By Shinta Widjaja Kamdani

With just five years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the urgency for bold and tangible solutions is undeniable. The $1.5 trillion annual investment gap required to achieve the SDGs isn’t just a number, it’s a call to action. Traditional “business-as-usual” approaches are no longer sufficient. What we need is a paradigm shift driven by collaboration, decisive action and collective leadership from the private sector.

Asia and the Pacific, which contributes over 60 per cent of global GDP, holds both immense potential and deeply entrenched challenges. More than 400 million people still live in poverty. Inequitable resource distribution, limited access to quality education and decent work, and weak social protections continue to hinder inclusive growth. These development gaps, alongside rapid population growth and escalating climate threats, present both risks and opportunities for businesses. One thing is certain – the private sector can no longer afford to be a bystander; it must be a driver of change.

From Commitment to Concrete Action

In April 2025, business leaders convened at the Asia-Pacific Business Forum organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). The result was the Kuala Lumpur Business Leaders’ Declaration, a collective vision calling for action.

But vision alone is not enough. The declaration outlines five key pillars that provide a roadmap for structured and measurable implementation:

Green Energy Transition

Companies must prioritize shifting consumption patterns, accelerating renewable energy adoption and investing in energy-efficient technologies.

Sustainable Infrastructure

The private sector must lead in building climate-resilient infrastructure through public-private partnerships and ensure business facilities meet green standards.

Inclusive Financing

In emerging economies, sustainable finance must reach the informal sector and grassroots levels. Businesses can champion microfinance, social venture capital and MSME support.

Digital Innovation

Tech companies should serve as catalysts for social transformation by creating open platforms, expanding digital literacy and developing inclusive, data-driven solutions.

Circular Economy

The linear model is outdated. Businesses must redesign production, consumption and waste systems to be regenerative and resource efficient.

The case for action is no longer just ethical — it’s economic. Companies integrating SDG principles are demonstrating higher resilience, stronger market positioning, and long-term profitability. Supply chain disruptions, resource volatility, and climate risks increasingly affect margins. In contrast, sustainability-aligned businesses are better able to manage risks, reduce operational costs, attract capital, and retain talent. Regulatory and incentive challenges persist, but the climate crisis and social inequality are time bombs. Action must come before policy. What’s required now is the courage to lead — to take risks, drive collaboration and turn ambition into tangible impact.

This is not just about corporate responsibility. It is about securing competitive advantage in an economy being redefined by environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria. Investors, consumers and regulators are increasingly rewarding sustainability-forward companies.

Asia and the Pacific has the assets to lead this transformation: capital, talent and a collaborative business network. But without translating these into impactful investments, scalable projects and replicable innovations, potential is wasted.

The ESCAP Sustainable Business Network (ESBN) is poised to accelerate this progress. Representing leading businesses from 53 countries, ESBN is focused on three strategic goals:

Mobilizing private financing for energy transition and emissions reduction;

Accelerating supply chain decarbonization through accurate emissions tracking and reporting;

Building a circular economy ecosystem to boost resource efficiency and resilience.

To further align business transformation with the SDGs, ESBN has introduced the Green Deal for Business, a strategic framework helping companies integrate SDG principles into their core models. It provides tools for decarbonization, resource efficiency and socially inclusive innovation, paving the way for a systematic shift where profit and sustainability go hand in hand.

At Sintesa Group, integrating sustainability into our operations has improved efficiency while unlocking new partnerships and access to green financing. Guided by our vision as a Sustainable Excellence Company, we established the SDG Roadmap: Sintesa for the Earth to align operations and investment decisions with SDG principles — executed through Sintesa Energy, Sintesa Health, and Sintesa Ecotourism. These investments are not cost centers—they are growth engines. This reinforces what we see across ESBN: the SDGs are not just targets, they are blueprints for innovation, resilience, and financial performance.

ESBN doesn’t just facilitate dialogue. It connects sustainability commitments with global investment stakeholders. Deeper collaboration with the U.N.’s Global Investors for Sustainable Development (GISD) Alliance, where Indonesian businesses are already key members, opens doors to SDG-aligned green financing across the region.

Asia and the Pacific has what it takes to pioneer global transformation. But intention alone won’t suffice. We need investment in innovative solutions, cross-sector collaboration and visionary tangible action.

The upcoming Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development is an opportunity to bring the region’s private sector voice into global SDG financing efforts. It is a moment to show what works and to attract investment to where it matters most.

The Kuala Lumpur Declaration has laid out the roadmap. ESBN provides the platform. It’s our turn to act.

Now is the time to channel investment into high-impact sectors.

Now is the time to evolve innovation beyond technology into collective strategy.

Now is the time for courage. Not as a conference slogan, but as a daily business imperative.

Because history doesn’t remember those who waited. It honors those who led — who turned crisis into opportunity and challenge into a launchpad for progress.

Shinta Widjaja Kamdani is chair of the ESCAP Sustainable Business Network, CEO of Sintesa Group and chair of APINDO.

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