International business plays a significant role in enabling and sustaining the aspirational growth. Emerging country multinationals or EMNEs (as they are popularly known), have already made a mark for themselves in the global business environment.

However, it has now become important to find out their contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for their economies. SDGs, popularly known as AGENDA 2030, was set by UN in the year 2015. With COVID-19 seriously disturbing the targets set by UN, can EMNEs/international businesses contribute to achieve them for their economies?

COVID-19 pandemic has escalated trade tensions and slowed global economy leading to stress on SDGs achievement by the economies, with special reference to South Asian Economies. In addition, the pandemic has impacted growth in emerging markets and developing economies have also been weak amid softening external demand as trade conflicts heighten uncertainty and delays productivity-enhancing investments by businesses. Can the emerging economies align itself with the mission of SDGs, as envisaged by UN, that is to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all people and world by 2030?

International business will play a significant role in helping UN to meet the targets for 17 SDGs that are also known as Global Goals. The 2022 AIB – South Asia Chapter Conference will explore these exciting issues on poverty and hunger, health, education, gender equality, clean water and energy, innovation, infrastructure, sustainable communities and cities, climate change, peace and justice and strong institutions. Taken together, these shall have an impact on public policies, innovation, firm strategies, and business models in domestic as well as the international markets. The path ahead is arduous, but positive moves towards the stated objective are gaining traction.

With emerging economies in South Asia working towards realigning and rearranging policies and strategies; reforms and regulations; knowledge and skills inventories; and management and governance frameworks post COVID-19 through relevant and rigorous research and empirical evidence, using qualitative and quantitative methods, are these economies instrumental in helping UN meet the SDGs targets?

Thus, the conference aims to usher in and broaden insights in creating synergies, increasing value-add and producing positive results for all the stakeholders. More specifically, it will focus on what external and internal factors would inspire the South Asian economies to formulate strategies and approaches to translating the challenges into timely opportunities that foster social progress, economic advancement, balanced development, inclusive growth for its people and indirectly contributing as partners for SDGs.