On June 1st, from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, CATÓLICA-LISBON hosted the first public event on the Observatory of SDGs in Portuguese companies, organized by the Center for Responsible Business & Leadership (CRB). The event saw the attendance of approximately 200 participants and truly moved from theory to practice.
In the opening session, Filipe Santos, Dean of CATÓLICA-LISBON, thanked the attendees for coming out "on a Thursday morning," highlighting the interest and the importance of thinking and implementing the Sustainable Development Goals across all sectors of society. The Dean assured that CATÓLICA-LISBON is "fully committed to the implementation of the SDGs and in assisting companies on this critical journey." We know that we need to meet various targets by 2030. "We must take into account that this is a 15-year challenge requiring collaboration from everyone and a shift from theory to practice. Meeting this agenda means changing strategies, which is very challenging at the national, international, and business levels," reiterated the Dean of CATÓLICA-LISBON.
Following this, Filipa Pires de Almeida, Deputy Director of the CRB, presented details about the Observatory, clarifying the objectives of the project:
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Knowledge Production - with clear knowledge about the engagement of Portuguese companies with the Sustainable Development Goals;
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Case Dissemination - presentation and dissemination of good practices in implementing the SDGs at the core of business operations;
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Acceleration - a business community knowledgeable about the SDGs and more active in contributing to the Sustainable Development Agenda in Portugal promotes the acceleration and implementation of the goals, moving from theory to practice.
In its first year of activity, the Observatory developed a detailed report, over 400 pages long, divided into chapters to facilitate reading according to individual interests, reflecting various interviews and analyses conducted with large and small companies in the Portuguese context, across various areas of the SDGs, contributing to a better vision of what is possible to achieve now.
Because this is the time to act and to close the GAP between ambition and achievement. This is the time to move to practice. After the context about the state of the art of the Observatory, the audience viewed a video from André Moz Caldas, Secretary of State of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, who, although not physically present, recorded his message making it clear that "the fulfillment of the 2030 Agenda depends on our ability, at all levels, to define and implement the actions and practices necessary to accelerate sustainable development in its three dimensions: economic, social, and environmental (...) we cannot leave anyone behind, the planet belongs to all of us and, therefore, the responsibility is ours. Only together can we change the world."
Dia 1 de junho de 2023 realizou-se na CATÓLICA-LISBON o SDG meetings: para além da teoria
Este evento contou com a participação das maiores empresas a operar em Portugal, bem como PMEs
Para terminar, Nuno Moreira da Cruz, Diretor Executivo do Center for Responsible Business & Leadership, lançou um desafio às PME’s - que representam uma grande parte do tecido empresarial português -: “ocupem o vosso espaço. As Grandes Empresas têm de implementar os ODS de forma obrigatória, mas a PME’s ainda podem ocupar o seu espaço e, pela sua força, podem mesmo fazer a diferença”.
Dia 1 de junho de 2023 realizou-se na CATÓLICA-LISBON o SDG meetings: para além da teoria
Subsequently, the audience listened to a speech by Paulo Areosa Feio, Director of Plan APP and responsible for coordinating the preparation of the Portuguese Government’s Voluntary National Report on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be presented to the United Nations in July 2023. His address highlighted the current progress of the SDGs in Portugal, but primarily focused on the urgent need for action. "We must recognize that everyone—government, society, the entire world—must do much more for this agenda to be fulfilled and to be transformative. Commitment is the key word for us to see progress in implementing the 2030 Agenda." While Portugal is statistically well positioned in the implementation of the SDGs, "we should not be merely satisfied with these facts; we must aspire for and desire more," the speaker noted.
The goal of this first public event was to move from theory to practice, with approximately 200 participants divided into four workshops for a moment of sharing, debating ideas, and a practical challenge: to frame the best SDGs within a specific company, chosen by each group. The workshops included:
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Reporting, in partnership with PwC
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Compliance, in partnership with Deloitte
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Implementation of the SDG journey, in partnership with the UN Global Compact Network Portugal
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Partnerships: How to create successful partnerships, with BCSD Portugal
At the end, a group from each workshop was selected to discuss their findings, achieving the main goal of sharing ideas, best practices, and solutions for implementing the SDGs in the present.
The event continued with a roundtable discussion featuring leaders from large corporations and SMEs, including Carolina Coelho from IKEA's sustainability department; Juliana Oliveira, CEO of OLIMEC; and Rui Murteira from Ponte Redonda Paper Factory. The discussion centered on the future challenges of sustainability, moderated by Marta Bastos dos Santos, a board member of GRACE. Carolina Coelho's inclusion on the panel was due to IKEA's significant number of SMEs in its value chain, which it works closely with, maintaining good relationships and serving as an inspiration to other companies, given IKEA's well-established and structured sustainability policy.
The event concluded with a speech by Nuno Moreira da Cruz, Executive Director of the Center for Responsible Business & Leadership, who thanked the highly interested community present, admitting that this made him feel "the challenge and an increased responsibility, a responsibility I will take on, to help make all this possible." To conclude, he issued a challenge to the SMEs, which represent a large part of the Portuguese business fabric: "take your space. While large companies are required to implement the SDGs, SMEs still have room to do so and, with their strength, can indeed make a difference."
We have precisely seven years to change the world and achieve the goals proposed by the 2023 Agenda. We count on everyone's help, as no one will make this journey alone! CATÓLICA-LISBON is deeply committed to being a driving force and catalyst in this process of change.
Also read the article from Renascença "Moving to Action on Sustainability: What's the Path?" | June 5, 2023 • Filipa Pires de Almeida
DOWNLOAD THE DOCUMENT LAUNCHED AT THE EVENT HERE
