Annual Mega Event 2023
The SDGs Pakistan Summit 2023 Inspires Companies to Play their Active Role in Achieving SDGs Targets
“The critical role of Global Compact Network Pakistan in promoting 10 UNGC Principles and helping business enterprises in aligning their strategies with Sustainable Development Goals were highly commendable.” This was stated by Mr. Martin Dawson, Deputy Head of Mission, Deputy High Commission of UK who was addressing the SDGs Pakistan Summit 2023 as the Chief Guest.
“The SDGs are undoubtedly shaping global norms of sustainable development. They also represent Pakistan’s values and offer a vision that elevates the development principles that have guided Pakistan’s own growth and prosperity”, Mr. Dawson added.
The Summit was organized by the Global Compact Network Pakistan under the theme “Changing norms, rebalancing power” followed by the Annual General Meeting of the Network and Living the Global Compact Best Practices Sustainable Awards Ceremony. The 2023 UN Global Compact Sustainability Summit Pakistan convened the stakeholders to take stock of progress so far at the halfway point and to discuss the gaps in knowledge, resources and funding.
The Summit addressed global themes and trends and reviewed the resources and tools needed to accelerate business progress, culminating in a celebration and a shared vision of the world we all want.
The converging crises of climate change, a deadly global pandemic, worsening social and economic inequality, and unchecked corruption, have set the world off track to achieve the SDGs by 2030.
Earlier Mr. Majyd Aziz, President, Global Compact Network Pakistan in his welcome address emphasized that the business community must engage with the UN, Governments and Civil society to address the challenges in the implementation of SDGs. Only through multi-stakeholders collaboration, innovative thought leadership, transparent reporting on progress and focused data-driven initiatives, we can get back on track.
Dr. Zubair Anwar-Bawany, Deputy Executive Director, Global Compact Network Pakistan in his remarks on the occasion said that building on the state of progress delivered we have been open about our role, how we use tech4good and open about our business stakeholders, the tools we’ve deployed to mobilise scale and speed on SDGs and then invite others to collaborate within our Ecosystem to drive impact, scale ambition and measure progress.
Mr. Fasihul Karim Siddiqi, Executive Director, Global Compact Network Pakistan in his keynote speech stated that SDGs provide a framework for collective action and the Global Compact Network is the key platform for businesses to engage with the SDGs and drive progress towards a more sustainable future. He also conducted the proceedings of the Annual General Meeting of the Global Compact Network Pakistan during which a video view of the activities of the Network during the past year was presented.
The Panelists in four business sessions thoroughly discussed the opportunities that sustainability presents to businesses and their view of the next seven years.
In Panel Session 1 on “Sustainability, the great opportunity”, the panelists included Mr. Atyab Tahir, Social Entrepreneur, Mr. Yousuf Bashir Qureshi, Artist/Actor/Social Entrepreneur, Mr. Shazad Dada, President & CEO, United Bank Limited and Mr. Nasir Ali Shah Bukhari, Chairman, Sindhri Agro-Forestry & KASB Group.
In Panel Session 2 on “Unstoppable Women – Breaking Barriers”, the panelists included Ms. Fajer Rabia Pasha, Executive Director, PAGE, Ms. Jehan Ara, Founder/CEO, Katalyst Labs, Ms. Shaista Ayesha, CEO, SEED Ventures and Ms. Zainab Hameed, Educationist.
In Panel Session 3 on “Combating corruption for business sustainability”, the panelists included Mr. Jonas Erlandsen, Senior Lead South Asia, Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN), Mr. Mathias Bak, Associate, Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN), Mr. Martin Zapata, Academic Programmes Senior Officer, International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA) and Mr. Syed Hussain Haider, Integrity Advocacy Expert and TOT Lead Trainer, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
In Panel Session 4 on “Net Zero: Transformation and Transition”, the panelists included Mr. Mehroze Rafique, Deputy Director, NEPRA, Ms. Tara Uzra Dawood, Director, Pakistan Refinery Limited, Ms. Zehra Mehdi Aneek, Director ESG and Sustainability and Mr. Raza Ahmed Sukhera, Chief Industry Development Officer, Ministry of IT and Telecom Pakistan.
The Panel sessions were moderated by Dr. Zubair Bawany, Mr. Zeeshan Lakhpaty and Mr. Muhammad Akram.
Mr. Faiz Kidwai, Director, Rotary International and Mr. Saghir Bukhair, Senior Programme Officer ILO respectively presented the Rotary and UN perspectives of the Pakistani context of changing norms and rebalancing power.
Ms. Nuzhat Jahan, Secretary General Global Compact Network Pakistan, highlighted the criteria for evaluation and announced the names of companies winning the Global Compact Best Practices Sustainability Awards 2022.
In the category of Multinational Enterprises category, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes were given to Indus Motors Company Limited, Nestle Pakistan and Bank Alfalah Limited respectively.
In the category of Large National Enterprises, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes were given to Interloop Limited, Artistic Garment Industries Pvt. Limited and Sadaqat Limited respectively.
In the category of National Enterprises, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes were given to Pak-Arab Refinery Limited, Engro Corporation Limited and Agriauto Industries Limited respectively.
Recognition shields were awarded to Archroma Pakistan Limited, Soorty Enterprises (Pvt) Limited, K-Electric Limited, Gul Ahmed Textile Mills Limited, Oil & Gas Development Company Limited, Yunus Textile Mills Limited, Remington Pharmaceutical Industries (Pvt) Limited, Siddiqsons Limited, Pakistan Petroleum Limited, Naveena Exports Limited, Shan Foods Private Limited and Packages Limited.
The awards were presented by Mr. Jonas Erlandsen, Senior Lead South Asia, Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN) followed by a group photo of winning companies and participants.
