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Germany-based multinational Henkel says its commitment to leadership in sustainability is one of its core corporate values. This commitment has once again been recognised by global sustainability experts, with Henkel remaining a component of the STOXX Global ESG Leaders indices for the fifth year.

The company’s score significantly exceeded the average ESG (environmental, social and corporate governance) score of index components, which was 87 out of 100 points this year. STOXX Limited cited Henkel for a “particularly strong performance not only from an absolute perspective, but also relative to its global sector peers”.

In addition, Henkel belongs to the top 5 per cent in the analysed universe of 1,800 companies (STOXX Global 1800). Henkel was acknowledged for its strong engagement in many international initiatives, its long-term sustainability strategy and its ambitious efficiency targets for 2030. The STOXX Global ESG Leaders indices are a series of environmental, social and governance equity indices. Comprising 348 companies, they are based on annual data provided by Sustainalytics, the world’s largest independent research provider specialising in analysing the ESG performance of companies.

Sustainalytics’ 2015 sustainability rating recognised Henkel as the industry leader in the “Household Products” category.

Furthermore, Henkel has been reconfirmed as a constituent of the Ethibel Sustainability Index (ESI) Excellence Europe and the Ethibel Sustainability Index (ESI) Excellence Global. The company also remains a component of the MSCI World ESG and the MSCI Europe ESG sustainability indices.

Henkel says it aims to triple the value that it creates for the footprint made by its operations, products and services by 2030.

DHL holds career-oriented training

DHL Thailand, part of Deutsche Post DHL Group, has implemented a three-day career-oriented training programme, “Ton Kla Camp” (Young Plant), for 29 youngsters from five SOS Children’s Villages: Bangpoo in Samut Prakan province, Hat Yai in Songkhla, Nong Khai, Chiang Rai and Phuket.

The training sessions were led by employees from DHL Express, DHL Supply Chain and DHL Global Forwarding in Thailand, and distinguished experts Dr Jitra Dudsdeemaytha, president of the Human Happiness Development Centre Project at Srinakharinwirot University, and Akarin Puthongklom, trainer at Training2Goal Co.

The training modules featured skills-based aptitude and personality tests, English classes to help prepare for job interviews, and practical tips to facilitate employability, personal development and workplace competency.

“DHL in Thailand is passionate about its commitment in supporting SOS Children’s Villages throughout the country and we are doing everything we can to take steps to meet the educational and future employment needs of underprivileged youth in Thailand,” said Chananyarak Phetcharat, managing director of DHL Express Thailand and Indochina.

Earlier this year, DHL Thailand donated a collection of books and a bookshelf to the SOS Children’s Village Chiang Rai, helping to re-stock and renovate a library damaged by last year’s 6.3-magnitude earthquake.

Deutsche Post DHL Group launched its global partnership with SOS Children’s Villages in 2010. The partnership helps provide young people between the ages of 15 and 25 with better opportunities for a professional career, an independent and steady source of income and a self-determined life. In addition to GoTeach, the company is focused on GoGreen (protecting the environment) and GoHelp (disaster preparedness, response and recovery) programmes.

Financing key challenge for Bangladesh

Financing will be a major challenge for Bangladesh to attain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the new development targets set by the United Nations, the civil-society think-tank Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) said.

To achieve the 17 SDGs by 2030, it will be necessary to double domestic resources, as Bangladesh’s tax-to-GDP ratio is lower than Nepal’s at present, said CPD distinguished fellow Debapriya Bhattacharya. The ratio of tax to gross domestic product needs to be raised to 18 per cent from the present 12.1 per cent over the next five to 10 years, he said.

“Plugging illicit financial flows will be a major challenge for us in that way,” he said, noting that illegal outflows account for 1.2 per cent of the country’s GDP.

Bhattacharya’s comments came at a dialogue on the implementation challenges of the sustainable-development agenda by 2030, organised by the CPD, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung and South Voice on post-MDG International Development Goals, in Dhaka.

The 17 SDGs with 169 associated targets were adopted in September. The SDGs replaced the Millennium Development Goals that will expire at the end of the year.

The CPD identified five major challenges linked to the attainment of SDGs, including integrating the goals into the national planning process, developing institutional mechanism and ensuring accountability.

Bangladesh also needs to increase its efficiency in utilising concessional foreign funds, boost private and foreign investment, and consolidate the present remittance inflows.

Bangladesh has to increase its utilisation of foreign aid from the present 1.6 per cent to beyond 2 per cent, Bhattacharya said. The country is not spending enough on social security, he said, adding that it is lower than the target set under the government’s sixth five-year plan.

The CPD said the average share of healthcare in total public expenditure stagnated at 0.7 per cent of GDP in 2003 and 2014, which is much lower than the World Health Organisation’s recommended 5 per cent of GDP.

Similarly, budgetary allocation on education remains at 2 per cent of GDP, while Unesco recommends 6 per cent. “So we are much lower than the global standard in terms of health, education and social security.”

Of the 17 SDGs, eight are better integrated into the existing national prioritisation processes and the rest, which include health, inclusive growth, employment and governance, are weakly integrated. The CPD also said it would form a Citizen’s Platform involving similar organisations in order to ensure accountability and legitimacy for achieving the SDGs.

Planning Minister Mustafa Kamal said the country would be able to achieve SDGs. “We will make the country free from hunger by 2030.”

He hopes that the revenue-to-GDP ratio will rise in line with the growth of tax collection. For instance, tax receipts grew 21 per cent on average in the last six years, Kamal said.

Robert Watkins, UN resident coordinator in Bangladesh, said he saw big challenges with implementation at the local level. Governance is also important to reduce inequality and ensure peace and justice, he said, while calling for coordination at the higher levels of the government. Saber Hossain Chowdhury, a ruling-party lawmaker, said the main challenge in achieving the SDGs would be making sure that the government, parliament and institutions are fit for the purpose.

Water Aid Country representative Md Khairul Islam suggested giving importance to water and sanitation. – The Daily Star (Bangladesh)/ANN