CSI meets in New Delhi for annual forum

The meeting focused on the UN's Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs), emphasising the areas that are most relevant and critical for the cement and concrete sectors. SDGs were adopted in September 2015 by 193 UN member states and layout a plan to address current socio-economic, environmental, and societal challenges.

“The SDGs provide a structures framework to further enhance the good work that has already been done by the cement sector,” said Philippe Fonta, Managing Director of the World Business Council for Sustainability Development, of which the CSI is a part.

“The priorities of the CSI remain in the two key areas of ‘climate and energy’ and in ‘safety and health’, making SDG3 and SDG13, the most relevant ones for our initiative,” continued Fonta. “However, all 17 SDGs are addressed in some way, both by the sector and right across the value chain. The development of an SDG framework will help to coordinate the effort.”

As part of the meeting, the forum examined and evaluated the new framework set up by the SDGs to tackle the sustainability challenges that businesses and societies must face together. It also explored areas where the cement and concrete industry could engage with the SDGs.

“The SDGs mirror an image of a happy, healthy, safe, auspicious, and peaceful world envisioned in our sacred books as far back as 2000 BC,” said Mahendra Singhi, Group CEO (Cement) of Dalmia Bharat Cement.

“Realisation of this ambitious vision is no longer limited to public and private sector. The scale of implementation and the limited timeframe necessitates every individual to become a change agent of 2030 development agenda for creating a better world.”

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/indian-subcontinent/28092017/csi-meets-in-new-delhi-for-annual-forum/