Business action in response to the war in Ukraine

WBCSD stands united with the people of Ukraine and condemn the aggression and unprovoked war ordered by Russian leadership. Our hearts go out to everyone affected by the violence, especially those working for our members and partners with operations in Ukraine, and those with family and friends there. Our thoughts are also with Russians who stand with bravery against the attack.

Businesses are planning for the medium- to long-term issues escalated by this war. In addition to the immediate humanitarian crisis within Ukraine, the war has plunged global food and energy markets into further turmoil and will drive rising costs and significant increases in food insecurity globally. Business must also anticipate the impact of the refugee crisis and the socio-economic health of the countries currently hosting them.

WBCSD is working with member companies to engage in the following supporting activities:

1. UN Task Forces - In response to the war in Ukraine, we have been invited to engage with the Food and Energy Task Forces as part of the United Nations Global Crisis Response Group formed by the UN Secretary General. Through these task forces, we are providing access to business insights and analytical capabilities, supporting private sector engagement, and mobilizing business action. The following four business actions were brought into discussions at the World Economic Forum in Davos in May:

Remain sensitive to profits in these volatile times. Actions must not accelerate the rapidly rising costs of food and agricultural inputs and should calm the global food commodities market to decrease prices. This includes facilitating access to key inputs, such as fertilizers and grains.
Develop collective plans to ensure that farmers in Ukraine can sell and move 2022 harvests, including rail and truck distribution network development.
Prioritize investments into renewable energy transitions, as well as contracts and farmer support mechanisms to smallholder farmers, and to countries and regions where input and food prices have had the highest spikes.
Facilitate production and global distribution logistics which help remove trade barriers, repurpose public policies, and increase efforts which drive efficient fertilizer use.

2. WBCSD’s food & agriculture pathway work on equitable livelihoods - On 29 April we convened the first in a series of discussions and implementation trainings on Migrant Workers and Refugees in times of Conflict and Supplier Engagement, together with the Institute for Human Rights and Business and the International Organization for Migration. The next dialogue will be co-hosted with the Farmer Income Lab, focusing on best procurement practices and it will take place in May. For more information, please contact Ruth Thomas.

3. Supporting Ukraine - Our Global Network partner, CSR Ukraine, has created a selection of vetted charities and foundations in Ukraine that you and your employees can support. More information on this is available below.

Read our Business Brief

1. UN Task Forces

In response to the war in Ukraine, we have been invited to engage with the Food and Energy Task Forces as part of the United Nations Global Crisis Response Group formed by the UN Secretary General. Through these task forces, we are providing access to business insights and analytical capabilities, supporting private sector engagement, and mobilizing business action. The following four business actions were brought into discussions at the World Economic Forum in Davos in May:

Remain sensitive to profits in these volatile times. Actions must not accelerate the rapidly rising costs of food and agricultural inputs and should calm the global food commodities market to decrease prices. This includes facilitating access to key inputs, such as fertilizers and grains.
Develop collective plans to ensure that farmers in Ukraine can sell and move 2022 harvests, including rail and truck distribution network development.
Prioritize investments into renewable energy transitions, as well as contracts and farmer support mechanisms to smallholder farmers, and to countries and regions where input and food prices have had the highest spikes.
Facilitate production and global distribution logistics which help remove trade barriers, repurpose public policies, and increase efforts which drive efficient fertilizer use.

You can read the Business Brief: http://3e.xingdai.net/Pathways/Food-Agriculture/Resources/UN-Global-Crisis-Response-Group-Brief-No.2

2. WBCSD’s food & agriculture pathway work on equitable livelihoods

On 29 April we convened the first in a series of discussions and implementation trainings on Migrant Workers and Refugees in times of Conflict and Supplier Engagement, together with the Institute for Human Rights and Business and the International Organization for Migration. The next dialogue will be co-hosted with the Farmer Income Lab, focusing on best procurement practices and it will take place in May. For more information, please contact Ruth Thomas.

3. Supporting Ukraine

Our Global Network partner, CSR Ukraine, has created a selection of vetted charities and foundations in Ukraine that you and your employees can support. More information on this is available below.

Supporting Ukraine

If you are considering your next wave of corporate and/or employee giving, then please consider the organizations that our Global Network Partner CSR Ukraine has kindly vetted and recommended as excellent recipients of your aid:

Let's Help Foundation, a foundation which helps elderly people in Ukraine. Under the Foundation umbrella there are ten thousands of elderly people and 127 nursing centers in 10 regions of Ukraine.
Help Ukraine.Center, a foundation which provides humanitarian and medical aid to Ukraine and logistics support to transport aid from Europe into Ukraine.
280 Days Charity Fund, a fund which supports pregnant women and newborns and works in order to reduce the number of pregnancy complications in Ukraine.
"We help", an NGO which, before the war, engaged in the rehabilitation of the disabled children, but is now helping with the evacuation of families and children from areas and affected by the war, and securing shelter for them.
SpivDiya, a national platform of 20+ youth hubs in different regions of Ukraine, that focuses on youth employment and youth mental health.
CSR Ukraine, WBCSD’s Global Network partner, and its STEM girls initiative, which unites 100 STEM chapters in schools and Universities all over Ukraine, helps to rebuild damaged or destroyed schools, and purchase STEM equipment to help girls to get interested in STEM.

If you or your employees are able and interested in giving to any of the above organizations, please contact Maryna Saprykina, CEO of CSR Ukraine directly, and she will be happy to help you. We thank you in advance for you and your employees’ support.

Sustainability 4 Ukraine: On 21-22 June, GlobeScan, CSR Ukraine, CSR Europe and nearly two dozen partner organizations are jointly organizing a global 24-hour web-a-thon on the future of sustainability to both foster high level discussions at this critical juncture and to raise funds to support civil society and sustainability in Ukraine.

To register for the sessions, please visit - www.sustainability4ua.org/

Related reports

Read the UN Global Crisis Response Group (GCRG) Second Brief “Global Impact of war in Ukraine on food, energy and finance systems – Brief No. 2”. WBCSD created a business brief for this report, which highlights the key findings of the new UN GCRG report and helps identify six key actions the business community can take now considering the crisis diagnosed by the report. Read the Business Brief.

Business action in response to the war in Ukraine