For the world summit next September the Paris-headquartered International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development have set up a joint committee called Business Action for Sustainable Development.
South African business is affiliated to these two bodies, which would like to see a formalised outcome at the world summit for implementation of sustainable development principles. Whether that would be a declaration of principle or something more remains to be seen.
ICC (SA), formed in the mid-1950s, has among its members major corporations, as well as the National African Federated Chamber of Commerce (Nafcoc). It has decided that, because the world summit is taking place in South Africa, it will play a very active part.
Business South Africa, which also has an extensive membership but excludes Nafcoc, also wants active participation and has suggested the setting up of a Business Coordinating Forum under the auspices of ICC (SA).
The South African Chamber of Business, which is the secretariat of ICC (SA), doubles as the secretariat for the Business Coordinating Forum.
South African business is represented in the international Business Action for Sustainable Development. An Eskom representative serves on the steering committee of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.
The Business Coordinating Forum, chaired by former African National Congress politician Tokyo Sexwale, is essentially business and industry’s mentoring body. It is representative of most business and industry associations in South Africa, and of individual companies or corporations. Eskom chairperson Reuel Khoza is alternate chairperson of the forum.
The forum looks at the world summit process as an exercise in interacting with the various stakeholders, such as the government, the Johannesburg Metro, Gauteng province, NGOs and labour.
Its working group comprises specialists well versed in economic and social development, and in environmental protection.
The chairperson of the working group is Tom Main, former CE0 of the Chamber of Mines. His background includes the full spectrum of national policy formulation under both the former and present South African regimes, and international economic policy development.