SDGs Archives

USCIB Supports Launch of Blue Dot Network to Strengthen Quality Infrastructure Investment 

Published on April 16, 2024
Whitney Baird at the OECD

USCIB President and CEO Whitney Baird spoke during the April 8-9 launch activities for the Blue Dot Network (BDN), a project certification framework that aims to strengthen quality infrastructure investment. The launch activities included a meeting of the  Executive Consultation Group, a Leaders’ Dialogue, and the official launch ceremony.  

BDN will certify projects based on robust standards and criteria in economic, environmental, social, and other areas.  The certification applies to infrastructure projects across all major infrastructure sectors including energy, water and sanitation, transport and ICT. It can accommodate projects at different stages of the life cycle, from planning and preparation to construction and operations. Projects developed under a variety of ownership and delivery models (e.g. traditional procurement, public-private partnerships, privatized) can be certified. 

The Blue Dot Network will be hosted at the OECD, but remain an independent entity overseen by the initiative’s Steering Committee governments, currently Australia, Japan, Spain, Switzerland, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, and the United States.  

“There is the potential to make BDN a serious game changer in the infrastructure world. But private sector engagement and creativity is absolutely crucial to any success,” said Baird. “It will take all of us – developers, investors, governments, and communities – to make BDN a success, and we are counting on your support. USCIB is happy to be a part of this process.” 

Baird has been a long-time supporter of the BDN, even prior to her current role leading USCIB.  

“As Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Economic Bureau at the US Department of State, I led our BDN team in its work to develop this initiative,” added Baird. “I traveled, literally, all over the world because the US government believed, and I believed personally, that BDN, if done correctly, could answer a real need for a framework to allow project sponsors and public and private financial institutions to identify good infrastructure projects.” 

USCIB was also on hand for the OECD Infrastructure Forum, immediately following the launch. 

USCIB Submits Comments to UN Advisory Body on AI 

Published on April 2, 2024

USCIB has submitted a response to the United Nations Secretary General’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Advisory Board and its Interim Report: Governing AI for Humanity. This UN report calls for a closer alignment between international norms and how AI is developed and rolled out. The report also proposes to strengthen international governance of AI to reach the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals SDGs.  

USCIB’s response to the report emphasizes the need for a risk-based approach to address any potential negative impacts of AI. USCIB also highlights the potential of AI to address economic and societal inequalities that help realize the SDGs.  

“Many AI innovations have demonstrated great promise to enable economic development,” said USCIB Digital Policy Committee Chair JoAnn Stonier (Mastercard), “We appreciate that the report describes the essential opportunities that may be seized to achieve the SDGs, as well as some of the potential risks that must be addressed to realize these goals.  To ensure this developing science achieves maximum societal benefit, we will continue to look forward to providing commentary and input as the process evolves.”  

According to USCIB, a risk-based approach involves impact assessments of AI technology in the context of specific uses, applications, and scaled deployments, rather than the risk of the technology in the abstract. 

USCIB also cited the EU AI Act, the OECD’s AI Principles, and the US NIST AI Risk Management Framework (RMF) as having risk-based approaches. Importantly, this approach should be applied to both developers and deployers of AI systems while acknowledging that each group has different and distinct roles and responsibilities in AI governance. 

To view USCIB’s response to the UN Advisory Body on AI, please click here. 

Vinblad Speaks on Business and Biodiversity at Columbia University  

Published on February 12, 2024
L-R: Wendy Hapgood (Wild Tomorrow), Amy Karpati (Columbia University), Jenna Lawrence (Columbia University), Agnes Vinblad (USCIB), Matthias Pitkowitz (EQX Biome)

USCIB Director for Environment and Sustainable Development Agnes Vinblad was invited to participate in an expert panel organized by the Columbia University Climate School Earth Institute in New York City. The event was held under the title, “Solving the Biodiversity Crisis: Strategic & Interdisciplinary Approaches.” Discussions highlighted the importance of biodiversity considerations in sustainable business decisions with a focus on solution pathways and recent policy developments. 

