10 October 2006
U.S. Business Advancing Global Development, U.S. Official Says
State's Margolis praises U.S. companies for partnering with governments
Washington -- U.S. businesses, focusing on long-term economic growth, societal advancement and environmental protection, are advancing international development, a State Department official says.
Business is "setting the right tone" in partnering with governments to promote policies and practices that advance this "triple bottom line" of development, said Jonathan Margolis, State's special representative for sustainable development.
Margolis addressed a group of approximately 50 business chief executives October 4. The meeting, sponsored by the Business Roundtable, focused on how business can work voluntarily to address the social, economic and environmental change needs in poor countries. It was held in the city of San Jose, in the heart of California's innovative high-technology "Silicon Valley" region. The Business Roundtable is an association of chief executive officers of leading U.S. corporations.
The business world has evolved into an environment that combines "traditional corporate goals of higher profit and lower cost with a strong commitment to environmental stewardship and social improvement," according to a statement issued by the Roundtable at the start of the four-day gathering.
That evolution and a stronger focus on measuring the achievements of public-private development efforts -- both short- and long-term -- have marked a "cultural shift" in addressing the needs of developing countries, Margolis said.
He cited government-business partnerships that have achieved "on-the-ground results" in such areas as assisting people affected by HIV/AIDS, curtailing the refining and selling of gasoline containing lead in poor countries and increasing access to banking and credit services.
The current challenge is deciding on the best ways to measure qualitative results, Margolis said. This involves reaching common understanding among donors of terms used in reporting results of poverty reduction, he said.
Margolis challenged executives to highlight their companies' sustainable development efforts during future meetings with representatives of other countries.
"That is one of the best ways to reinforce the message that words are good, actions are better, but results are what really matter," he said.
The day after Margolis' appearance, the State Department announced it had agreed to reduce more than $8.3 million of Botswana's debt, with the funds going toward conserving and restoring that country's tropical forests.
The bilateral agreement is the first for Africa under the Tropical Forest Conservation Act (TFCA). Botswana's forests are home to numerous species of wildlife. (See related article.)
The full text of Margolis' prepared remarks is available on the State Department Web site.
For information on U.S. private-public partnerships on development, see Partnership for a Better Life and Sustainable Development sites.
(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
