UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) The stakes

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) define important goals for a more sustainable future for people and the planet. The SDGs provide an orientation regarding sustainability topics for all actors, including companies.

Goals (SDGs) 17 Sustainable Development

Three to six SDGs Usually

For a company, usually three to six SDGs are material. A WBCSD survey of its member companies found that the majority prioritised the goals ‘Climate Action’, ‘Responsible Consumption and Production’ and ‘Decent Work and Economic Growth’, as seen in the figure below.

SDG Prioritization in Companys

E2 has found a similar picture among its clients. The table below provides a few examples:

inside-out and outside-in Views

To set a useful focus, every company should identify which SDGs are most relevant for them, considering both inside-out and outside-in views, i.e. the company's impact on the SDGs, as well as the SDG's demand on the company and the market(s) it is active in.

Integrating SDGs is most beneficial if carried out as part of the strategy process. E2 supports such strategy processes. Next to the SDGs, a company is well advised to also keep an eye on the EU Taxonomy for sustainable activities. Financial Institutions will soon have to start disclosing against the emerging taxonomy, which in turn will create a demand on information for many more companies.