United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

The Sustainable Development Goals (also known as the 2030 Agenda because they are supposed to be achieved by 2030) were adopted by the United Nations in 2015, consisting of 17 Goals and 169 Targets underneath the Goals. And in 2017, the UN adopted Target Indicators to measure progress against the Goals. The SDGs replace and extend the Millennium Goals which had only eight Goals and were supposed to be achieved by 2015. Several of the Millennium Goals (4. Reduce child mortality, 5. Improve maternal health, 6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases) were folded into SDG 3 Good Health and Well-Being as Targets.

Goal 1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
Goal 2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
Goal 3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
Goal 5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Goal 6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
Goal 7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
Goal 8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
Goal 9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
Goal 10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
Goal 11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Goal 12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
Goal 13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts*
Goal 14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
Goal 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
Goal 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
Goal 17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development
*Acknowledging that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is the primary international, intergovernmental forum for negotiating the global response to climate change.

Each Goal is split into multiple Targets that contribute to the achievement of the Goal. They range from 5 per Goal (SDGs 7 and 13) to 19 (SDG 17).

The global indicator framework for all the SDGs has 231 unique target indicators as per the latest revision, though the total number of indicators listed in the global indicator framework of SDG indicators is 247. This is due to a few indicators repeating under two or three different targets. The SDGs were ratified in 2015 without any Target Indicators. In 2017, the Target Indicators were added and are periodically reviewed and updated.

The SDGs, Targets, and Target Indicators are written at the level of countries and the whole world. However, countries and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can’t achieve the SDGs by 2030 without a lot of help from the rest of society. There are over 300 million businesses in the world. By mobilizing business and corporations, we have a much better chance of making progress on these difficult issues.

No. The UN Global Compact, which consists of firms supporting the UN, asked CRC Press, our publisher.

There are some wonderful materials being made available through the UN, Global Compact, and NGOs. Much is written by NGOs with a governmental or NGO viewpoint. The Corporate Guidebooks are in the language of business, address the challenges and opportunities for businesses, and KPI examples to measure progress on those opportunities.

Optimal scenario is nine months to a year. In 2020 and 2021, we’ve had the pandemic with contributors locked down away from their homes and family members affected. Interns can participate for shorter timeframes, a semester or unit.

Generally four to six hours a week unless one takes a leadership role which requires additional time. SDG Teams meet weekly to review the week’s work and make common progress. 70% attendance is the minimum requirement, with make-up by watching the recordings. There is also a weekly coaching Workshop which can be reviewed via recording if one must be absent. If you are an expert and do not have the time, we are happy to interview you for possible inclusion of quotes.

The Corporate Guidebooks aim for a global common voice addressing businesses around the world. These are complex subjects that require research, insightful discussion, and thoughtful concise writing.

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