Focusing On BHR-ESG Includes Advancing Corporate Accountability

We know that the private sector and businesses today hold great power. Unfortunately, global progress towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has been slow, with only seven years left to meet the targets. We are on the way to missing them. Growing income inequality, conflicts and climate change pose significant challenges. One report says the SDGs can only be achieved in 2092. In this context, corporate accountability becomes crucial.

At the many BHR-ESG (business and human rights-environmental, social and governance) roundtables and conferences, we need to speak more about corporate accountability. The BHR-ESG agenda to push for better governance and transparency is really about accountability. How do we hold companies to account when they commit wrongs against people and the environment?