Global Experience in Implementing Sustainable Development and CSER Strategies in the Context of National Competitiveness Strengthening

Introduction. The world-wide experience of implementing sustainable development and corporate social and environmental responsibility (CSER) strategies convincingly testifies to the intensification of the efforts of the world’s countries, in particular developed ones, adopting conceptual framework for responsible business activities and ensuring social progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The low level of distribution in Ukraine is mainly due to the lack of such conceptual foundations. Purpose. The purpose of the paper is to determine the role of national policies (strategies) on sustainable development and CSER in increasing the competitiveness of the country and analyzing the world experience in their implementation. Results. The empirical study of the role of CSER, in ensuring the competitiveness of the country, was conducted on the example of the ten most competitive countries from 140 countries under the GCI 4.0 index (USA, Singapore, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, Netherlands, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Denmark). These countries have long history of preparing and implementing diversified policies for sustainable development and the CSER, covering a significant number of social, environmental and economic initiatives aimed at achieving the SDG. In the context of the European integration vector of the national economy, the EU experience in the implementation of the Europe 2020 strategy and its individual instruments (EU Cohesion Policy, Circular Economy Package, EU Climate and Energy Policy 2030, EU ETS Policy, Directive 2014/95/EU, Manifesto “Enterprise 2020”) in close connection with the relevant SDG were observed. The analysis of the CSER system in Ukraine, based on CSER reports of the largest companies, has shown the need for a framework for responsible corporate activities in different sectors of the economy and the adoption of national CSER policy. Conclusions. The justification of the feasibility of introducing sustainable development strategies and the CSER lie in the level of companies competitiveness in the real, public and financial sectors of the economy, as well as on the competitiveness of the country in the world commodity and financial markets, global geoeconomic space