Vinblad’s interventions focused on the international policy dimension and the role of incentivizing industrial policy in spurring and enabling private sector leadership on biodiversity protection. 

The panel was moderated by Wendy Hapgood, Co-founder and COO of Wild Tomorrow, a wildlife conservation non-profit organization dedicated to the protection, restoration and rewilding of threatened habitats to protect biodiversity. In addition to Vinblad, the panel included Amy Karpati, conservation biologist and adjunct professor at Columbia University, Jenna Lawrence, biodiversity specialist and researcher, and lecturer at the Climate School at Columbia University and Matthias Pitkowitz, founder and CEO of EQX Biome – a financial marketplace for nature-based investments.  

Agnes Vinblad

“This excellent discussion served as a great opportunity to speak about USCIB’s engagement in the UN CBD process, and our active participation in the negotiations leading up to the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF),” said Vinblad.  

“Inevitably, a lot of the conversation centered on Target 15 of the GBF – this is the target that calls for legal, administrative or policy measures to encourage businesses to regularly monitor, assess and disclose their risks, dependencies and impacts on biodiversity. But we also touched upon many other of the targets, for example the conservation target – Target 3 – which seeks to conserve 30% of land, waters and seas by 2030,” she continued.  

USCIB holds official observer status to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UN CBD). This is the UN treaty under which matters pertaining to biodiversity are negotiated. Through this status, USCIB has been active participants in the UN CBD process for many years and Vinblad led a USCIB delegation to the historic UN CBD COP15 in December 2022 where the GBF was adopted.  

“A key point to note is that while the U.S. is not a Party to the UN CBD, we are seeing a continued increased interest from the U.S. business community to engage on biodiversity topics. One of the primary concerns I am hearing from business is the rapid rollout of numerous different biodiversity reporting standards and frameworks – a key priority for us now is to ensure harmonization to ease the administrative burden for business to free up resources for real implementation,” Vinblad added. 

UN CBD COP16 is scheduled to convene from October 21 to November 1 in Colombia this fall and deliberations will focus on the implementation phase of the GBF.  

USCIB and IOE Host “Getting Business on Board for the 2024 UN Summit of the Future” 

Published on December 12, 2023

USCIB and the International Organization of Employers (IOE) co-hosted a webinar, “Getting Business on Board for the 2024 UN Summit of the Future,” on December 4. The webinar spotlighted expectations for the 2024 UN Summit for the Future (SOTF) and discussed ways in which the private sector could participate and impact the preparations and outcomes. 

The event was headlined by Ambassador Paula Narváez, president of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC) and permanent representative of Chile to the UN. Participants also heard from USCIB Senior Vice President for Policy and Global Strategy Norine Kennedy, who presented USCIB’s two Moving the Needle reports that were published during the UN General Assembly in September. 

A panel on “What to expect and how to come prepared for the Summit of the Future” discussed private sector priorities in the coming year of deliberations. The panel also highlighted the growing role that small and midsize enterprises (SMEs) play – and will continue to play – in the economy and global trade. 

“Unless we address the issues of good governance, accountability and oversight, we’re going to find it difficult to mobilize private and public funding to finance SMEs, which are the backbone of so many economies,” stated Shea Gopaul, permanent representative to the UN in New York for the IOE. 

Other speakers included: 

  • Michael Pan, program management officer, ‘Our Common Agenda’, Executive Office of the Secretary General   
  • Angus Rennie, partnerships manager, United Nations Global Compact   
  • Ilze Melngailis, senior director, Business Council for the UN and Private Sector Engagement at the UN Foundation  
  • Patricia Veringa-Gieskes, president, Federation of Employers of Congo (FEC) 

This webinar was the first in a series that will continue to engage with UN representatives and key government delegations to inform the formation of the SOTF and its outcomes. 

