Distinguished guests, esteemed partners, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen,

A very good morning to you all. 早上好！

On behalf of the United Nations Development Programme in China, it is my great pleasure to welcome you to the Sustainable Procurement and ESG Workshop.

Although I cannot be with you in Shanghai today, I am delighted to join you virtually as we convene at a critical juncture for our planet and our shared development goals.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by all Member States at the United Nations in 2015 is our collective global development blueprint for people and planet.

Yet, with only four years remaining, this is not a time for incremental change, but for transformative action. A fundamental shift in how we produce, consume, and manage our supply chains sits at the heart of this necessary transformation. It is precisely in this context that sustainable procurement emerges not merely as an administrative function or a transactional engagement, but as a powerful strategic lever for innovation and systemic change.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The United Nations procures between 20 to 30 billion dollars in goods and services annually. At UNDP, we are committed to ensuring that this immense purchasing power actively supports the achievement of the SDGs here in China and globally.

To us, every dollar, has the power to transform lives, communities and local economies. Our commitment is operationalized through our Procurement for Sustainable Development Strategy and reinforced by a concrete Sustainable Procurement Action Plan. These are not just policy or strategy documents; they are our blueprints for integrating sustainability advancing innovative solutions into every procurement decision.

But what do we mean by sustainable procurement in practice? As defined by the UN, it is the integration of environmental, social, and economic criteria into our purchasing decisions. It compels us to look beyond the initial price tag and embrace the concept of Total Cost of Ownership.

Environmentally, it means evaluating impacts over a product's entire life cycle, from design to consumption and addressing the core issue highlighted through SDG 12 focusing on sustainable consumption and production.

Socially, it is about promoting human rights, gender equality, and inclusion—for instance, by creating opportunities for women-owned businesses and ensuring safe labour conditions.

Economically, it is about fostering innovation— supporting new technologies, creative business models, and groundbreaking solutions that drive local economies forward while achieving true value for money.