ESG practices towards transformative change for a more sustainable world

      By: Dr. Mucahid Mustafa Bayrak, Associate Professor, NTNU. 2022 APSAA Honorary Judge

Currently, the world is facing multiple sustainability challenges at a global scale, such as the global climate crisis, our overreliance on fossil fuels, ecosystem collapse, wars and human rights violations, gender discrimination, racism, migrant crises, and the list goes on. Humanity needs to think of solutions while acknowledging that the impacts of aforementioned challenges are highly unequal both in terms of who causes it and who is most impacted by it. Companies, and transnational corporations in particular, should particularly pay much more attention to these sustainability challenges, both within and outside the enterprise. The APSAA Asia Pacific Sustainability Action Awards (APSAA) host by Taiwan Institute for Sustainable Energy (TAISE), hold in Taipei, Taiwan, encourages companies to showcase their best practices using the Sustainable Development Goals (or SDGs) as a yardstick. Not only are the SDGs agreed upon by almost all nations in the world, these goals are also acknowledging the multiple aspects and dimensions of sustainability. The SDGs also acknowledge that there are wide range of stakeholders and actors, and that sustainability solutions are no longer solely in the domains of governments or non-governmental organizations. We all need to contribute, especially those who contribute most to these challenges.

Companies can play a valuable role in not only limiting their own negative impacts, but also come up with new, innovative and inclusive solutions, whether they are technological, organizational or social in nature. During the APSAA Asia Pacific Sustainability Action Awards, of which I was one of the judges, we have already seen many great initiatives from companies that would like to make a transformative change towards a better world altogether. But we can do so much more. For this reason, we encourage companies all over the world to critically reflect upon their own ESG standards and practices, and ask themselves the question: do we really contribute to a transformative change, and if so, how? We look forward to learning from your initiatives and together we could strive for a healthier earth, a more equal and peaceful global community, and a private sector which equals 'profit' not only to monetary benefits but also a more sustainable world. 

2023 APSAA ceremony will be held in conjunction with the Asia-Pacific Sustainability Expo and Summit. Registration deadline is 19 May, for further details: https://tcsaward.org.tw/en/about/selection2/2023-download  

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