Baird Discusses USCIB Priorities With Leaders of WTO and UNCTAD 

Published on December 1, 2023
L-R: Whitney Baird (USCIB), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (WTO), Angela Ellard (WTO) in Geneva

USCIB President and CEO Whitney Baird was in Geneva the week of November 27, meeting with the heads of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) to press membership priorities.  

 

The focus of the meeting with WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Deputy Director General Angela Ellard was industry positions for the upcoming WTO Ministerial Conference (MC13), with Baird underscoring concerns regarding the U.S. retreat from important digital safeguards in the JSI on E-Commerce negotiations, the imperative of a permanent renewal of the moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions and staunch opposition to a waiver extension under the WTO Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement. USCIB also relayed its history as a leading industry voice in support of the WTO, spearheading business coalition letters urging better U.S. leadership in negotiations.   

 

“USCIB will attend MC13 in February 2024 showcasing our deep commitment to the WTO and a global rules-based trading system,” said Baird. “With some 70 percent of world trade covered under WTO rules, USCIB is a steadfast and staunch advocate for the WTO and its critical role in keeping the global trading system open for business particularly during times of pandemic or geostrategic crisis.” 

 

Baird also expressed her gratitude to the DG for establishing the WTO Director General business advisory group to ensure industry voices are heard. “USCIB truly understands the importance and the power of institutionalized stakeholder engagement as the unique U.S. affiliate to the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Business at OECD (BIAC) and the International Organization of Employers (IOE),” added Baird. 

 

Separately, Baird met with UNCTAD Secretary General Rebeca Grynspan to discuss mutual areas of interest regarding foreign direct investment (FDI) and issues related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). USCIB’s engagement with UNCTAD spans years of active participation at the World Investment Forum Meetings, the leading international meeting on investment matters. 

 

USCIB has been a longstanding, leading voice for the U.S. private sector on international investment policy issues in the multilateral system, promoting FDI and defending investor safeguards in investment agreements as a paramount priority.   

 

“USCIB advocates for inclusive practical multilateralism and welcomes opportunities to engage with UNCTAD in dialogue and through public-private partnerships to learn about the barriers to investments in developing countries,” said Baird.  

 

Baird added, “It is now more important than ever that international organizations like UNCTAD work with business to call for the necessary welcoming environment for FDI in quality projects that help put the SDGs back on track, power sustainable economic growth and shared prosperity. USCIB looks forward to a productive working relationship with the Secretary General and her colleagues at UNCTAD.” 

USCIB Delegation at UN Talks on Plastic Pollution Stresses Critical Role of Business to Identify Innovation and Implementation Opportunities

Published on November 29, 2023
Chris Olsen and Agnes Vinblad at INC-3 in Nairobi

USCIB and its members were engaged throughout the third session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment (INC-3). INC-2 was held November 13 to 19 at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. 

A USCIB delegation, headed by USCIB Policy Managers Chris Olsen and Agnes Vinblad, followed the negotiations and a range of events prior to and throughout the week. Additional USCIB members made the trip to Nairobi for the negotiations, joining through other observer organizations, and continued to convey how the business community can be solutions providers in the INC process. 

According to Olsen, the negotiations were organized into three contact groups, broadly covering: substantive elements; financing, capacity building and means of implementation; and elements not discussed at INC-2. The results of these groups will be compiled into a single “revised draft text from INC-3” that includes a compilation of all the options proposed in addition to those of the Zero Draft text, as well as a proposal and other submissions regarding those elements that had not been discussed prior to INC-3. The third contact group was also unable to reach consensus regarding intersessional work. This “revised draft text” will be the basis for the negotiations at INC-4, in Ottawa, Canada, next April. 

“Plastic Pollution is such a complex and multidimensional global issue, in need of even more multidimensional solutions,” said Vinblad while reflecting on the issues discussed throughout the week. “At INC-3, we have continued to see firsthand the wide range of views across countries and the wide range of perspectives across industries. It is critical that the INC process continues to be a negotiation inclusive of all observers and maintain a collaborative spirit, recognizing the key role of the global business community in identifying opportunities for innovation and implementation.” 

