The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) call for businesses to join with governments and nonprofits to achieve some ambitious global goals by 2030 – things like ending poverty, reducing inequality and combating climate change. Our Q&A features Mary Mazzoni, one of our panelists. Mazzoni is a freelance environmental journalist who reports on the role of business in protecting the environment and fostering equality around the world. Here are some of the questions and answers regarding both the challenges and benefits to businesses hoping to achieve the SDGs.

What benefits would the SDGs bring to the business community?

Achieving this agenda has the potential to lift millions of people out of poverty and increase access to necessities like clean water, energy, sanitation and education. Essentially, it would expand the global economy on a broad scale and empower more people to actively participate — which the Business and Sustainable Development Commission estimates will unlock at least $12 trillion in new market opportunities by 2030.

What are the challenges for businesses in implementing the SDGs?

The initial challenge is that the SDGs include 17 goals, 169 targets and hundreds more business indicators. This can be overwhelming. One commonality I found in speaking with business leaders about this topic is that there really is no single way to get started.

Can you give an example of how a company can help its own business while also helping society?

Symantec’s Cyber Career Connection (C3) program is a fantastic example, and it all stems from a societal need the company stepped in to meet: While millions of people struggle to find work, an estimated 500,000 to 1 million cybersecurity jobs remain unfilled in the U.S. alone.  Symantec’s C3 program aims to fill this gap by preparing underrepresented young adults and veterans for careers in this crucial field.

Read the full Corporate Philanthropy Q&A at Silicon Valley Community Foundation.