A Sustainable Innovation Week program was opened in Chengdu City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, on Tuesday, attracting more than 150 participants from government, business, academia and the innovation ecosystem. During the occasion, they discussed how Chinese businesses can contribute to sustainable development and global climate goals.
Themed "Local Ideas, Global Pathways," the program was hosted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in China, with support from the China International Center for Economic and Technical Exchanges (CICETE) and the Chengdu Hi-Tech Zone.
Welcoming its seventh edition, the project has grown into a leading platform connecting innovators, entrepreneurs, and businesses with international sustainability standards, dialogue, and opportunity, said James George, UNDP Resident Representative ad interim in China.
"Sustainability is not a constraint, nor simply a matter of compliance. It is becoming a core capability -- and indeed a strategic necessity -- for participating in the global economy," he said, adding that UNDP's sustainable procurement would support Chinese enterprises to compete in higher-standard global markets.
A major feature of this year's edition is the launch of SPARK Selected 2026, an open call designed to identify and showcase brands, designers, and innovators whose work advances the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through cultural heritage, innovation, and social impact, according to the organizers.
The opening ceremony also marked the signing of the Chengdu International Public Procurement Industry Incubation Base, aimed at helping local enterprises engage more effectively with international public procurement systems and evolving global sustainability standards.
Since 2019, UNDP, CICETE and the Chengdu High-Tech Zone have worked together through the UNDP SDG Innovation Pilot Project to connect local enterprises and innovators with international resources, dialogue, and opportunities.
Building on this foundation, the Sustainable Innovation Week program would help Chinese enterprises transform from product exporters toward capabilities-, standards-, and value-oriented businesses, unleashing momentum for China's high-quality development push.
Source: Xinhua News Agency
