Al-Attiyah, Sheikha Hanadi to address forum to drive regional action around UN Global Goals

HE Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah, chairman, Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah International Foundation for Energy and Sustainable Development; and Sheikha Hanadi bint Nasser al-Thani, founder and chairperson of Amwal; will be among the prominent speakers at this year’s second regional forum themed ‘Sustainability in Action: Business and the United Nations Global Goals’ in Dubai on October 27.
The forum is organised by Pearl Initiative, a leading Gulf business-led, non-profit organisation promoting a corporate culture of accountability and transparency as a key driver of competitiveness across the region, in partnership with the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative.
The forum will convene under the patronage of Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak al-Nahyan, UAE Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development and honorary chairman of the Pearl Initiative, who will also present the opening keynote address.
Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General, is expected to deliver a special video address to open the session.
This year’s theme follows the January 2016 launch of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The 17 goals cover a broad spectrum of global sustainable development challenges and opportunities. The forum seeks to convene business leaders and their stakeholders across the Gulf Region to explore ways to foster economic growth, sustainable development and job creation for the benefit of succeeding generations.  
Sheikha Hanadi, also Board Member, Pearl Initiative, said, “It is an interesting time for leaders in the Gulf region, who are today becoming receptive to the catalytic role of corporate governance for economic competitiveness, foreign investment and community welfare. We have an opportunity to further diversify our business landscape and the way in which it operates. With the Gulf youth — particularly women — looking to become entrepreneurs, innovators and small business owners, we are definitely on the right track. At this time, it is crucial that we instil the importance of accountability for long term success of any business.
“This second regional forum, which comes after the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were unveiled, creates an excellent opportunity for business leaders to assess what has been done so far, and the best practices the private sector can adopt to propel these global goals.”
The 2016 edition of the forum seeks to highlight the role of the private sector in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals through five themes, namely: prosperity, people, planet, peace and partnership highlighting the inextricable links between good governance and sustainability in today’s rapidly changing economic and social landscapes.