Set higher goals for sustainability

A UN working group has agreed 17 Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) which are scheduled to replace the Millennium Development Goals that  expire in 2015.

It is good news that policy makers at the FBCCI and Centre for Policy Dialogue are encouraging business and government to take notice of these goals. It is essential for both the private and public sectors to adopt these types of target.

The SDGs list 170 targets on matters such as reducing pollution while increasing innovation and improving working conditions and productivity. These reflect emerging global norms about what is expected of business practices.

Bangladesh urgently needs to integrate sustainability goals within business practices. This is vital not only to improve social and environmental impacts within the country, but also to make the country’s  businesses more competitive internationally.

Meeting global standards is an increasingly important part of doing business, particularly for export industries. The tannery sector is a case in point. Pollution of water by many factories in the industry releasing toxic chemicals into rivers, not only harms our environment, including precious fisheries, but harms the sector’s ability to meet the compliance standards expected by buyers.

We need business to adopt improved sustainability goals to help drive improvements in how we use our natural and human resources. The benefits of encouraging innovation and technology can pay for itself through improved productivity and job creation.