Business Diplomacy in Implementing the Global 2030 Development Agenda: Core Competencies Needed at the Corporate and Managerial Level

Purpose Faced with global concerns about increasing vulnerability of the global system and its sustainability, private companies are asked and encouraged to contribute to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through multi-sectoral partnerships. Implementing the SDGs will require coordinated and collective effort by all stakeholders to move the world forward towards a shared vision as set out in the SDG goals and targets. Business diplomats representing the interests of enterprises are crucial to ensure a mutually beneficial participation of business in the implementation of the SDGs. Propositions are made in this chapter to outline the requisite competencies needed to implement business diplomacy both at the organisational and managerial levels in the context of SDGs implementation. Design/methodology/approach The method used for this study consists of literature review, conceptual analysis and further development of organisational theory. Findings The SDGs in fact mean transforming all countries and actors in all spheres of human existence in an integrated and coherent manner. This transformative journey will not be incremental, but rather disruptive and demands fresh new thinking and smart system redesign. The private sector has been recognised as a leading player in this endeavour that could and should contribute to the success of SDG implementation due to its comparative excellence in process design, management know-how, control of resources and global outreach. To ensure a healthy functioning of diverse formal and informal partnerships, business diplomats will have a central role to play in safeguarding the integrity of multiple interfaces with internal and external multistakeholders. Business diplomacy shall ensure timely consultations and seek feedback from their constituent stakeholders while at the same time doing their best to get their company to contribute to the SDGs. Originality/value This is the first article published so far which describes and discusses the role and contribution of business diplomats in the context of SDG implementation.