On 19 September 2016, more than 350 chief executives, Heads of State and Government, UN and civil society leaders gathered at the United Nations for the annual UN Private Sector Forum to discuss the role of business in advancing sustainable development and the important link between achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and preventing global instability.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon emphasized the critical role of business in helping to create a more unified response to the current humanitarian crisis and offering solutions that have the potential to save lives, protect rights and secure a better future for vulnerable refugees and migrants. “I call on the private sector to combat xenophobia and discrimination in the workplace and communities,” said Ban, adding that “business should enable equal employment opportunities for refugees and migrants...and invest in education initiatives for displaced youth.” He appealed to business leaders to “help us by raising your voices and taking whatever actions you can to defend the most vulnerable.”

With over 60 million people displaced worldwide, advancing the 2030 Agenda for Development is crucial to stem the growing flows of people fleeing conflict and insecurity around the world, address root causes of instability, and avoid future crises caused by large scale migration and forced displacement.  With the theme of Business and the 2030 Agenda: Securing the Way Forward, the UN Private Sector Forum emphasized the important connections between the SDGs and the new Agenda for Humanity – which, together with the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the Action Agenda on Financing for Development, are pillars of the 2030 Agenda.

In his keynote address, Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau underscored the imperative to bring business to the table to address the refugee and migrant crisis. “All parts of society must have a shared role in building a successful, inclusive world. It is up to each of us to do what we can, where we can, to help migrants and refugees build better, more stable lives for themselves.” He continued on to encourage the business community to support migrants and refugees, providing them, “the sense of belonging that is humanity’s collective birthright.”

Marking the one-year anniversary of the adoption of the SDGs, the Forum saw the announcement of 50 corporate and other commitments and partnerships addressing each of the 17 SDGs. Major announcements include: 

• GSMA, a global mobile industry association, will identify and mobilize action by the mobile industry on critical areas related to the humanitarian agenda and SDGs;

• IKEA Switzerland will open opportunities to refugees in the Swiss job market by offering six-month internships to nearly 100 refugees; and

• Oando PLC committed to investing in education for internally displaced children in Nigeria who have been driven away from their communities and schools by terrorist groups such as Boko Haram.

In an effort to encourage further UN-Business collaboration toward achieving the SDGs, the UN Global Compact launched the Partnership Passport, an interactive resource for companies to find new UN partnership opportunities and enhance existing ones.

The event also saw the launch of Children in Humanitarian Crises: What Business Can Do, a guide developed by UNICEF and the UN Global Compact outlining ways in which business can help uphold children’s rights and support and promote their well-being during humanitarian crises.

Since 2008, the UN Private Sector Forum has annually gathered CEOs and Heads of State at the United Nations to discuss pressing issues such as climate change, global development, and human rights. Hosted by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, this year’s Forum was held in the context of the UN Summit for Refugees and Migrants, and was organized by the UN Global Compact in collaboration with the Co-Chairs of the United Nations High-Level Meeting of the General Assembly to address Large Movements of Refugees and Migrant, in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM); Sustainable Development Goals Fund (SDGF); The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR); United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF); and the United Nations Foundation.

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Business Action Pledge in Response to the Refugee Crisis

As the global refugee crisis is unfolding across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the UN Global Compact, in partnership with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), and with the support of other UN entities, civil society and NGO organizations, are calling on companies, as well as other stakeholders, to take action to diminish the suffering of people forced to flee conflict and support solutions for the resulting widespread societal disruption.

According to UNHCR, 60 million people, including 19.5 million refugees, have been displaced by conflict and over 410,000 people have crossed the Mediterranean from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan and other countries so far this year. Understanding that the primary responsibility for peace rests with Governments, the urgency of the global refugee crisis is a challenge that requires support from all actors in society – including business.

Some companies are already taking action by providing much needed financial support to UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes, as well as to other partners responding to the crisis. Yet, business leadership can extend far beyond financial donations. Companies with operations or supply chains in countries that are producing, transiting and receiving refugees are called upon to demonstrate leadership by taking action – as an individual company or in partnership with others. Companies should determine how best to support, based on their own assets and capabilities. The types of activities can include, but are not limited to:

• Core business. Addressing the refugee crisis through a company’s core business operations, including internal procedures, human resources hiring practices, training, sourcing policies, supply chains, as well as the development of products and services appropriate for refugees.

• Social investment and philanthropy. Financial contributions, relief items and strategic social investment support for NGOs, UN and multilateral agencies or directly to affected communities and/or contributing functional expertise through volunteering efforts.

• Advocacy and public policy engagement. Fostering social cohesion and inter-group dialogue and relationship-building in the workplace, marketplace and community.

• Partnership and collective action. Joining forces with Governments, UN entities, civil society organizations and/or other businesses to act collectively to find solutions to the refugee crisis and forge long-term partnerships for regional economic and sustainable development.

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