In Naples, during the 10th edition of the Italian Business & SDGs Annual Forum sponsored by UN Global Compact Network Italy, a clear message emerged: sustainability is no longer an ancillary issue for businesses, but an essential condition for competitiveness and economic growth. The meeting sanctioned a change in perspective: integrating environmental, social and governance objectives is no longer an act of moral responsibility, but a strategic factor of development.
UNGCN Italy’s new 2030 strategy, which aims to strengthen the role of business in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, was presented at the Forum. The plan is based on a more personalised approach in accompanying companies, on collective actions to address crucial issues such as climate change, gender equality and sustainable finance, and on building a real “business case” for sustainability: demonstrating that sustainability pays off, and not only in reputational terms. Doing well means, now more than ever, doing better competitively.
The six great transitions
The Forum also recalled the six major transitions identified by the United Nations as imperative to hit the goals of the 2030 Agenda: the transformation of food systems, the spread of renewable energy, the reduction of digital inequalities, access to education and decent work, the protection of biodiversity, and responsible production. These are global lines of action that find in businesses a decisive actor: the productive world, in this vision, is called upon not only to reduce its own impacts, but to generate shared value for communities and the Planet.
A central point of discussion was the role of small and medium-sized enterprises, the backbone of the Italian economy. There is a growing awareness amongst SMEs that sustainability is a lever for innovation, training and competitiveness, but there remain knots to unravel. Many still struggle to access adequate financial tools and technical expertise capable of accompanying change. The interest is there, but policies and support networks are needed to ensure that sustainable transition does not remain the privilege of large companies.
The new rules
The European regulatory environment was another key theme. New rules on sustainability reporting and supply chain transparency should not be seen as a bureaucratic burden, but as an opportunity to build more robust and competitive models. According to the Global Compact, ESG reporting must evolve from a mere formal compliance to a strategic guidance tool, capable of guiding decisions and measuring real impacts. In this sense, sustainability becomes a business infrastructure, not a budget chapter to be filled in at the end of the year.
UNGCN Italy President Filippo Bettini reminded that the private sector today has an extraordinary responsibility and potential in contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals. For Executive Director Daniela Bernacchi, this is no longer an ancillary choice or compliance exercise, but an indispensable condition for meeting the challenges of the present and building inclusive, resilient and competitive growth models. Chiara Marciani, alderman of the City of Naples, also stressed that sustainability is now a collective responsibility, which also—and above all—involves the private sector.
The measure of modernity
The words are clear, but the road remains challenging. The path to a sustainable economy requires investment, corporate culture, and long-term vision. It is not enough to change language or include a “green” chapter in reports: we need to rethink the very way we produce, collaborate and generate value. Italian companies, as the Forum shows, are on the right track, but the challenge is to move from declaration to action.
In conclusion, sustainability has become the measure of economic modernity. Those who can make it the compass of their strategy will be stronger in global markets, more solid in the face of risk, and more credible to citizens and territories.
