“Sustainability Insight #10: Sustainability Partnership through a Business Lens in New Normal

The 10th session of the Sustainability Insight Series was organized on Monday, 3 August 2020, moderated by Prof. Shahbaz Khan with two well-known guest speaker from private sectors, Adj. Prof. Anthony Wong, Group Managing Director of Frangipani Hotels and Resort – Langkawi and Mr. Yaya Winarno Junardy, President of Indonesia Global Compact Network.

In this session of Sustainability Insight, discussion focused on the impact and challenges faced by business entities in New Normal. On facing the challenges of COVID-19, both speakers agreed that private factors should strive to be more resilient, creative, innovative and utilizing new technologies in order to adapt and survive

Adj. Prof. Anthony Wong highlighted on creating new opportunities, focusing on sustainable and green technologies, such as rain harvesting, in order to minimize operational cost in the years to come. He also mentioned the need to promote on sustainable agriculture in order to ensure food security in the time of crisis.

Mr, Junardy meanwhile stressed on the need for the role of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be applied in a different new way in the New Normal way. The business must be restructured in a new model and people need to seek for new business opportunities that can be applied in the New Normal and in alignment with the SDGs principles. He also stressed on how responsible business should be the way forward.

The session further discussed on how New Normal has forced society to empower cooperation and partnerships among countries. New Normal has make it necessary for the society to re-address about the environmental issues, biodiversity loss and refocus on implementation of SDGs, in order to create a holistic sustainable development.