UNEP Headquarters in Nairobi.
Photo credit: Chris Olsen (USCIB)

INC-3 also saw a changing in its chair, with Gustavo Meza-Cuadra from Peru stepping back into a vice-chair role, and Ambassador Luis Vayas Valdivieso of Ecuador being elected to serve as the Committee’s Chair for INC-4, INC-5, and the final Diplomatic Conference in 2025. This had been agreed upon at the outset of the INC process. The host city of INC-5 was also announced as Busan, Republic of Korea, to take place late November of 2024. 

Regarding the outcomes of INC-3, Olsen went on to stress, “While the lack of consensus regarding recommendations for intersessional work cast a small shadow over the end of the week that many have focused on, the fact of the matter remains that solid progress was made on many important topics that can serve as the foundation for negotiations at INCs-4 and 5 next year. Business needs to be ready to continue to educate and inform policymakers on how we can be partners in addressing these global challenges in the year to come.” 

Translating Vision Into Action at the Halfway Point: Business for the 2030 Agenda

Published on October 19, 2023
Norine Kennedy

Blog Post by USCIB SVP Norine Kennedy

October 19, 2023

Last month in New York, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) witnessed unprecedented participation, with 40,000 attendees and over 2,000 bilateral meetings. A gathering with over 13,000 country delegates, and 2,600 members of the media registered for the general debate and its more than 500 affiliated events. Among the events was the SDG Action Weekend, marking a positive (but overdue) shift towards a more inclusive UN engaging the wide array of important non-governmental entities essential to implementation.

The private sector played a significant role, emphasizing its contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (#SDGs). The USCIB UNGA78 High-Level Business Roundtable highlighted the private sector’s role in shared prosperity and sustainability.  Given that as the Major Groups and Stakeholders stated so clearly in their SDG weekend event, the international community is “halfway there, but nowhere near” to the 2030 Agenda, USCIB’s Moving the Needle (MTN) initiative is shining a spotlight on the “what” and “how” of partnering for impact with business.

On September 18, MTN introduced two solutions-oriented reports: ‘Roadmap for Results’ and ‘Business & the UN 2.0.’ These reports offer tools, approaches, and partnerships for translating vision into tangible progress, working with and through the multilateral system to address multiple challenges.  Read together, they offer ideas to strengthen the UN, helping it become more effective, resilient, inclusive, and transparent.

‘Business & the UN 2.0’ highlights an enhanced win-win partnership between businesses and the UN. It recognizes the massive investment required for the 2030 agenda, estimated at $5-7 trillion annually, with the potential to unlock $12 trillion in market prospects.

Based on its decades of experience as a responsible actor in inter-governmental forums, MTN envisions a revitalized UN system with private sector involvement at every level, from shaping agendas to crisis management.

‘Roadmap for Results’ emphasizes private sector involvement beyond financing, spotlighting private sector innovation, scalability, leadership, and communication to accelerate action. Sustainability metrics, data analytics, AI and partnerships are a few private sector tools to catalyze SDG progress. The report discusses where public-private partnerships can advance science and solidarity as key to achieving the 2030 Agenda.

With the UN Summit of the Future a year away, USCIB’s MTN initiative continues to make the case for closer connections and alliances with business in an international community that is being pulled apart by geo-political, economic and domestic forces.  The time to move the needle is now.

Visit our MTN webpage to access the two reports.

Translating Sustainability Vision Into SDG Action at the Halfway Point: Business for the 2030 Agenda 

Published on October 12, 2023

Last month in New York, the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA78) witnessed unprecedented participation with 40,000 attendees and over 2,000 bilateral meetings. Over 13,000 country delegates and 2,600 members of the media registered for the general debate and over 500 affiliated events1. Among the main events was the UN’s first-ever SDG Action Weekend, which marked a positive (but overdue) shift towards a more inclusive UN, providing a recognized space for the wide array of important non-governmental entities essential to implementation.  

