The Cabinet of Ministers recently adopted the Strategy to Promote Inclusive and Sustainable Businesses (ISB Strategy) to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Sri Lanka.

The Cabinet of Ministers recently adopted the Strategy to Promote Inclusive and Sustainable Businesses (ISB Strategy) to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Sri Lanka.

The ISB Strategy recommends supporting national and international certification, accreditation, or registration schemes for inclusive and sustainable business models, so that they can gain relevant recognition for their sustainability efforts and their inclusive business models.

Against this backdrop, the Sustainable Development Council of Sri Lanka convened a Brainstorming Dialogue on Inclusive Business (IB) accreditation with the objective of identifying national, regional and international inclusive business verification/ accreditation systems currently in place and assessing opportunities to further develop IB accreditation in Sri Lanka to formally recognize inclusive businesses models.

The meeting was attended by representatives from the relevant government institutions engaged in business development, accreditation and certification (Sri Lanka Accreditation Board, Sri Lanka Standards Institute, Industrial Development Board, Department of Development Finance, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, National Planning Department etc) and private sector representatives from business/ industry associations and chambers (Ceylon Chambers of Commerce, Women’s Chamber of Industry and Commerce, UN Global Compact, European Chambers of Commerce of Sri Lanka, Biodiversity Sri Lanka, SLASSCOM, Joint Apparel Association Forum Sri Lanka etc).

The event featured presentations on Sri Lanka’s Quality Infrastructure, selected local Inclusive Business Verification Systems (Good Market Verification Criteria and Standards, the Business Canvass and Block-chain Technology for Traceability and Transparency) and regional and global best practices relating to IB accreditation drawing on the expertise of United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP).

The presentations were followed by a discussion on developing IB accreditation systems for Sri Lanka including identifying key stakeholders, criteria and benchmarks fit for Sri Lanka and the accreditation process and its governance.