{"id":5120,"date":"2015-11-23T15:30:27","date_gmt":"2015-11-23T14:30:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bcsdh.hu\/?p=5120"},"modified":"2015-11-23T15:30:27","modified_gmt":"2015-11-23T14:30:27","slug":"the-business-sector-opened-a-new-chapter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bcsdh.hu\/en\/news\/the-business-sector-opened-a-new-chapter\/","title":{"rendered":"The business sector opened a new chapter"},"content":{"rendered":"

40 companies already joined the Action 2020 Hungary Program and 20 specific business solutions were already introduced for the most imminent sustainability problems.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Unemployment is almost 20 % among the youth, each year 1.8 million tons of food waste is generated and the 2\u00b0C warming up forecast for 2050 can already be sensed in Hungary. These are facts that necessarily incent companies adopting responsible and long term thinking for taking immediate actions. <\/em><\/p>\n

‘The business sector already has solutions’. These were the introductory words of Istv\u00e1n Salg\u00f3, head of ING Bank and President\u00a0of the Business Council for Sustainable Development Hungary (BCSDH) \u2013 comprising the leaders of companies that\u00a0 generate almost 30% of the GDP \u2013 to the new chapter of Action 2020 Hungary, held in Budapest on November 19, 2015.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

‘The science is unequivocal and we are beyond the point of debate. The climate is changing. But neither business nor government can solve this critical challenge alone – we must work together. I believe business can take the lead and implement solutions that will help our society make the urgently needed transition to a low-carbon economy. Ambitious climate action is the biggest business opportunity for the foreseeable future.\u2019<\/em>– said Peter Bakker, \u00a0President of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) <\/strong>in his presentation.
\nIt was his first time in Hungary, meeting with corporate leaders, spearheading the Hungarian program as change leaders<\/strong>. His visit in Hungary is especially remarkable now that the world keeps its eye on the Paris climate summit organized in December, where as chairman of WBCSD he represents the business world – more than 200 global companies and numerous local member councils \u2013 at the negotiations.<\/p>\n

The short summary of the achievement of Action 2020 Hungary within almost 2 years: active participation of 150 scientific, NGO and corporate experts as well as CEOs<\/strong>, 10 expert workshops, 8 CEO roundtables, 20 macro level <\/strong>objectives, 77 impact measurement indicators and 40 formally joined companies, 20 business solutions worked out<\/strong>. The process has started, new companies join continuously and the scope of business solutions \u2013 inspiring other companies \u2013 constantly increases.<\/p>\n

\u2018The Action 2020 Hungary program has multifold effects. Sustainability is not only fostered through the identified business solutions and the results of the practices of member companies, but through the process of the program itself which is based on dialogue, shared thinking, scaling up and continuously challenging \u2018business as usual\u2019.\u2019<\/em>– said Attila Chik\u00e1n Jr., CEO of ALTEO Group and head of the Action 2020 working group.<\/strong><\/p>\n

BCSDH is convinced that effective sustainability solutions \u2013 initiated and implemented by these important change leaders \u2013 result in positive changes.<\/p>\n

Five of them participated at the round table discussion held within the event:<\/p>\n