Attaining the Sustainable Development Goals in Africa: The New Corporate Social Responsibility for Multinational Corporations

Abstract

The fact that Africa is one of the worst performing regions in global
audits about long-term development trends is longer news. The continent
has repeatedly missed targets set by the United Nations and there are
concerns it might just be left behind in the attainment of the latest 2030
Agenda Sustainable Development set by world leaders in 2015. With a
view to complementing states’ responsibilities towards the provision of
public goods and social services useful to actualize the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) in Africa, this article interrogates the nature
of multinational corporations (MNCs) and juxtaposing the non-state
actor responsibilities within wider societal contexts with state duties in
advancing the SDGs. The article not only sets the tone for a “new
corporate social responsibility” in terms of improved pursuit of
sustainability within business communities in corporate Africa, it also
recommends workable measures, integrating progressive roles for both
the state and MNCs towards the realization of the SDGs on the continent.