As we are heading towards the end of the year, we want to share our third newsletter with you.
We aim to inspire you and share some leadership perspectives on the topics that matter.
We thank many of our key contributors, Dr. Anino Emuwa on Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, Monica Vinader on the responsibility to go above and beyond in sustainability action, Dr. Helen Crowley for insights on how nature and biodiversity are the foundations of our economy, and Monica Stephenson for empowering ASM through gender equality and education.
The time we have to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is half over. There are seven years left for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. So how far have we got in implementing the 17 goals we set ourselves eight years ago?
Reflecting on our presence at the UN General Assembly in September, we were all informed how far behind we are. 85% of SDG indicators are off track.
We must now more than ever work together as an industry, we need to speed up the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. At the heart of the 2030 Agenda are five critical dimensions: people, prosperity, planet, partnership and peace, also known as the 5Ps. Traditionally, viewed through the lens of three core elements: social inclusion, economic growth, and environmental protection, the concept of sustainable development has taken on a richer stronger meaning with the adoption of the 2030 Agenda by adding two critical components: partnership and peace. Sustainability sits at the core of these five dimensions.
Yet today we are facing devastating situations of conflict around the world, new heights of global heating, ecological degradation and many setbacks in shaping a more equitable, inclusive society. Mother nature is in deep trouble.
At WJI 2030 we are committed to be accountable and do our best as a coalition to accelerate our 3 pillars in the area of climate action, preserving resources and inclusiveness. We continue to work hard on progress and will update you on regular basis.
As a final note, it is easy to be discouraged in these challenging times. We are at a moment in time when the world is gripped pain and conflict. And we are seeing the brutal realities of war and division – in Israel, Palestine, Ukraine, and so many other places globally. In being constantly inundated with 24/7 images of human suffering, it isn’t always easy to go through the world with an open heart, with empathy and with hope.
But this is exactly the time when we must stand together – in unity and in hope. And work together to translate that hope into concrete action, so our children and grandchildren can inherit a world that is just, a world that is healthy and a world that respects human rights and that is filled with compassion and dignity for all.
Warm regards,
Iris Van der Veken
Executive Director & Secretary General
Watch & Jewellery Initiative 2030
In Photo: WJI 2030 Members Gather at the Gucci Archives in Florence, Italy for a Panel on Climate, Circularity, and Inclusiveness on Nov. 8, 2023