High-powered event supports the UAE Vision 2021 and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

Dubai, UAE, September 25, 2016:   Unilever, in collaboration with the Dubai Chamber's Sustainability Network, has hosted a multi-sectoral collaboration event to galvanise support for United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as the goals espoused by the UAE Vision 2021. The event was held on Sunday at the Dubai Chamber premises in Deira.

The multi-sectoral event, held under the “#CollectiveAction Towards a Brighter Future Initiative” umbrella, saw broad participation from private sector organisations, academia, NGOs and public sector bodies including the Dubai Chamber, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai SME and the Ministry of Health & Prevention (MoH). It explored collaboration to achieve goals common to three overlapping strategic roadmaps – the UAE Vision 2021, the UN SDGs, and the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan. 

“Effective CSR and sustainability efforts can deliver immediate-term benefits while also becoming a highly effective management tool and strategic advantage for Dubai businesses. We value public-private sector collaborations in voluntarily choosing best practices for sustainability that deliver results for businesses and enhance value for all of society,” said H.E. Majid Saif Al Ghurair, Chairman, Dubai Chamber.

In particular, the #CollectiveAction meeting identified three areas common to the UAE Vision 2021, UN SDGs and Unilever Sustainable Development Plan - addressing climate change by taming energy consumption and emphasising renewable energy use; zero waste to landfill strategies focusing on non-hazardous waste; the creation of entrepreneurship and employment opportunities; and addressing Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs), especially obesity.

'The #CollectiveAction initiative is an excellent way of mobilising multi-sectorial support that can turn challenges into opportunities. The UAE Vision 2021 calls for action on climate change, economic growth and health, as do the UN SDGs. Unilever also has a global track record of addressing sustainable growth through its own Unilever Sustainable Living Plan. We want to create collaborative frameworks towards common goals by gathering key decision-makers under one roof,' says Sanjiv Kakkar, Executive Vice President for Unilever MENA, Turkey, Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.

The UN SDGs are designed to eliminate extreme poverty, inequality and climate change by 2030 if accepted and acted upon voluntarily by global citizens and governments. They span the gamut of positive social change by asking for an end to extreme poverty, addressing hunger and malnutrition, advocating for gender equality, calling for quality education to reduce inequality, emphasising the need for clean water and sanitation, stopping child labour, implementing clean technologies, combating natural disaster deaths, protecting marine biodiversity, conserving forest areas, highlighting the need for responsible consumption, and reducing homicides and violent crimes. 

Meanwhile, the UAE Vision 2021 identifies 6 key areas for concerted action – a sustainable environment and infrastructure, world-class healthcare a cohesive society and preserved identity; safe public and fair judiciary; competitive knowledge economy and first-rate education system. 

The UAE Vision 2021 priority areas can be found at https://www.vision2021.ae/en/national-priority-areas. Meanwhile, the full list of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals is available at http://www.globalgoals.org/outcomes/. Details on the Unilever MENA’s Sustainable Living Plan are available here: https://www.unileverme.com/sustainable-living/