Leading Australian businesses have thrown their support behind the new global sustainable development agenda at a workshop, The Business of Sustainable Development, in Melbourne on 20 February 2015, convened by the GCNA and UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network and hosted by BHP Billiton.

Over 80 representatives from business, academia, government and civil society participated in the event, which introduced the proposed UN Sustainable Development Goals to Australian businesses and explored the opportunities for business to engage with the sustainable development agenda domestically and internationally. The workshop explored the role of business in key issues such as ending poverty and addressing human needs, addressing resource and environmental stress, governance and transparency, and how other stakeholders can partner with business to support positive impacts.

Speakers included Anthony Pratt, Executive Chairman, Visy Industries; Harold Mitchell, Founder, Mitchell & Partners and Harold Mitchell Foundation; Sam Mostyn, Non-Executive Director and President, ACFID; Ewen McDonald, Deputy Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Tony Cudmore, President, Corporate Affairs, BHP Billiton.

A summary of the day’s discussions will be available shortly on the GCNA’s website.

As the global sustainable development conversation continues this year, the GCNA will be convening and leading a number of sustainable development events and activities so stay tuned.

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