Latin American Leaders Discuss the Role of Business in Sustainable Production and Consumption Patterns

(Santiago, 19 April 2018) – As a side event of the Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development, the United Nations Global Compact, together with the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), brought together leaders from business, Governments, civil society and the UN in Chile to discuss “The role of the business sector in generating sustainable production and consumption patterns in Latin America and the Caribbean.” The forum was established in May 2016 as a regional mechanism to follow-up on and review the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including: the Sustainable Development Goals and targets, its means of implementation and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda.

Alicia Bárcena, the Executive Secretary of ECLAC, opened the event followed by remarks from Javier Cortés, the UN Global Compact Head of Local Networks Americas. Participants, including the UN Resident Coordinator of Ecuador, the Chief Executive Officer of Unilever Chile and the Executive Secretary of the National Council for the Coordination of Social Policies of Argentina, discussed the important contribution of the private sector to sustainable production and consumption models.

According to Bárcena, “With its Local Networks in the region, the UN Global Compact is working with ECLAC to unleash the power of responsible business engagement in the implementation of the SDGs in each of the countries and territories of Latin America and the Caribbean. It is only through the power of collaboration among all stakeholders that we will be able to achieve the SDGs in each of the territories of the region and globally, ensuring that no one is left behind”.

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• Learn more about the Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development – 2018
• See the agenda of the side event here