UN chief calls world business leaders to promote sustainable development by 2015

The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on world business leaders to promote sustainable development worldwide.

Ban stressed on the need for all actors to work together to pursue a sustainable path that links economic growth, social justice and environmental stewardship.

He said: "we cannot accept a rising tide that floats only some boats and leaves many to drown."

He appealed the corporate executives at the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit in New York to act for common good and push others also to join in.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set to achieve by 2015 includes slashing extreme poverty and hunger, ensuring access to universal health care and education, achieving gender equality, cutting maternal and child mortality, securing environmental stability, reducing HIV/AIDS and forging a global partnership for development.