ABSTRACT
If the world is to tackle some of the most pressing challenges of our time – from runaway climate change to widening inequality to declining levels of public trust – corporations need to play their part, by moving to new business models that deliver long-term sustainable and equitable growth. Financial markets also have a pivotal role to play in supporting and facilitating the trillions of dollars of capital investment required to enable the transition to a lower-carbon and more climate-resilient future. Fortunately, we have a “north star” to guide our response, in the form of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which provide an ambitious blueprint for a better world. Spanning key areas from climate action to sustaining life below water, from ending poverty to gender equality, and from zero hunger to fairer institutions and peace, the SDGs have as their ultimate objective the mission of rebalancing economic growth with the protection of our people and planet. Now is the time for business to step up, accept its responsibilities, help to de-risk the political process, and commit to assisting in the creation of a better future for all.
