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Cover story<br />
Optimising Opportunities:<br />
The<br />
Sustainable<br />
Development<br />
Goals<br />
Ratification of the<br />
Sustainable Development<br />
Goals heralds major<br />
changes for the business<br />
community. It also presents<br />
a historic opportunity for<br />
business to rethink its<br />
strategy and to evidence its<br />
positive influence on society.<br />
2015 has been a momentous<br />
year for international<br />
development. It marked<br />
the adoption of the Addis Ababa<br />
Action Agenda which provides<br />
a framework for financing<br />
sustainable development.<br />
Moreover, the espousal of the<br />
Sustainable Development Goals<br />
(SDGs) as successors to the<br />
Millennium Development Goals<br />
(MDGs) has reinvigorated the<br />
global partnership for dealing with<br />
a range of economic, social and<br />
environmental challenges. This<br />
new set of 17 goals, also known<br />
as the global goals (see Figure 1:<br />
The Global Goals for Sustainable<br />
Development), has been developed<br />
after 2 years of multi-stakeholder<br />
negotiations. The engagement of<br />
business and the private sector in<br />
this dialogue is worth highlighting.<br />
With Mauritius being one of the<br />
193 countries that signed up to the<br />
global goals, the case is clear for<br />
businesses in the country to get<br />
involved. Indeed, whilst the SDGs are<br />
not legally binding, they will drive the<br />
formulation of national strategies<br />
and regulation aimed at achieving<br />
them. Hence, having a business<br />
model that supports the goals<br />
corresponds to having a strategy<br />
that is aligned with that of the<br />
government. It can thus be expected<br />
that companies which strain to show<br />
congruence to national interest will<br />
“Consumer patterns<br />
have evolved in<br />
Mauritius and around the<br />
world with increasing<br />
emphasis being placed<br />
on environmental and<br />
social sustainability.”<br />
be at a competitive disadvantage.<br />
Engaging with the<br />
Global Goals<br />
There are various ways in which<br />
businesses can engage with<br />
the global goals. Foremost, it is<br />
interesting to note that SDG 8 (Decent<br />
Work and Economic Growth) is an<br />
area where the private sector is a key<br />
player. High unemployment rates,<br />
especially amongst youngsters, and<br />
widening inequality are challenges<br />
that need renewed attention from<br />
industry. Cherry-picking the goals<br />
in which one’s business will have a<br />
material impact is another approach<br />
that provides a starting point. For<br />
example, companies involved in the<br />
healthcare sector will most likely<br />
prioritise SDG 3 (Good Health and<br />
Well-Being). It should be noted that<br />
interconnectedness of the SDGs<br />
generates synergies that accelerate<br />
achievement of the development<br />
agenda. Indeed, tackling SDG 8<br />
(Decent Work and Economic Growth)<br />
leads to ripple effects on various<br />
other goals such as SDG 10 (Reduced<br />
Inequalities), SDG 1 (No Poverty)<br />
and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and<br />
Infrastructure).<br />
Where business has an impact,<br />
it tends to see the opportunity<br />
as well. Consumer patterns have<br />
evolved in Mauritius and around<br />
the world with increasing emphasis<br />
being placed on environmental and<br />
social sustainability. The successful<br />
implementation of Fairtrade*<br />
schemes globally, including within<br />
the sugarcane industry of our island,<br />
bears testimony to the growing<br />
concern of consumers on aspects<br />
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