The private sector played a significant role throughout UNGA78, emphasizing its contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). USCIB’s UNGA78 High-Level Business Roundtable highlighted the private sector’s role in shared prosperity and sustainability. USCIB’s Moving the Needle (MTN) initiative shined a spotlight on the “what” and “how” of partnering for impact with business, following clear calls by Major Groups and Stakeholders that the international community is “halfway there, but nowhere near” to the 2030 Agenda. 

On September 18, USCIB launched two MTN solutions-oriented reports: Roadmap for Results and Business & the UN 2.0. These reports describe private sector tools, approaches, and partnerships for translating the 2030 Agenda’s vision into tangible progress, while working with and through the multilateral system to address multiple challenges. Read together, the reports offer ideas to strengthen the UN, helping it become more effective, resilient, inclusive, and transparent. 

Business & the UN 2.0 highlights an enhanced win-win partnership between businesses and the UN. It recognizes the massive investment required for the 2030 agenda, estimated at $5-7 trillion annually, with the potential to unlock $12 trillion in market prospects. 

Citing USCIB’s’ decades of experience as a responsible actor in inter-governmental forums, MTN envisions a revitalized UN system with private sector involvement at every level, from shaping agendas to advancing systems-thinking approaches to responding to natural disasters with the international community. 

Guy Ryder (UN) speaks at the USCIB High Level Roundtable during UNGA78
Guy Ryder (UN)

Roadmap for Results emphasizes private sector involvement beyond financing, spotlighting private sector innovation, scalability, leadership, knowhow and communication to accelerate action. Sustainability metrics, data analytics, AI, and partnerships are but a few private sector tools to catalyze SDG progress. The report discusses where public-private partnerships can advance science and solidarity as key to achieving the 2030 Agenda. 

With the UN Summit of the Future a year away, USCIB’s MTN initiative continues to make the case for closer connections and alliances with business in an international community that is being pulled apart by geo-political, economic, and domestic forces.  The time to move the needle in partnership with business is now. 

USCIB Publishes Reports with Business Recommendations to Help Scale UN SDGs

Published on September 18, 2023
Guy Ryder (UN) speaks at the USCIB High Level Roundtable during UNGA78
Guy Ryder (UN) speaks at the USCIB High Level Roundtable during UNGA78

New York, N.Y., September 18, 2023 — With the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in full swing, the United States Council for International Business (USCIB) announced the release of two highly-anticipated reports that provide recommendations to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Summit. The reports — Business & the UN 2.0 and Roadmap for Results — focus on inclusive and practical multilateralism that will help scale progress of SDG target action and focus on the role of business and other stakeholders.

The reports begin with a foreword by USCIB Board of Trustees Sustainability Champion and Novozymes CEO Ester Baiget. She writes, “As blueprints for action, Roadmap for Results walks the talk of inclusive multilateralism, offering pragmatic insights and business strategies and a focus on positive impact. Business and the UN 2.0 discusses interfaces between the private sector and the multilateral system.”

USCIB’s Moving the Needle (MTN) initiative launched the reports at a USCIB High-Level Business Roundtable. The Roundtable focused on sustainability, solidarity and shared prosperity and featured high-level speakers from AT&T, Bayer, Google, Microsoft, Salesforce, the U.S. Department of State, the UN, the International Organization of Employers (IOE) and many others. Discussion topics included innovative Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the benefit of people and planet and public private partnerships for innovation and infrastructure. Business leaders from USCIB member companies presented practical business recommendations highlighted in the reports, to ramp up implementation of the SDGs and strengthen the UN’s effectiveness and impact.

“USCIB has been a staunch supporter and committed partner to the United Nations since our founding,” said USCIB President and CEO Whitney Baird in closing remarks at the Roundtable. “As the only U.S. business organization at the UN, we take our responsibility seriously to provide solutions and showcase U.S. business leadership.”

