The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN) and the Institute of Capital Market Registrars (ICMR) have called on critical stakeholders in corporate organisations to take issues of sustainability, such as reducing their carbon footprint, seriously, otherwise, it could have adverse effects on our continent.
The call was made at the 2023 company secretaries and registrars’ forum, tagged ‘Sustainability and the Global Governance Workplace: The Role for the Corporate Secretaries, Registrars, and Issuers.’
Many of the challenges facing humankind, such as climate change, experts at the event said,, can only be resolved at a global level by promoting sustainable development and a commitment to social progress, environmental balance, and economic growth.
As part of a new sustainable development roadmap, the United Nations (UN) approved the 2030 agenda, which contains sustainable development goals and a call to action to protect the planet and guarantee the global well-being of people. To this end, the vital role of company secretaries, registrars, and issuers, they said, cannot be overemphasised.
In his remarks, the president of ICSAN, Taiwo Owokalade, said: “when we talk about sustainability, most times people think it’s just something that has to do with the outside environment or on the field. But the environment is an all-encompassing thing because the places where we work are also environments.
“If you look back 20 or 40 years, it was not the same way we now work because back then we dealt with manual issues, but this day, we have moved on. The more we discuss “smart environments,” he stressed.
Additionally, the president of ICMR, Mr. Seyi Owoturo, stated that, as custodians of people’s wealth, “we have obligations in terms of our behaviour, not only in managing that wealth but also in how we interact with our various stakeholders.”
He clarified that, “in terms of how we interact with our stakeholders, our businesses, and the environment, sustainability is at the forefront and transcends the conduct issue.
The types of activities we engage in and the, in which we carry out our work are all interconnected, right down to and including our workspace and the methods by which we inspire and motivate our staff to work hard.”
The president-elect, ICSAN, Funmi Ekundayo, stated that, the topic of discussion, which deals with sustainability and the workplace of global governance, is extremely germane.
“We are all aware that businesses, organisations, and other entities must consider sustainability issues as they pursue economic gain. Sustainability issues such as environmental, social, and governance concerns have gained prominence in today’s global environment, and you want to make sure that while achieving your corporate goals and objectives, you are not also destroying the environment by engaging in activities that will distort the environment,” she said.
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