Business plays an important role in ensuring the sustainable development of the country, having the ability to identify trends related to the development of new environmental technologies, increasing labor standards, job creation, etc. What kind of sustainable development practices are being implemented today by international companies operating in Kazakhstan and Central Asia? What are the contradictions between a company’s main objective and a sustainable development strategy? All these issues were covered during the guest lecture of the Director of Corporate Relations and Sustainable Development of CCI Kazakhstan Company Alima Isembayeva on November 20, 2023 at Faculty of International Relations of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University.

Meetings of this format provide a balance between structured presentation, open discussion and more in-depth analysis, allowing students to consider the topic from different perspectives. It also promotes collaboration and critical thinking as students learn the cultural and business aspects of a global brand.

For example, students like Amina Togusaeva and Amrina Adina were interested in the taste of coca cola in different countries such as China, Kazakhstan and Turkey. These are some of the things that students have considered in their discussions: local preferences, sweetener variations, availability of ingredients, cultural significance, packaging and presentations, globalization and localization, advertising and marketing influence and economic factors. Exchange students from the Institute of Political Research (Paris) Sciences Po also participated in the discussion.

Department of International Relations and World Economy (by Utegenova A.R. and Nuraliyeva S.A.) organized the lecture. This event is the first in the planned cycle of events aimed at discussing the role of business, civil society and international organizations in the implementation of the SDGs in Kazakhstan and Central Asia.