Reflecting on the latest BTS UNGA Speech - Setting the Sustainability Goals Right for everyone
September 2021
A plug for vaccines, young people and the Earth's wellbeing are three issues that was brought up by the mega star BTS in the United Nations General Assembly on Monday. One of the members, V, said that the setback causing by the pandemic have made everyone felt bewildered and troubled, including the Sustainability Development Goals that were set on the 2030 timeline. Therefore, the question remain; how do we get back on the right track to achieve sustainability?
For the UN, to get the SDGs back on track and prevent the worst impacts of climate change, a profound shift in economies and societies everywhere, is now needed. In the last 18 months, COVID-19 has disrupted economies and livelihoods, deepened inequalities. Progress on reducing greenhouse gas emissions has been too slow and biodiversity loss has continued at an extraordinary pace. This is compounded by a deeply uneven global response to the pandemic with the world’s poorest countries and people suffering the most.
Recognizing this urgency, there are calls for people around the world to make a promise to take action for a better future for all. Global and national efforts are needed to limit the damage and restore the economic momentum. According to the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, governments, companies, and society must work hand in hand to protect, respect, and create access to remedy on human rights to ensure the improvement on humanity and environment.
- Government
Governments must avoid erecting protectionist barriers or lowering human rights standards for businesses; their short-run gains are illusory, and they undermine longer-term recovery.
In our country, one of the example would be on The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries that has issued regulation No. 35/2015 on Human Rights System and Certification in Fisheries. The legislation requires fishery companies and fish processing companies to implement a human rights management system that includes developing human rights policy, carrying out HRDD and remitting human rights violations. The implementation of the human rights management system subsequently shall be certified by an independent certification body.
The government is also expected to introduce Indonesia’s National Strategy on Business and Human Rights 2020-2024. The plan is expected to strengthen human rights requirements for companies operating in Indonesia. Our close affiliate, Foundation for International Human Rights Reporting Standards (FIHRRST), is a member of the task force.
- Companies
Companies must acknowledge that business as usual is not good enough for anybody, including business itself, and that they must better integrate societal concerns into their long-term strategic goals.
Business is often vilified for promoting overconsumption, hastening natural resource depletion (which resulted to climate change), and putting profit before human dignity. Thus, there is a need to ensure businesses are held accountable and liable when they harm - or contribute to harming – the environment, human rights, and good governance. Companies can create policy, create human rights due diligence strategy within their system and openly publicize it. If you are already working in a company, or own a company, you can help the world by making sure whether your company has been doing this. It might be confusing on how to start this, but we are here to assist you! Contact our sustainability team for more info on sustainability reporting, human rights audit and HRDD: Baudouin.coomans@moores-rowland.com
- Society
Society as a whole cries out for remedy where there is harm.
This means everyone can contribute to make the world a better place, including you as an individual. Do you remember that Jakarta residents win battle for clean air against Indonesian government about a week ago?
The long-awaited decision ends a two-year legal challenge brought by 32 Jakarta citizens against the government that had violated the country's environmental protection laws, said the verdict, which called on top officials to establish a national ambient air quality standard, among a number of other measures.
Three of the actors; government, company and society does have to go hand in hand to create a better quality of life/ sustainable environment. Society’s efforts would go in vain if the government does not admit their room for improvement and the companies (which are operating inside the country) shall made changes to ensure they do not harm the planet. So, are you ready to create a change? Well, you should be. As stated by BTS; “Let’s create a positive and healthy world, rather than as victims of lost opportunities”.