Giving Compass' Take:

• Leon Kaye, writing for TriplePundit, lists the SDGs that companies can focus on throughout the year by aligning their missions and long-term strategies to these goals. 

• How can CSR initiatives advance progress with the SDGs?

• Read about how U.S. cities are taking on sustainable development goals.

With 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in total, aligning with this United Nations’ blueprint to forge a more sustainable and equitable world by 2030 at first appears intimidating to some of us in the private sector. But the genius of the SDGs is that they are designed so companies can sort out which ones are in lockstep with their long-term strategies.

And as we pointed out a few months ago, the SDGs are not only for multinationals – smaller companies can also do their part by aligning their operations and strategies with these goals.

With that said, companies that want to do their part to accelerate social and environmental good should consider focusing on these six SDGs during the coming year.

  • SDG #2: Zero Hunger: A recent Public Radio International report reinforced a most disturbing fact. Across the globe, many of the food industry workers and farmworkers who are integral to our food supply are among the world’s poorest people and are, cruelly enough, at the most risk of food insecurity.
  • SDG #5: Gender Equality: As Mary Mazzoni discussed last week, guaranteeing that all girls and women have the same opportunities as boys and men is not only a moral imperative – it is an economic one as well.
  • SDG #6: Clean Water and Sanitation: Many were aghast as Cape Town came dangerously close to running out of water last year. The scenario could repeat itself soon anywhere.
  • SDG #10: Reduce Inequality within and among Countries:  Here in North America, we have seen how chaos reigns in a horrific way along the southern U.S. border, but that is a function of public policy, and there is little room here for private sector action.
  • SDG #7: Affordable and Clean Energy, and SDG #13: Climate Action:  The news is not all foreboding: California could meet its 2030 renewables targets by 2020. Continued leadership from the private sector, however, could guarantee that 2020 will be a year of achievement instead of angst.

Read the full article about how companies can work toward achieving the SDGs by Leon Kaye at TriplePundit