September 24, 2024. Shanghai – Nearly ten years after the adoption of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the organisation is encouraging business leaders in China and the rest of the world to step up in their mission to drive meaningful progress. But what exactly is the role of businesses in contributing to the success of the SDGs, and how can companies align their corporate strategies with global sustainability targets?

To answer these questions, an event was recently held on the CEIBS Shanghai campus with leaders from various industries coming together for a thoughtful discussion on the theme of Reinvigorating the UN Sustainable Development Goals: The Role of Business in China, hosted by CEIBS Professor of International Business and Strategy Shameen Prashantham.

The UN SDGs were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all by 2030, focusing on 17 key priorities.

In the first speech of the event, Former Managing Director of Allbirds China and CEIBS Global EMBA 2019 alumna Brandy Yu highlighted what a “better business” looks like amidst climate change.

“We [Allbirds] established a three-step approach to hold ourselves accountable, including measure, reduce and offset,” Ms. Yu said.

“We use a scientific life cycle assessment (LCA) tool to help us measure carbon emissions, and the carbon emissions data can help our product designers make more informed decisions in the product development process,” she explained.

Known for embedding sustainability into the company’s DNA, the sustainable footwear brand is committed to reducing its carbon footprint by 50% by 2025, and reaching net zero by 2030, through three pillars: regenerative agriculture, renewable materials, and responsible energy.

While striving for long-term climate goals, Allbirds outlines priorities to reduce its footprint by using natural materials such as wool, sugarcane, and recycled materials. “Merino wool, sheep farming and the use of natural alternatives are areas we’re focusing on,” Brandy stated.

In 2023, Allbirds launched the world's first net zero shoe, the “M0.0Nshot”. “We’re transforming wool to carbon negative wools and applying carbon negative compounds into our shoes. So, net zero is not something in the air, it's attainable, and we have a product to prove that.”

A startup originating in Silicon Velly, Allbirds also promotes sustainability through partnerships with bigger players, such as Addidas and Chinese EV maker NIO, to scale the impact and engage with customers to increase brand awareness, Brandy added.

Unlike Allbirds, who started from scratch with a vision for a greener future, many longstanding companies and industries emerged long before the SDGs or sustainability became central to business strategy. One such industry is brewing, in which Budweiser stands out as one of the most world’s best-known brands.

In his speech, VP of Sustainability & Procurement of Budweiser APAC Jan Clysner outlined Budweiser APAC’s sustainability strategy, centred around four key pillars: Smart Agriculture, Water Stewardship, Circular Packaging, and Climate Action.

“For us, sustainability is not just from an environment point of view, but also from a business perspective […]. At Budweiser APAC, we want to drive real change,” Mr. Clysner said.

 By 2025, Budweiser APAC aims for 100% of their communities in high water stress areas to have measurably improved water availability and quality, implement circular packaging including returnable packaging and recycle content, and cut carbon emissions by 25% across its value chain.

“When I started 20 years ago, it took more than 6 litres of water to produce one litre of beer. Our target by the end of 2025 is to reach two litres of water for one litre of beer,” Mr. Clysner explained.

As a company that relies on high-quality ingredients to make its product, Budweiser APAC has forged strong partnerships with local farmers and suppliers to create win-win solutions for communities and the environment.

“We have been very actively engaging with our supplies, because the procurement department has the closest day-to-day relationship with our suppliers […]. I believe that in Asia, especially in APAC, if we’re to go much faster than most of companies, it’s this very strategic decision that we’ve taken to work together with our suppliers, because sustainability is not only good for business, good for the environment, but also palatable for each and every one of our suppliers,” Mr. Clysner stated.

With Allbirds and Budweiser APAC’s approaches demonstrating how private sector innovation can drive environmental and social progress, the discussion then broadened to a global scale with insights from Angelina Ye, an official from the United Nations institution and CEIBS MBA alumna, who shifted the focus to international cooperation and offered a macro perspective on the UN’s efforts to reinvigorate the SDGs.

As a public influencer committed to driving positive social change, Angelina explored the pivotal role of the UN’s recently held Summit for the Future in transforming global governance and delivering actionable solutions through initiatives like the Pact for the Future.

Convened at the United Nations headquarters in New York, the Summit of the Future is a high-level event that brings world leaders together to forge a new international consensus on how to deliver a better present and safeguard the future. The event covered five chapters: sustainable development and financing for development; international peace and security; science, technology, innovation and digital cooperation; youth and future generations, and transformation of global governance.

“We are standing at the crossroad of history, with the power and will to shape the future for the generations to come, and we believe it is our generations’ duty to mend international cooperation and restore trust in global governance,” Ms. Ye said.

She added that the Pact for the Future, which includes a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations, is a landmark declaration pledging concrete actions towards a more sustainable, secure, and inclusive world for tomorrow’s generations.

The forum also featured a lively panel discussion, moderated by Prof. Prashantham, during which speakers shared insights on how businesses in China can contribute to the success of the SDGs, the role of AI in this process, and more.

In his closing remarks, CEIBS Vice President and Dean Frank Bournois thanked the distinguished speakers for their insights on both a micro and macro level, highlighting the importance of the human element in addressing the SDGs.

He emphasised two SDGs that are relevant to CEIBS. First, SDG 4 (Quality Education), noting that lifelong learning is essential for growth and sustainability; second, SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), as CEIBS is committed to developing leaders who will be central to shaping a more sustainable and responsible world.