New York – Meeting at UN Headquarters in New York, business leaders in Business Action for Sustainable Development 2012 (BASD 2012) and representatives of UN Member States discussed the crucial role business must play in the upcoming UN Conference on Sustainable Development 2012, commonly known as the Rio+20 Earth Summit.
In addition Chad Holliday, the Chair of BASD 2012 and Chairman of Bank of America, addressed the plenary session of the first Intersessional of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in 2012.
“As governments consider how to strengthen and advance commitments to Rio+20, it is timely to take stock of the strong progress made by business and the future potential of business solutions in solving sustainability challenges,” said Mr. Holliday. “Business can and will be a significant driver of sustainability. Companies are already contributing to a greener future – they innovate and create solutions in production, distribution and marketing of their products and services every day. That is why BASD 2012 was formed: to ensure strong business engagement by providing positive and constructive business input into the Rio+20 process.”
In 2012, 20 years after the first Earth Summit, global leaders will return to Rio de Janeiro to assess progress made and chart a course forward to ensure future generations can prosper in a world of increasingly limited resources. To coordinate the business contribution at Rio+20, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), and the United Nations Global Compact have formed BASD 2012, an inclusive coalition that will serve as the business voice at the Rio+20 Summit.
As part of the first Intersessional – a two-day conference to discuss the objectives for the Rio +20 conference – BASD 2012 held its first formal event focused on the business role in advancing sustainable development. This event, “Introducing BASD 2012”, was intended to build momentum toward Rio+20 by demonstrating the achievements of the private sector in contributing to economic, social and environmental goals.
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About BASD 2012
Business Action for Sustainable Development 2012 (BASD) is a comprehensive network of business organizations that have come together under one banner in the interests of sustainable development. BASD is a joint initiative of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), and the United Nations Global Compact. Guidance is provided by a small international Steering Committee under the leadership of Chad Holliday, Chairman of Bank of America and former Chief Executive Officer of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company. For more information, visit www.BASD2012.org.
About the WBCSD
The WBCSD is a CEO-led, global coalition of some 200 companies advocating for progress on sustainable development. Its mission is to be a catalyst for innovation and sustainable growth in a world where resources are increasingly limited. The Council provides a platform for companies to share experiences and best practices on sustainable development issues and advocate for their implementation, working with governments, non-governmental and intergovernmental organizations. The membership has annual revenues of USD 7 trillion, spans more than 35 countries and represents 20 major industrial sectors. The Council also benefits from a network of 60 national and regional business councils and partner organizations, a majority of which are based in developing countries. For more information, visit www.wbcsd.org.
About the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)
The International Chamber of Commerce is the largest, most representative business organization in the world. Its hundreds of thousands of member companies in over 120 countries have interests spanning every sector of private enterprise. A world network of national committees keeps the ICC International Secretariat in Paris informed about national and regional business priorities. More than 2,000 experts drawn from ICC’s member companies feed their knowledge and experience into crafting the ICC stance on specific business issues. The United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the G20 and many other intergovernmental bodies, both international and regional, are kept in touch with the views of international business through ICC. For more information, visit www.iccwbo.org.
About the United Nations Global Compact
Launched in 2000, the United Nations Global Compact is a call to companies everywhere to align their operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption, and to take actions in support of UN goals, including the Millennium Development Goals. Through the development, implementation, and disclosure of responsible corporate policies and practices, business can help ensure that markets advance in ways that benefit economies and societies everywhere. With over 8,000 signatories in more than 135 countries, it is the world’s largest voluntary corporate responsibility initiative. For more information, visit www.unglobalcompact.org.
Source: WBCSD Press Release dated January 10, 2011.
