Building a greener and more sustainable economy means changes to how we consume and how we produce. This particularly affects businesses, who increasingly realise they will benefit from cleaner and safer production, increased resource efficiency as well as more transparency and corporate responsibility.
In the sustainable economy of the future, innovative solutions are needed; aimed at “decoupling” consumption and production patterns from the exploitation of ecosystems. These solutions open up multiple opportunities for businesses who can protect customer relationships, bolster reputations, satisfy industry standards, meet legal compliance and expose themselves to fewer risks and accidents. Crucially, business can also avoid higher input costs from excessive and inefficient production systems, attract and retain the best employee talent, open access to new markets and gain advantage over competitors.
UN Environment works across a range of key areas which all contribute to more sustainable, more responsible industrial practices. These include tourism, eco-innovation, eco-labelling, consumer information and corporate sustainability reporting. We work with public and private partners, and with a special focus on small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries and emerging economies.
