Leading global and regional organisations have announced their support for an ambitious multi-stakeholder initiative to promote the growth of social enterprise and impact investment across the Asia-Pacific region as a means of accelerating progress of the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Senior government officials from 17 countries as well as key private sector figures at the Social Enterprise World Forum meeting in Christchurch acknowledged that social enterprises and impact investment were critical drivers of innovation for sustainable development that can play a catalytic role in advancing inclusive and sustained economic growth, shared prosperity and decent work for all.
At the end of a policy dialogue, jointly organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the British Council, Hon. Y.B. Dato' Sri Hajah Nancy Binti Shukri, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Malaysia, read the Asia-Pacific Declaration on Social Enterprise and Impact Investment. The declaration would see a partnership between ESCAP, the British Council, the Social Enterprise World Forum (SEWF), the Global Steering Group for Impact Investment, the Global Social Entrepreneurship Network, the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network, and the Ākina Foundation, to build a community of leaders across the Asia-Pacific with the aim of sharing experience and pooling expertise around the growth of social enterprise and impact investment in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
“The ambition of social enterprise and impact investment to create economic, social and environmental value aligns to the three-dimensional nature of the SDGs. This multi-stakeholder coalition brings together leading expertise, both regional and global, to support governments to catalyze the innovations urgently required to meet the ambitions of the global development agenda,” said United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP Dr. Shamshad Akhtar.
“The Social Enterprise World Forum was established in 2008 for the purpose of convening social enterprises from all over the world to share wisdom, build networks and discuss how to create a more sustainable future. This new regional initiative complements our global mission to build a supportive public policy environment and disseminate transferrable strategies, systems and models to support the development of social enterprise and help build healthy communities and vibrant local economies across Asia and the Pacific,” said David LePage, Chairman of the SEWF C.I.C Board.
Mark Walker, Director East Asia, British Council, said: “Our Global Social Enterprise programme is premised on sharing experience and expertise in social enterprise and impact investment between the UK and other countries. This coalition presents us with an invaluable opportunity to further support policy makers and other stakeholders to create the conditions in which social enterprise and impact investment can thrive, thus helping to promote innovative solutions to entrenched social and environmental problems and advancing our shared vision for a more sustainable, inclusive and prosperous future.”
The Declaration invokes SDG 17, which states that “a successful sustainable development agenda requires partnerships between governments, the private sector and civil society”, and it highlights “the role that social enterprise and impact investment can play in supporting progress on the goals and targets of the SDGs, notably by developing impactful and innovative solutions to entrenched social and environmental problems and spurring sustainable and inclusive development.”
NOTES TO EDITORS
Full text of the ‘Asia-Pacific Declaration on Social Enterprise and Impact Investment’: https://www.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/asia-pacific_declaration_on_social_enterprise_and_impact_investment.pdf
About the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) serves as the United Nations’ regional hub promoting cooperation among countries to achieve inclusive and sustainable development. The largest regional intergovernmental platform with 53 member States and 9 associate members, ESCAP has emerged as a strong regional think-tank offering countries sound analytical products that shed insight into the evolving economic, social and environmental dynamics of the region.
The Commission’s strategic focus is to deliver on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which it does by reinforcing and deepening regional cooperation and integration to advance connectivity, financial cooperation and market integration. ESCAP’s research and analysis coupled with its policy advisory services, capacity building and technical assistance to governments aims to support countries’ sustainable and inclusive development ambitions.
About the British Council
The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We create friendly knowledge and understanding between the people of the UK and other countries. We do this by making a positive contribution to the UK and the countries we work with – changing lives by creating opportunities, building connections and engendering trust.
Through our Global Social Enterprise programme, we promote the development of social enterprise and social investment to help address entrenched social and environmental problems and deliver positive change in our communities and societies. Our programme is designed to help foster a more sustainable, inclusive and prosperous future and build collaboration, opportunities and trust between the UK and other countries.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Kavita Sukanandan, Associate Public Information Officer, Strategic Communications and Advocacy Section, ESCAP, T: (66) 2 288 1869 / E: [email protected]
Adam Pillsbury, Global Stakeholder Manager, Social Enterprise, British Council, T: (16)47 282 3557 / E: [email protected]
