Indian bags UN honour for corporate sustainability initiative

An Indian social entrepreneur has been named among 10 "champions and pioneers" by UN Chief Ban Ki-moon under the world's largest corporate sustainability initiative that calls on companies to align with universal principles of human rights, environment and anti-corruption.

Zubaida Bai, the founder of 'ayzh', a for-profit social venture providing health and livelihood solutions to impoverished women worldwide, was named among the 10 '2016 Global Compact SDG Pioneers', an initiative launched by UN to search for "entrepreneurs" who can play a pivotal role.

The UN Global Compact, the world's largest corporate sustainability initiative, supports companies to do business responsibly by aligning their strategies and operations with ten principles of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption; and to take strategic actions to advance broader societal goals, such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with an emphasis on collaboration and innovation.

Ban announced the 10 pioneers at the Global Compact leaders Summit in the city this week.

Congratulating the honorees, Ban said that he counts on their "strong commitment and engagement" to help businesses seize the opportunities of the SDG era.

"All of you are leaders in the campaign for a world without poverty, a thriving planet, a vibrant and inclusive global economy and a life of dignity for all.

"This is the vision of the Sustainable Development Goals, agreed upon by the Member States of the UN in September last year," he said at the summit.

The leaders Summit aims to jump-start business action everywhere on the SDGs.

To that end, the Global Compact unveiled a multi-year strategy to drive business awareness and activity that supports the achievement of the goals by 2030.

Noting that trillions of dollars will be invested in infrastructure in the coming years, he said that the Paris Agreement and the SDGs give the private sector an unprecedented opportunity to create clean-energy, climate- resilient, sustainable economies.

"We are at a decisive moment in the shift to sustainable and inclusive markets," continued the Secretary-General, noting that the first step in this regard would be to mobilise the global business community as never before.

"All businesses, everywhere, can and should play a role in improving our world. That starts with integrity – doing business right," he said.