BEIJING - The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) offer global companies new opportunities for innovation and growth amid a sluggish world economy, according to a senior UN official.
SDGs offer inspiration for companies and help them think about their business in a new way to address global challenges, Lise Kingo, executive director of UN Global Compact, told Xinhua in an exclusive interview on the sidelines of the 2016 China Summit on Achieving SDGs on Monday.
A few industries are struggling with existing business models, such as the banking sector and the soft drink and food industries, Kingo said. If they can experiment with changes according to the 17 SDGs, such as reducing poverty and hunger, they may find new opportunities such as promoting inclusive finance and "green food," according to Kingo.
She said she was delighted to see that the SDGs are reflected in China's 13th Five-Year Plan, which prioritizes poverty eradication and sustainable growth. Kingo added that many Chinese firms have joined the UN Global Compact Network China and are dedicated to running business responsibly.
Kingo said she was particularly impressed by the pioneering practices of the State Grid Corporation of China, which proposed the development of a worldwide, high voltage energy transmission network called the Global Energy Internet to share renewable energy from around the world.
"That's a good example of innovative thinking that well goes beyond the national borders and contributes to global sustainable growth," she said. (Xinhua)