Panel Discussions

Panel Discussion - Day 2

 

Sponsored by Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), Canada

 

Date: 21st November 2017

 

Sub-Theme: Integrating the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in Corporate Social Responsibility: Comparative Perspectives & Policy Options

 

Speaker Topics

 

Moderator: Mr. John Ikubaje, African Union (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)

 

 

Mr. Olumide Orojimi

This presenter will discuss the Nigeria Stock Exchange’s recent focus on Sustainability Reporting and the additional work the Exchange is doing to create a sustainable market place. The conference therefore provides an opportunity for the presenter to analyze the context/content of the sustainability reporting initiative, the Guidelines issued pursuant to it and how (if at all) it could contribute to the advancement of corporate social responsibility/the United Nations SDGs.

 

Prof. Sam Erugo

The presentation will be discussing how businesses and corporations could contribute to the achievement of Goal 17 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in Nigeria. This goal aims:

To Revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development. The United Nations describes the objectives of this goal as follows:

 

“A successful sustainable development agenda requires partnerships between governments, the private sector and civil society. These inclusive partnerships built upon principles and values, a shared vision, and shared goals that place people and the planet at the centre, are needed at the global, regional, national, and local level.

 

“Urgent action is needed to mobilize, redirect and unlock the transformative power of trillions of dollars of private resources to deliver on sustainable development objectives. Long-term investments, including foreign direct investment, are needed in critical sectors, especially in developing countries. These include sustainable energy, infrastructure, and transport, as well as information and communications technologies. The public sector will need to set a clear direction. Review and monitoring frameworks, regulations and incentive structures that enable such investments must be retooled to attract investments and reinforce sustainable development. National oversight mechanisms such as supreme audit institutions and oversight functions by legislatures should be strengthened.”

 

Dr. Romola Adeola

Goal 13 of the Sustainable Development Goals recognizes the imperative of taking actions in addressing the impact of climate change. Annually, 26 million people are displaced by climate-related conditions in Africa. The issue of climate change has emerged as a significant human rights challenge in recent years. With flooding episodes in various parts of Africa, earthquakes in Asia and hurricanes in parts of the Americas, there have been concerns on how to tackle this significant challenge. In recognition of this concern, the Paris Agreement require states to take actions to protect climate change displaced populations. While much has been said about fostering climate change justice, the role of businesses has not been significantly addressed. This paper analyses the role of businesses in addressing climate change induced migration critiquing existing regional and international norms related on business and human rights.

 

Mr. Eustace Onuegbu

This speaker will present on a practitioner’s perspective on Corporate Social Responsibility and sustainable development. The global adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) marked a significant shift in the relationship between corporations and economic and social development. Whereas the predecessor Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) largely bypassed the role of business, it was a welcome and necessary feature of the new goals that corporations were considered to be an integral part of the current programme.

 

The presentation will aim to assess the existing CSR regulatory and self-regulatory attempts in some African countries. It will focus on the lessons learned and the risks and opportunities of different public policy initiatives as well as the lack of adequate regulatory mechanisms as a possible impediment in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in the region with particular emphasis on Nigeria and Kenya

 

Dr. Louis Meuleman

Private companies which have taken up the challenge of CSR are frontrunners in the implementation of many of the SDGs. Even more than traditional businesses they need a 'safe and fair operating space’ to work in, with standards and regulatory mechanisms to create a level playing field and incentives, for example through sustainable public procurement, to promote sustainable business practice and innovation. This is in particular a challenge in the many 'fragile' states in Africa and elsewhere. Emerging practices will be discussed where, when governments are not ready or able to steer through metagovernance (coordinating the use of flexible and appropriate combinations of various governance tools), businesses have taken up 'private metagovernance' to negotiate standards among each other and where appropriate with civil society. This may be a way to, indirectly, support strengthening statehood in fragile countries – but it might also put governments further outside of the game. Some good examples and challenges will be presented and discussed.

 

Dr. Basil Ugochukwu

What is “Sustainable Development”? The idea of the presentation is to try to explain what sustainable development could mean in the many contexts that the concept has been deployed – in the Paris climate agreement, in bilateral trade agreements, in multi-lateral environmental agreements, etc. Given these definitions, he will try to find an anchor for the concept in Corporate Social Responsibility.

 

 

Format

The Panel is for two hours from 9.30 am – 11.30 am on November 21. The Moderator will make opening comments for about three to five minutes to introduce the topic and speakers. Thereafter, each speaker will be given ten to twelve minutes to make their presentations. After all the speakers have had their say, the Moderator will open it up to questions and comments from the audience and participants. The Moderator will bring the discussion to a close with some remarks and thanks to the sponsors and participants.

 

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