Speech by Vladanka Andreeva, UN Resident Coordinator in Azerbaijan, at the opening of the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Summit

Good morning, dear colleagues, partners, friends, 

It is my great pleasure to welcome you all to the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Summit: Public-Private Partnerships for Sustainable Development. 

This summit, organized jointly by the United Nations Azerbaijan and PwC Azerbaijan, under the umbrella of “29 Climate Conversations: The Road to COP29” ,  brings together diverse stakeholders from the public and private sectors to discuss and collaborate on ESG implementation.

Our “29 Climate Conversations: The Road to COP29” initiative aims to ignite nationwide dialogue and action on climate change and just transition. 

As the UN in Azerbaijan, we’re fully committed to supporting the COP29 Presidency and engaging with all stakeholders to drive climate action across the country. 

Our objectives for this UN/ PwC summit are clear:

1. Promote Dialogue and Collaboration: We aim to foster an environment where public and private entities can share insights, strategies, and best practices in ESG.
2. Showcase Successful Models: We will highlight successful public-private partnership (PPP) models that have effectively contributed to sustainable development and explore how these can be replicated and scaled.
3. Understand Challenges and Opportunities: Identifying obstacles and innovative solutions for forging PPPs for sustainability.
4. Engage Stakeholders: Bringing together government officials, business leaders, civil society organizations, and academia for meaningful discussions. 
5. Drive Action: Inspiring concrete commitments towards achieving climate goals set for COP29 and beyond.

Throughout this summit, we will also provide practical training on ESG reporting, enhance understanding of ESG standards, and develop customized ESG strategies. 

Our ultimate goal- is to create an ESG Networking Community in Azerbaijan, ensuring long-term commitment to ESG principles and practices.  

Because, integration of ESG practices isn’t just about compliance—it’s about 

• creating value, 
• managing risks, and 
• contributing to a greener , sustainable future for us, our children and our grandchildren.  

I look forward to productive discussions, valuable insights, and collaborative efforts during this summit. 

Thank you.