About MTN
USCIB launched the MTN initiative during the 77th Session of the UN General Assembly to focus on three priorities identified by the UN President of the General Assembly: Solutions for Sustainability, Science, and Solidarity. Through multistakeholder roundtables, held around the globe in 2022-2023, which culminated in Business & the UN 2.0 and Roadmap for Results, MTN contributed insights to the ongoing deliberations concerning inadequate progress at the halfway mark towards the UN 2030 Agenda.

About USCIB
The United States Council for International Business (USCIB) advances the global interests of American business. We do so through advocacy for an open system of world trade, finance, and investment, where business can flourish and contribute to economic growth, human welfare, and environmental protection. We are the sole U.S. affiliate of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Business at OECD (BIAC) and the International Organization of Employers (IOE). USCIB is also the only U.S. business organization with standing at the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and is recognized at the UN Environment Program (UNEP), UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (UN CBD).

USCIB’s Moving the Needle Creates a Vision for Private Sector Solutions for SDGs, More Effective UN

Published on July 20, 2023

During the first week of the UN High Level Political Forum, USCIB’s Moving the Needle (MTN) Initiative convened a side event at APCO Worldwide, “I for Implementation: SDG9 In Action.” The July 12 event highlighted successful collaborative partnerships reflecting SDG9’s emphasis on Industry, Infrastructure and Innovation. According to USCIB Senior VP for Policy and Global Strategy Norine Kennedy, prioritizing SDG9 will be catalytic to getting society back on track across all Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and represents a departure point for concrete sustainability and solidarity initiatives from business.

Speakers from government missions, the UN community, NGOs and USCIB members Bayer, Mastercard and Microsoft highlighted opportunities to mobilize the private sector working with governments and other stakeholders through and with the UN system via collaboration, the deployment of innovative technologies and tools, and an emphasis on resilient infrastructure and related investments.

L-R: Norine Kennedy (USCIB), Jonathan Shrier (US Mission to the UN)

U.S. Deputy Representative to the UN Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC) Jonathan Shrier opened the event with a statement of U.S. commitment to collaborating with business to bring forward and widely deploy practical solutions. He said: “The bottom line is this—we can meet even the most daunting global challenges if we translate our commitment to the SDGs into meaningful action at all levels,” pursuing partnerships with the private sector.

Mastercard and USCIB Board member Ravi Aurora

Mastercard’s Senior Vice President, Global Public Policy & Government Affairs Ravi Aurora, who serves on USCIB’s Board, reflected on the linkages across different forms of infrastructure that innovation makes possible, such as digital access to financial services, and how one innovation in infrastructure has a multiplier effect of benefits to communities.

Dr. Venkata Kishore, VP and global head of veg seeds smallholders and sustainability at Bayer, provided examples of innovation deployment through partnerships with local communities that have enabled energy access and food security.

At the halfway point to 2030 when the UN Sustainable Development Goals are due, the UN has assessed that only 12% of the 160+ targets are on track, and most others are at risk of failure without additional action. It was against this backdrop that the last HLPF prior to the SDG Summit in September met to take stock. In addition to SDG9, other areas of discussion at the HLPF included clean water, energy and cities. USCIB was present to inform deliberations with business experience and recommendations to reinvigorate progress towards the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

DPR for Poland Joanna Skoczek speaks on a panel

Addressing the closing session, USCIB Policy Manager for Environment and Sustainable Development Agnes Vinblad called on the HLPF “to prioritize and strengthen problem-solving and practical dialogue involving the private sector at national, regional and global levels, and to empower and mainstream public private partnerships here at the UN.”

“At this time of concern about too slow progress toward the SDGs, USCIB’s MTN initiative has argued that the international community needs to assess where the most impact for implementation can be set into motion, and to enlist the capabilities, expertise and resources that are unique to business,” added Kennedy. This is a major focus of MTN, which is bringing forward private sector tools, metrics and partnerships to advance sustainability, science, innovation and solidarity solutions.

MTN will deliver recommendations to the SDG Summit for inclusive and practical multilateralism that gets the SDG’s moving at pace and scale.

For more information about MTN, contact Carina Sølling Damm.