PROMOTING THE SDGs IN SOUTH EAST ASIA.

 

This piece was published in January 2018 on Perspectives of The Himalayan Times.

All over the developed world there are increasingly more and more examples of cross pollinations among social, developmental and business sectors.

The driving force behind such dynamics is the achievement of the so called common good, something that might sounds intangible but can actually be delivered through practical collaborations and partnerships.

Collaborations happen when two entities share, for example, a common initiative and work together to implement it, mostly on a shorter horizon while the latter, partnerships instead implie a deeper understanding, a shared vision and a similar mission resulting in an enduring commitment for a cause or a goal, leading two organizations to have a stronger bond based on a solid relationships rather than one off initiatives.

With wrapping up of 2017 and the beginning of a new year, let’s take a reflection on the current status of partnerships in Nepal with a special focus on undertakings focused on the common good.

SDGs are getting prominent: The Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs that replaced few years back the Millennium Development Goals, are drawing more and more attention. The United Development Program, UNDP, has been doing a smart work in forging new collaborations that could result in bigger partnerships, linking the SDGs to the core missions of many national private corporations. AYON, the national youth network, has always been very proactive, always thanks to UNDP, to involve local youths in the discussions related to the achievements of the SDGs. Obviously such initiatives must lead to concrete deliverables with a clear and measurable impact, going beyond the SDGs focused awareness making that though important, is just a means to an higher end.

The role of Corporate Sector: Few years back a law was passed to make it mandatory for private corporations of a certain size to donate to causes as part of their corporate social responsibility. Many stakeholders do not like the legislation as there are still different understandings on the role corporates should play in the development of the nation.

As controversial the legislation might be at the end of the day as the old roman maxim says “dura lex sad lex” that can be translated as "it is harsh, but it is the law". Perhaps the country still needs to internalize the basic understandings, meanings and practical implementation of the what constitutes “ethical business”.

that means not only playing by the rules of the land but also be attentive and responsible, while producing and selling a product or service, towards its impact on the communities and wider society.

In 2017 we saw the organization of 2^nd Responsible Business Summit, potentially, a great platform to create awareness on best practices, share new ideas and forge new initiatives that better link the corporate sector with society.

Hopefully the new coming year will see the realization of some concrete programs as part of the Summit’s follow up.

The challenge for the organizers of such events is ensure that doable commitments or plan of actions are signed up during these conferences and then monitored through a peer review system.

All over the world, many big conferences are shifting to more an action oriented way of work that, very importantly, can offer more legitimacy to such initiatives.

Perhaps also in Nepal we will see fewer declarations and more practical and detailed commitments to action from these events.

With the new year, we’ll see also the results coming out from the so called Himalayan Consensus, itself the outcome of great partnerships that include a multitude of agents.

Will the interesting and much needed idea of prioritizing sustainable programs aligned to a sound management of a diverse eco-system bring concrete results?

Intra SAARC initiatives: everyone is well aware that the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation is not working due to regional political rivalries.

Yet civil society organizations and corporates from the region are missing here something big because they are not deeply engaged in joint initiatives.

Even more exchange programs, among students and professionals alike can contribute a lot in shaping a more livable, prosperous region.

For example the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry, currently chaired by a leading Nepali businessman like Suraj Vaidya, has certainly a huge potential, perhaps it lacks the resources to become a powerhouse for regional integration. Moving to the social sector, the so called People’s SAARC still lacks a strong structure and vision.

The South Asia Initiative to End Violence Against Children, SAIEVAC, the regional inter-governmental body focused on child protection, has certainly a great potential and has been delivering quite few results in terms of policy making but also needs more visibility and resources.

To conclude Nepal and the entire region is experiencing a stronger economic outlook. The potential for more collaborations and partnerships are huge but is still mostly untapped.

The hope is that 2018 will see some serious efforts to bridge the apparently insurmountable gaps between sectors. Some corporates, not surprisingly mostly multinationals, are starting to take their societal role very seriously in the country.

Call it shared value, corporate social responsibility or corporate citizenship. Names and definitions do not matter at this point. What matters is a renewed spirit of initiative and a sense of deep commitment that can propel positive changes through a combination of cross sector collaborations and partnerships.