ISID Strategy

UNIDO’s long-term strategy of inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID) was adopted by UNIDO Member States at the General Conference in December 2013. Through this strategy, UNIDO aims to harness the full potential of industry’s contribution to the achievement of sustainable development in the post-2015 era, and lasting prosperity for all.

Industry is the most dynamic driver of prosperity and collective wellbeing. No country has ever reached a high level of economic and social development without having developed an advanced industrial sector. However, too often in the past these transformative structural changes have also been accompanied by environmental degradation and increased social inequalities.

UNIDO’s ISID approach is based on three main pillars: creating shared prosperity, advancing economic competitiveness and safeguarding the environment. This applies to all fields of work UNIDO is engaged in, including technical cooperation, analytical and policy advisory services, standard setting and compliance, and a convening function for knowledge transfer and networking.

UNIDO’s long-term strategy of inclusive and sustainable industrial development

ISID enhances and reinforces economic growth and diversification in a socially inclusive and environmentally sound manner, guided by four overarching principles:

  1. No one is left behind in benefiting from industrial growth, and prosperity is shared among all parts of society in all countries as industry creates the wealth needed to address critical social and humanitarian needs.
  2. Every country is able to achieve a higher level of industrialization in their economies, and benefits from the globalization of markets for industrial goods and services.
  3. Broader economic and social progress is supported within an environmentally sustainable framework.
  4. The unique knowledge and resources of all relevant development actors are combined to maximize the development impact of ISID.

The importance of industrial development for sustainable development was explicitly recognized by the United Nations General Assembly in their proposition concerning the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which includes inclusive and sustainable industrialization as SDG- 9, along with fostering innovation and building resilient infrastructure. While industrialization was not factored into the Millennium Development Goals framework, inclusive and sustainable industrialization now features strongly in the post-2015 development discourse. This confirms the provisions of the Lima Declaration and the relevance of ISID for the new global development architecture.

ISID in the global development agenda:

  1. ISID is relevant to all UNIDO member states, as an integral part of any resilient economy, and as the primary source of income generation for both individuals and governments to enable them to pursue their own development priorities and plans.
  2. ISID allows for rapid and sustained increases in living standards for all people, in all industries and their related service sectors.
  3. ISID provides the technological solutions to environmentally sound industrialization.
  4. ISID requires suitable institutional capacities, an enabling infrastructure, a vibrant private sector, and a conducive business environment.
  5. ISID can only be achieved in partnership with all related stakeholders.

UNIDO is convinced that ISID will be a key driver for the successful integration of the economic, social and environmental dimensions, required to fully realize sustainable development for the benefit of our future generations.

More detailed information can be found in the ISID Brochure and on the official website of the ISID operation platform.

UNIDO’s long-term strategy of inclusive and sustainable industrial development