ingranaggioWith over 2,000 participants, 1,500 users for the live stream, about 80 Italian and international speakers, on 9th November at Ecomondo - Rimini Fair - the fifth edition of the States General of the Green Economy in Italy drew to a close. The introductory session on 8th November morning was about the presentation of the Report on the State of the Green Economy dedicated to the Italian green economy in Europe and in the world in addition to other authoritative sources and the presence of the Environment Minister Gian Luca Galletti.

In the afternoon, as usual, several parallel sessions were organized, to further study and give voice to those issues that, in the course of this year, have been strategic for the development of a green economy in Italy. Among these, of particular relevance and centrality in the national and International debate: "The 2030 Agenda and non-financial corporate reporting", co-organized by the Global Compact Network Italy Foundation. Many organizations and companies participated in the session which, albeit with different perspectives, needs and challenges, are together firmly engaged in the integration of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in and the strengthening of their sustainability reporting processes.

The 2030 Agenda, with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals, was created to involve every actor in the development challenge, with particular reference to the responsibilities of the business world. To support such a vision, the UN Global Compact - Strategy Accenture CEO Study 2016 survey found that 49% of CEOs surveyed said that the private sector has to be the main actor in the development challenge and that 90% feel directly responsible in ensuring that their company plays a role in it.

In the face of these very positive figures, it should however be pointed out that for some SDGs and their target is not immediately clear how the private sector can make a direct contribution. In fact, targets directly addressed to the private sector are very few and they include the target 12.6 (SDG 12 target 6), particularly adherent to the parallel session in question, which calls for accountability on the part of large companies and multinationals.

The Survey of Corporate Responsibility Reporting 2015 carried out by KPMG, notes that Italy has an above the international average quality of reporting of non-financial information. In this context, in spite of the virtuous process of transposition of the non-financial Directive 2014/95 / EC, it could have been more ambitious, extending the target audience and progressing towards a goal of increased comparability of non-financial information to national and European levels. Examples given of virtuous national regulations on non-financial reporting are the Danish and Swedish which, together, account for more than 2000 companies. Moreover, in Sweden the introduction of mandatory reporting according to GRI G4 guidelines made it possible to ensure an increasing level of comparability and conformity of the information disclosed.

A specific focus has also emerged on the essential union sustainability - territory. The need to promote "sustainable growth of the territories" once again sees a key role for the private sector as an actor added to a specific territorial and social context that provides each and every organization with human and natural resources, services, etc. The theme of the Eco-City becomes a driver of sustainability at national level.

Turning to the sharing of experiences, the panel made up of multinational companies, SMEs and public service companies made it possible to highlight how the SDGs have defined a common and shared language and, in several cases, already provide a viewing tool of analysis and evaluation for the (re) definition of business strategy and for the carrying out of the reporting and disclosure processes. Alongside the excellence already shown, also to emerge notably was how the importance of greater attention and involvement of SMEs, with their distinctive features, must play a key role in the pursuit of the 2030 Agenda, and are at the heart of the business landscape of our country .

 

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"TRANSIZIONE PER L'AGENDA 2030
Video-racconto del quinto SDG Forum

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