Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited (GGBL), Ghana’s Only Total Beverage business on Friday, presented to stakeholders its role in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through its corporate social responsibility.

The event, put together by Center for CSR West Africa, aimed at deliberating on what the SDG’s mean for Ghana, the key actors and their role in achieving the goals.

Speaking at the event, Rita Agyeiwaa Rockson, Communications and Engagement Manager of GGBL said GGBL plays in 11 of the 17 SDG’s through our 3 thematic areas.

"These include building thriving communities and reducing our environmental impact. We have maintained our zero waste to landfill target, continuously recovered carbon dioxide from our production process and encouraged a segregation culture among employees. Our traditional CSR programmes have however been in the areas of provision of access to clean drinking water to vulnerable communities and our local raw material initiative,” she said.

She reiterated the rippling impact of our CSR programmes in supporting the agriculture value chain and socio-economic developments of communities. “This wide-ranging impact affects various targets of the SDG.”

Ms. Pearl Darko, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) National Coordinator, SDG and Philanthropy spoke on the role of the international body and their expectations of corporate organizations. She added that “Governments cannot achieve the SDG’s alone. Private sector and philanthropists come with innovation, partnership and development. It makes good business sense to impact the bottom-line through sustainable prorgammes that affectthe planet, people and profit. We however need a holistic mappingof all companies involved in strategic philanthropy to know what everybody is doing in terms of the SDG’s. It all starts with us.”

Other members from the academia and international partner agencies also spoke on their role and how to move the SDG’s in a more pragmatic way. Kodjo Williams, Head of the Center for CSR West Africa lauded the efforts of GGBL and other corporate bodies for their involvement in the achievement of the SDG’s. He encouraged these companies to participate in the CSR awards with such wins they have achieved. This he believes will give them the desired recognition across the country.