acknowledgeefforts and progress made at the local and sub-national levels, andrecognize the important role that such authorities and communitiescan play in implementing sustainable development, including byengaging citizens and stakeholders, and providing them with relevantinformation, as appropriate, on the three dimensions of sustainabledevelopment. We further acknowledge the importance of involving allrelevant decision makers into planning and implementation ofsustainable development policies.43.We underscore that broad public participation and access toinformation and judicial and administrative proceedings are essentialto the promotion of sustainable development. Sustainable developmentrequires the meaningful involvement and active participation ofregional, national and sub-national legislatures and judiciaries, andall Major Groups: women, children and youth, indigenous peoples,non-governmental organizations, local authorities, workers and tradeunions, business and industry, the scientific and technologicalcommunity, and farmers, as well as other stakeholders, includinglocal communities, volunteer groups and foundations, migrants,families as well as older persons and persons with disabilities. Inthis regard, we agree to work more closely with Major Groups andother stakeholders and encourage their active participation, asappropriate, in processes that contribute to decision making,planning and implementation of policies and programmes forsustainable development at all levels.44.We acknowledge the role of civil society and the importance ofenabling all members of civil society to be actively engaged insustainable development. We recognize that improved participation ofcivil society depends upon, interalia,strengthening access to information, building civil society capacityas well as an enabling environment. We recognize that information andcommunication technology (ICT) is facilitating the flow ofinformation between governments and the public. In this regard, it isessential to work toward improved access to ICT, especiallybroad-band network and services, and bridge the digital divide,recognizing the contribution of international cooperation in thisregard.45.We underscore that women have a vital role to play in achievingsustainable development. We recognize the leadership role of womenand we resolve to promote gender equality and womens empowermentand to ensure their full and effective participation in sustainabledevelopment policies, programmes and decision-making at all levels.46.We acknowledge that the implementation of sustainable developmentwill depend on active engagement of both the public and privatesectors. We recognize that the active participation of the privatesector can contribute to the achievement of sustainable development,including through the important tool of public-private partnerships.We support national regulatory and policy frameworks that enablebusiness and industry to advance sustainable development initiativestaking into account the importance of corporate socialresponsibility. We call on the private sector to engage inresponsible business practices, such as those promoted by the UNGlobal Compact.47.We acknowledge the importance of corporate sustainability reportingand encourage companies, where appropriate, especially publiclylisted and large companies, to consider integrating sustainabilityinformation into their reporting cycle. We encourage industry,interested governments as well as relevant stakeholders with thesupport of the UN system, as appropriate, to develop models for bestpractice and facilitate action for the integration of sustainabilityreporting, taking into account the experiences of already existingframeworks, and paying particular attention to the needs ofdeveloping countries, including for capacity building.48.We recognize the important contribution of the scientific andtechnological community to sustainable development. We are committedto working with and fostering collaboration among academic,scientific and technological community, in particular in developingcountries, to close the technological gap between developing anddeveloped countries, strengthen the science-policy interface as wellas to foster international