundation holds all copyright and other intellectual property to this work.
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