[“Peacekeeping” - photo taken from un.org]
“The Sustainable Development Goals are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and improve the lives and prospects of everyone, everywhere.”
[United Nations]
To conclude our current series of articles on sustainability in the workplace we have included a summary of the goals outlined by the UN’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs. The goals have been agreed by all member countries and are aimed at every single person, organisation, government and stakeholder. The list comprises 17 fundamental areas of our existence that need considerable improvement. As such, each goal presents huge challenges that require permanent attention, investment and focus.
Goal 1 END POVERTY
End poverty in all its forms everywhere
Goal 2 ZERO HUNGER
Achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
Goal 3 GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all ages
Goal 4 QUALITY EDUCATION
Include inclusive and equitable education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
Goal 5 GENDER EQUALITY
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Goal 6 CLEAN WATER AND SANITATION
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
Goal 7 AFFORDABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
Goal 8 DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
Goal 9 INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
Goal 10 REDUCED INEQUALITIES
Reduce inequality within and among countries
Goal 11 SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND ECONOMIES
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Goal 12 RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
Goal 13 CLIMATE ACTION
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Goal 14 LIFE BELOW WATER
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
Goal 15 LIFE ON LAND
Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss
Goal 16 PEACE, JUSTICE AND STRONG INSTITUTIONS
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
Goal 17 PARTNERSHIP FOR THE GOALS
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development
The 17 goals are without argument. They are sensible - but completion is clearly unattainable. Like any significant evolution, the 17 goals are not there to be achieved but to be pursued. The ongoing and constant pursuit of these goals that will make some differences, somewhere.
With some phenomenally complex issues at hand any kind of progress can only be made through incremental, sustained, collective effort. Kaizen theory expounds the need for groups to work together, share best practice, disperse and continue to spread the understanding and progress with new groups. It’s an approach that heralds from Japanese culture and has been successful for many businesses including Toyota, Honda, Toshiba, Canon, Nissan and other household names.
Making small, regular contributions to improving sustainability would be an effective and measurable way to effect change within our own work environments. By setting goals, expectations and outcomes; promoting them well; with the help of sustainability ambassadors, we can all do something. We could pick one tiny part of just one the 17 goals and apply a long-term plan to achieve it.
At Just Audit we considered these goals at our last team meeting – looking at how we can possibly relate these large-scale, world-wide ambitions to our own endeavours. As a result we’re hoping to find a suitable project to support that will make a worthwhile sustainable contribution. Also, while we are helping the environment we’ll also be working on our own team-building and collaboration skills so it’s extra positive.
If you’re visiting New York and want some inspiration there are regular public exhibits at the United Nations HQ which highlight many of the aspects of the 17 goals including peace, climate change, sustainable development and human rights.
Each of these goals has further information on the United Nations’ website
You can see targets and actions against each one.
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