KARACHI: Former President Employers’ Federation of Pakistan (EFP) Majyd Aziz has been elected as President of UN Global Compact Network Pakistan.
The Global Compact Network Pakistan is hosted by the Employers Federation of Pakistan with the objective to promote the 10 Principles of UNGC and assist companies and other stakeholders to engage in strategic CSR initiatives and programs.
The decision was made at the Annual General Meeting. Ismail Suttar was elected as Senior Vice President while Mahvash Siddiqui, Muhammad Waqar and Usman Mukhtar were elected as Vice Presidents.
The AGM also elected 18 members of the Executive Committee including six co-opted members representing United Nations, government, WEBCOP, workers, academia and women.
Addressing the AGM, Majyd Aziz informed that the members, representing multinational and national companies, have not only pledged but have initiated projects to confirm with the ten principles of UNCG.
He added that these ten principles include three related to human rights, four related to labour, three related to environment and one related to anti-Corruption.
He advised the Federal Planning and Development Ministry to have a dedicated website that should be regularly updated highlighting the initiatives undertaken on progress towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
He also called upon Chambers, Trade Associations, and corporations to urge the government to fast-track efforts in achieving the SDGs.
He said Pakistan has miserably failed in achieving the Millennium Development Goals and expressed dismay that progress towards achievement of SDGs is very slow and a lot has to be done during the next nine years to meet the deadline.
Majyd Aziz further added that achievement of SDGs would also be beneficial if Pakistan is to be granted GSP Plus status by the EU after expiry of the present status in December 2023.
He also informed that the employers, workers, and government had voted for the International Labour Conference Centenary Declaration in June 2019 and the SDG goals are incorporated in the declaration.