Climate Ambition to Action – Pakistan & Gulf Economist

Nestlé Pakistan’s sustainability commitments take center stage amid national discussions on climate-aligned development

As Pakistan struggled with climate vulnerability, persistent economic stress, and widening human development gaps, policymakers and business leaders convened in Islamabad at the 28th Sustainable Development Conference and Sustainability Investment Expo, hosted by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI). This year’s gathering reinforced a single message that resonated across all sessions: sustainable development must guide how Pakistan grows, not merely accompany it.

Over several days, representatives from the UNDP, the IMF, the World Bank Group, and senior figures from the private sector discussed how Pakistan can realign investments with climate resilience and inclusive growth. The discussions were shaped by a sense of urgency and an acknowledgment that without coordinated action, the country’s development trajectory may not withstand the pressures of a rapidly changing climate.

During a high-level plenary on financing sustainable development, Dr. Samuel Rizk, UNDP’s Resident Representative in Pakistan, stated Pakistan will require an estimated $50-$60 billion by 2030 to meet the Sustainable Development Goals. He emphasized that raising these resources necessitates financing models co-designed with all stakeholders, structured to balance risk while attracting both public and private capital. In his view, the government will need to lead the charge, but lasting success will depend on broader participation from business and development partners.

The IMF’s Resident Representative, Dr. Mahir Binici, reinforced this argument by describing climate change as a macro-critical issue that directly affects growth, employment, and fiscal stability. He noted that the IMF’s Resilience and Sustainability Facility is now encouraging countries to integrate climate considerations into major investment decisions. According to him, Pakistan’s ability to withstand climate shocks will increasingly shape its economic prospects.

The World Bank’s Country Director, Bolormaa Amgaabazar, focused on human development, explaining that the Bank’s ten-year Country Partnership Framework for Pakistan prioritizes areas such as nutrition, safe water, hygiene, and behavioral change, particularly given the country’s alarming levels of stunting and malnutrition. She argued that improving human development outcomes is essential for long-term stability.

Recognition for Corporate Leadership

Within this landscape, Nestlé Pakistan emerged as one of the most visible private-sector participants at the conference. The company won two recognitions at the Sustainability Awards and Investment Expo, securing first place in the categories of Renewable Energy and Low-Carbon Transitions, as well as the Best Pavilion Award. The recognitions highlighted Nestlé’s investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency, regenerative agricultural practices, circularity, and water stewardship across its supply chain.

At the plenary session, Nestlé Pakistan CEO Jason Avanceña described the financing challenge as immense but surmountable if new models of collaboration are adopted. He stated that financing sustainable development necessitates mechanisms that integrate public funds, private capital, and multilateral financing, while ensuring equitable access to capital and being grounded in climate-resilient and inclusive approaches. He also noted that Nestlé is aligning its Pakistan operations with its global ambition to reach Net Zero by 2050.

At the Sustainability Investment Expo, Nestlé’s pavilion attracted interest from policymakers, donors, academics, and students. The stall showcased the company’s sustainability initiatives through interactive and visual displays illustrating how regenerative agriculture, climate-smart farming, and circular packaging practices are being applied with partners across Pakistan. Visitors noted that the exhibit offered a tangible representation of a regenerative food system within Pakistan’s context.

Throughout the conference, participants emphasized that Pakistan’s climate and development challenges are too interconnected for any single actor to address alone. SDPI’s Executive Director, Dr. Abid Suleri, who moderated the plenary, said that progress will require public institutions to establish clear policy direction, the private sector to bring innovation and investment, and development partners to support both with financing and technical expertise.

For Nestlé, the two awards served as a reaffirmation of its ambitions in Pakistan and an acknowledgment that sustainability has become a central part of its business strategy. For the multilateral institutions present, the conference reaffirmed that climate resilience, human development, and economic stability must be pursued together.

The SDPI conference made clear that Pakistan’s path to sustainable development will not be shaped by declarations alone. It will depend on whether the alliances, financing commitments, and policy directions highlighted in Islamabad can translate into consistent action as the country confronts climate pressures and economic uncertainty.