Kiwi gives rare address to UN assembly

Mark Wilson

Kiwi Mark Wilson, who heads up British insurance giant Aviva, addressed the UN General Assembly on behalf of the global business community last week, an experience he described as "a privilege".

Mr Wilson, who was brought up in Rotorua and regularly visits his home town and the family bach at Waihi Beach, told NZME in a telephone interview from London the experience had been "fascinating".

The opportunity for a businessman to address the General Assembly was understood to be rare and possibly unprecedented.

Mr Wilson's address set out business expectations for the UN's Global Sustainability Goals for the next 15 years, which was the focus of last week's session.

The actions taken in 2015 were expected to result in new goals to build on the eight Millennium Development Goals announced at the turn of the century. "It's an honour and a privilege to set out the role of business in achieving the global goals," he told the assembly.

"I've spent much of my career in developing and emerging economies - and seen the unacceptable face of capitalism. But I've also seen that business has been one of the great forces of liberation in history.

"I'm crystal clear why I'm in business - to positively impact the lives of my customers and society. Making a profit is a by-product - albeit a very important one that allows my business to also remain sustainable."

The invitation to address the assembly came about in part because Mr Wilson has addressed UN subgroups in the past, and because Aviva - now 319 years old - was committed to sustainability and long-term investing, he told NZME. The company is also a partner in Project Everyone, a charity which seeks to raise awareness of the UN goals. Mr Wilson told the assembly the UN Global Compact had helped companies implement the Millennium Development Goals, and its work was even more important for the Sustainable Development Goals.

"The goals have some fine aspirations for the $150 billion of overseas development assistance. But we've got to do much more to mobilise the $300 trillion of capital in the financial markets."

Mr Wilson's speech included a request for the General Assembly to target 2017 to agree on a resolution on sustainable finance setting out its own road map for sustainable capital markets.

"I suggest we convene the best minds in the UN and finance to work out how to do this ... our legacy will be determined by our success in aligning the actions of the UN, member states, civil society, business - and finance."

His speech followed addresses by Pope Francis, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, IMF managing director Christine Lagarde, and World Bank president Jim Jong Kim.

"You don't normally get the opportunity to speak at the UN General Assembly," said Mr Wilson.

"The room has a lot of history. And the people you meet there are fascinating."

UN Sustainable Development Goals

* 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 targets announced in September

* Aimed at stimulating action over the next 15 years in areas of critical global importance

* Balance the three dimensions of sustainable development - economic, social and environmental