Perspective:
The private sector has a tremendous role to play in the Sustainable Development Goals achievement. Business leadership is a strong voice (one of the strongest) in our collectively ambitious international framework. This is because I would argue that supply chains, brand identities, and markets inextricably transcend national borders. Apart from examining or qualitatively evaluating the value of globalization in some reasonable way (which is incredibly difficult) I believe that more ethical and socially conscious global brands are better than those which do not promote such awareness. In the tumultuous political climate presented in 2017, we are confronted with companies and production cycles that will outlast political regimes and perhaps even, political ideologies. Concerted thought on how business can reliably make money and positively innovate for the better of our changing world is truly critical. (Austin Schiano)
Summary of DNV-GL Report:
The forecasting and research conducted in “The Future of Spaceship Earth” by DNV-GL was created to “assess the likelihood of humanity achieving each of the 17 SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) by 2030”.The company DNV-GL is an “international certification body and classification society with main expertise in technical assessment, advisory, and risk management”. For each of the 17 Goals, DNV-GL provides a systematic examination and ranking of how the goal is advancing globally, along with examining specific key targets where a repository of data is developed.
The report not only assesses the potential and scope for SDG achievements but also contains examples of specific ‘private sector solutions’ to SDG goals created in consultation with the United Nations Global Compact.
Private Sector Solutions
SDG 1– No Poverty: Tata (Pg 28)
SDG 2– Zero Hunger: Danone (Pg 34)
SDG 3– Good Health and Well Being : HiTechnologies (Pg 40)
SDG 4– Quality Education: ARM (Pg 46)
SDG 5– Gender Equality: Symantec (Pg 52)
SDG 6– Clean Water and Sanitation: Grundfos (Pg 58)
SDG 7– Affordable and Clean Energy: SolarWorld (Pg 64)
SDG 8– Decent Work and Economic Growth: NYK (Pg 70)
SDG 9– Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: Hydro (Pg 76)
SDG 10– Reduced Inequalities: Safaricom (Pg 82)
SDG 11– Sustainable Cities and Communities: Siemens (Pg 88)
SDG 12-Responsible Consumption and Production: Marks and Spencer (Pg 94)
SDG 13– Climate Action: Iberdrola (Pg 100)
SDG 14– Life Below Water: Cermaq (Pg 106)
SDG 15– Life on Land: APP (Pg 112)
SDG 16– Peace and Justice: Calvert Investments (Pg 118)
SDG 17– Partnerships for the Goals: Unilever (Pg 124)
(All Images, quotations, and statistics pulled from DNV-GL Report)