Private Sector Critical To Delivery Of SDGs, Says Collymore

The private sector has a key role to play in the attaintment of Social Development Goals by integrating targets in their business models to help governments build better societies
Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore says that private firms must be cognizant of the quality of life in societies they operate while pursuing their primary goal of returning a profit.

“You will all agree with me that businesses cannot be successful when the society around us fails,” said Mr Collymore. “Societies now look at us as the driver of jobs, innovation and growth – all fundamental components that will define the progress towards SDGs.”

But he acknowledged that businesses struggle with the question of why they must be involved in helping in the attainment of better societies through social development programmes which are not directly linked to profits or revenues.

“What many of us fail to realize is that the Goals present businesses with unique duties and opportunities to change the world beyond our imagination,” he said.

Mr Collymore, who was speaking at the national launch of SDGs in Kenya presided over by Devolution Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri at the Kasarani stadium, pledged Safaricom’s support for the Goals, committing to deliver connectivity and innovative products while minimisung its environmental impact.

He confirmed the successful integration of a customised shared prosperity and responsible business initiative across the firm.

With the integration, Safaricom becomes the first local company to adopt the United Nations fronted Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s).

The firm has also also pledged to play a corporate mentorship role, sharing best practice and guiding other local and continental firms wishing to adopt the SDG’s in their business operations.

“At Safaricom we have rearticulated the SDGs to serve our mission of Transforming Lives. As part of our corporate social responsibility we are also stepping out to encourage other local companies to join us in this effort as part of our quest to promote a shared prosperity culture,” said Mr. Collymore.

In April 2015, the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon re-appointed Mr. Collymore to the United Nations Global Compact Board. This was in recognition of Safaricom’s commitment to environmental, sustainability and anti-corruption issues as well as the work it is undertaking to address maternal health and child mortality. Safaricom is currently one of the only African companies that regularly reports on Sustainability on an annual basis. 

“We need to create a long-term view that shifts the corporate view of success from the immediacy of our bottom lines to becoming agents of change, positively influencing our immediate environment,” he said, adding; “We will do so by managing our operations responsibly and ethically. This will stimulate growth and generate value for our company, society and economy.”

The first Sustainable Development Goals Report, which was launched recently by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, noted that 13 per cent of the world population still live in extreme poverty, 800 million people are suffering from hunger and 2.4 billion live without good sanitation.

The Goals are universal and call for action by both developed and developing countries, as well as all people to mobilize efforts to ensure economic development, social progress and environmental sustainability worldwide.

The private sector has a key role to play in the attaintment of Social Development Goals by integrating targets in their business models to help governments build better societies
Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore says that private firms must be cognizant of the quality of life in societies they operate while pursuing their primary goal of returning a profit.

“You will all agree with me that businesses cannot be successful when the society around us fails,” said Mr Collymore. “Societies now look at us as the driver of jobs, innovation and growth – all fundamental components that will define the progress towards SDGs.”

But he acknowledged that businesses struggle with the question of why they must be involved in helping in the attainment of better societies through social development programmes which are not directly linked to profits or revenues.

“What many of us fail to realize is that the Goals present businesses with unique duties and opportunities to change the world beyond our imagination,” he said.

Mr Collymore, who was speaking at the national launch of SDGs in Kenya presided over by Devolution Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri at the Kasarani stadium, pledged Safaricom’s support for the Goals, committing to deliver connectivity and innovative products while minimisung its environmental impact.

He confirmed the successful integration of a customised shared prosperity and responsible business initiative across the firm.

With the integration, Safaricom becomes the first local company to adopt the United Nations fronted Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s).

The firm has also also pledged to play a corporate mentorship role, sharing best practice and guiding other local and continental firms wishing to adopt the SDG’s in their business operations.

“At Safaricom we have rearticulated the SDGs to serve our mission of Transforming Lives. As part of our corporate social responsibility we are also stepping out to encourage other local companies to join us in this effort as part of our quest to promote a shared prosperity culture,” said Mr. Collymore.

In April 2015, the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon re-appointed Mr. Collymore to the United Nations Global Compact Board. This was in recognition of Safaricom’s commitment to environmental, sustainability and anti-corruption issues as well as the work it is undertaking to address maternal health and child mortality. Safaricom is currently one of the only African companies that regularly reports on Sustainability on an annual basis. 

“We need to create a long-term view that shifts the corporate view of success from the immediacy of our bottom lines to becoming agents of change, positively influencing our immediate environment,” he said, adding; “We will do so by managing our operations responsibly and ethically. This will stimulate growth and generate value for our company, society and economy.”

The first Sustainable Development Goals Report, which was launched recently by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, noted that 13 per cent of the world population still live in extreme poverty, 800 million people are suffering from hunger and 2.4 billion live without good sanitation.

The Goals are universal and call for action by both developed and developing countries, as well as all people to mobilize efforts to ensure economic development, social progress and environmental sustainability worldwide.