In September 2015, all 193 Member States of the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; a "blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future". At the heart of this global agenda lie the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's), also known as the Global Goals, build on Agenda 21 and the Millennium Development Goals and are a universal call for all nations, developed and developing, to come together to promote prosperity and protect the environment, now and into the future. To help monitor progress towards the Goals there are 232 individual indicators.
The Global Goals are to:
1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development
The Goals are being addressed at a national level, with most countries providing a Voluntary National Report on their progress, but all organisations and businesses can make an important contribution towards achieving the Goals - by spreading the word about them, reviewing each Goal in relation to their operations, setting clear improvement targets and monitoring and reporting their progress against them to their stakeholders.
The UN are calling for companies with over 10 employees to join the UN Global Compact. Signing up provides companies with a framework to align their corporate responsibility objectives with the Goals, together with a programme of support to achieve them. Participating businesses are then obliged to submit a Communication on Progress report (COP) detailing their progress.
If you understand the business benefits of aligning your strategy with the Global Goals, and are looking for practical advice, contact Simply Carbon Reduction to discuss how we can help you.