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On March 1, 2024, the United Nations University and xSDG Laboratory of the Keio Research Institute at SFC co-hosted a symposium titled Accelerating Transformative Actions: The Role of the Private Sector in Sustainable Development. The symposium, held at the United Nations University’s U Thant International Conference Hall, offered simultaneous interpretation in English and Japanese and delved into topics surrounding the 2023 Global Sustainable Development Report, leading to lively discussions on the role of corporations in achieving the SDGs.

The symposium began with opening remarks delivered by Professor Norichika Kanie from the Graduate School of Media and Governance, who also serves as the director of xSDG Laboratory, and Hideki Kusakabe, Deputy Director-General and Deputy Assistant Minister of the International Cooperation Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. After these remarks, Professor Tshilidzi Marwala, Rector of the United Nations University and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, delivered a keynote speech on artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on sustainable development. Professor Kanie then gave a keynote speech on the 2023 Global Sustainable Development Report. In his speech, Professor Kanie commented on how initiatives towards achieving the SDGs have been lagging far behind. He went on to explain that we are now at a critical turning point, and how we have to accelerate efforts toward reform with the S-shaped curve in mind as we approach 2030.

After this speech, Professor Hiroko Kuniya, guest professor at the Graduate School of Media and Governance, moderated a panel session including prominent Japanese business leaders who discussed the relevance of environmental, social, and corporate governance to business management goals. In particular, they discussed how to balance business growth while still solving social issues. Noriyuki Aoki, Managing Executive Officer of Japan Airlines, Yumi Otsuka, Chief Sustainability Officer of Toyota Motor Corporation, Fumiaki Kurahara, Chairman of Citigroup Global Markets Japan Inc., and Mikako Suzuki, Corporate Officer of Ricoh, shared insights on how they can contribute to further reform in the future while citing examples of their respective organizations’ SDGs.

In his closing remarks for the symposium, Rector Marwala reiterated the need for a major game changer, alluding to the increased financial gap that has emerged while trying to achieve the SDGs.

The symposium provided a valuable opportunity to formulate a new business framework for sustainable development. It is anticipated that going forward, business leaders will form the core for further efforts to promote initiatives that reflect the SDGs in concrete actions.