Session title: Building SME resilience towards crises
Session overview
Resilience is an integral part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, recognizing the urgent need to reduce the risk of disasters. Natural hazards and conflicts can reverse years of development gains, risking the achievement of the SDGs. Several goals – such as those related to poverty reduction, combatting climate change, protecting ecosystems and building sustainable cities and communities – are also integral to building more resilient businesses and societies. Too often, countries with high exposure to crises have low capacity to mitigate and respond to them.
This session will explore practical ways how companies can integrate the SDGs into their business operations while also taking into account and addressing disaster risks. Through an interview-style discussion showcasing inspirational examples from the Connecting Business initiative Member Network in the Philippines (PDRF), participants will understand what steps they can take to decrease the vulnerability and strengthen the resilience of their organizations and communities.
About the Leaders Summit
The annual UN Global Compact Leaders Summit mobilizes and connects thousands of business leaders, policy makers, civil society and academia representatives, from all over the world, to take action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This year’s virtual Leaders Summit will address the converging crises of climate change, the covid-19 global pandemic, worsening social and economic inequality, and unchecked corruption, and offer a roadmap for a sustainable recovery. Convened virtually, the event offers programming around the clock to accommodate for different time zones. For more information, visit the event website.
About the organizers
Connecting Business initiative (CBi)
The OCHA-UNDP managed Connecting Business initiative (CBi) transforms how the private sector engages before, during and after crises. It increases the resilience of companies and societies, while integrating private sector networks into disaster management mechanisms. In 2020, in addition to fighting COVID-19, 9 CBi Member Networks and their partners responded to 19 crises including earthquakes, cyclones, floods and political unrest. Working alongside governments and aid organizations, CBi networks play critical roles by participating in search and rescue operations, collecting and distributing relief aid, restoring critical infrastructure, sharing information, making financial contributions and more. Read more at: www.connectingbusiness.org
United Nations Global Compact
The United Nations Global Compact is the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative. Launched in 2000 as a special initiative of the UN Secretary-General, the mission of the UN Global Compact is to mobilize a global movement of sustainable companies and stakeholders to create the world we want. Businesses that join the initiative commit at the CEO level to align their corporate strategies and operations with Ten Principles on human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption and take actions to support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through providing authoritative guidance, training, tools and support, and connecting stakeholders across the globe, the UN Global Compact enables businesses of all sizes and from all sectors to achieve their sustainability objectives. Read more at: www.unglobalcompact.org
