The global progress status of SDGs and a few ideas on how to accelerate the pace

How should the business community make sure that the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are achieved collectively?

The other day I was watching the short film on SDG Progress — The Global Picture, around 8.29 minutes, made by Mr Ola Rosling, President and Co-founder of the Gapminder Foundation. The film was posted on the United Nations website at (UN) Web TV.

This film is made for updating the world citizens about the global progress status of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Ola Rosling brilliantly made a fact-based film which is very easy to follow.

I became a big fan of Ola’s father Hans Rosling (and eventually the fan of the Gapminder) who made a short explanatory film on Bangladesh Miracle. The film explains the remarkable success story of how the most densely populated country in the world has brought down the birth rate from 7 to 2 within 30 years of its independence. I have been following Gap minder’s work since watching this film.

Going back to the latest film by Ola and I have made some deep reflections on it. There are 17 SDGs which include 169 targets to achieve by 2030. The SDGs are regarded as the world’s best plan to end poverty, reduce inequalities, and tackle climate change.

35 of the total 169 SDG targets have the update and sufficient numbers to track the progress after almost half of the period is over. Six of these targets are on track, 24 are too slow and rest 5 are heading backwards.

In short, the trend shows most of the targets are not on track at all at the global scale.

Why is this happening like this? Why is progress not as it should be?

Especially given the fact that SDGs are adopted by all the UN nations member states since 2015. As the SDGs are regarded as an urgent call for action by all countries — developed and developing — in a global partnership, the progress should have been much better!

My business insights are pushing me to critically reflect on this unsatisfactory progress with a couple of questions:

1. Where is the issue? Are we doing enough collectively?
2. Are we all doing our part adequately, especially in the business arena?

Being in the sustainable business development domain, I have the exposure of both the business domain as well as the development sector. Therefore it has been rather helpful to make some conscious cross-check.

The business domain here refers to the private sector profit-making business. Whereas, by the development sector, I am referring to the sector who are devoted to development works with most of the support from the public funds.

My high-level general finding is, the sense of urgency regarding SDGs in the business arena is not as high as it is in the development sector. This is quite evident when you look for information on their websites. In other words, SDGs are not regarded as important in the business arena, as it is done in the development sector.

After reflection on this insight and the questions above very thoughtfully, I became curious about a fundamental issue.

A few days back in a seminar (after the presentation of a sustainable impactful business) I was asked a question. How do we (my team) balance the focus on impact/SDGs as well as core business while building the business venture?

My simple answer was, it is about having the right mindset. From the beginning, the mindset of the business was to keep focused on sustainability. Driving sustainability is the way of driving the business forward. Therefore, sustainability is solidly embedded in the business strategy since the time the business model has been transforming and getting formulated solidly. I resonate a similar reflection relating to the right mindset while reflecting back on the SDG progress.

SDG represents Sustainable Development Goals; comprising 3 major keywords. I will concentrate on “Development” as the focused keyword here to share my thoughts.

UN Sustainable Development Goals

When you hear about “development” what comes in your mind? Ask yourself the question and try to think for a while being neutral.

Keep thinking.

Keep thinking.

In my mind, the following keywords pop up — NGO, Non-Profit, Probono, Charity, Grant, Aid, Help the poor etc etc etc.

Well, these are needed. Do not get me wrong. I am not against these keywords/ the related such organizations. I am well aware of the important roles they play. For example, the role of NGO is undeniable in the case of the rural development of a country like Bangladesh, which was once upon a time mistreated as the “basket case”. So I have immense respect for them, especially the NGOs.

The trouble is in the business community. There are millions of companies/ business entities around the world. They are playing a significant role in driving the $88 trillion world economy.

Most importantly business operates on the self-run basis, by creating jobs, helping others to generate economic benefits.

Just imagine if the business communities were involved actively in implementing SDGs likewise the development sectors, how would have been the progress status!

I am sure it would have been much better than it is today.

The business being the driving force of the global economy, it is impossible to achieve SDGs 100% on-time without their active involvement.

The question is how much involved the business communities are?

There would be tons of questions/arguments around it. My curious mind provokes a simple question.

What if the name of SDG was not SDG; instead if it was SBG meaning Sustainable Business Goals or SBDG Sustainable Business Development Goals instead of only Sustainable Development Goals!

Would that make some difference?

My assumption is it would have made a significant difference.

Probably the business communities would have a much better understanding, appreciation and self drive towards attaining the goals and targets. Because they are best in understanding business and business development.

- Am I proposing to change the name of SDG now? The answer is: NO

- Am I saying that it can not be fixed? The answer is: Hell NO

I am an extremely positive person who likes to see half the glass is filled up. But that positivity I see is blended with the analytical perspective.

As human beings, we possess great power of imagination. With that power, the business community has the immense advantage of bringing drastic change.

It’s about shifting the mindset and acting on that accordingly.

Even if you do not change the SDG name, just start considering it as SBG/SBDG for business. Internalise this perspective within your company. Let the development sector and the public sector take care of SDG.

I am sure this would bring fundamental change.

I would like to provoke your attention further. Please check out 5 companies randomly. How many of them have a separate dedicated webpage on their website for SDGs?

Even if we randomly check out 5 companies in Sweden we will see the same output despite the fact that Sweden is the top-ranked country in terms of achieving the SDGs.

Take an easy to execute a bold step:

• There are at least 4 pages which are very uniformly common in the company website around the globe. They are — home, contact, about us, privacy policy.
• Just make one additional page and add that to the list of the uniform page for all the businesses and companies. Put some information there regarding the standpoint of your company in regard to the SDGs.
• My best friend, Zsolt Lazar, defence industry and economic scholar from Hungary suggested that the global actors / local governments or the investors should not give funds or bring investments if the businesses do not dedicate a page for the SDGs on companies’ websites.
• Mention insightful information about how many SDGs are being directly targeted; how many SDGs are being indirectly targeted! What do you want your company to achieve or be known for!
• Even you could go much deeper by talking about individual targets, going beyond the surface area of 17 SDGs only. The deeper you get in, your effort will be more committed.
• Make part of your annual plan and incorporate SDGs there. Ask your HR to set one KPI (out of many KPIs) as SDG target and implementation for all the human capital of your company.

You might be wondering that your company has no scope to work directly with the SDGs if it is the case even in the worst-case scenario.

Don’t worry at all.

Just an idea to consider in such extreme cases:

• Allocate a fund and treat that as an investment fund in the countries who are economically weak.
• Invest that money in the startup scene within the same industry as you are in.
• You will not only get the return of your investment but you will also have your extended portfolio built.
• Share this story on the dedicated SDG web page.

Additional actions to take:

• Use the SDGs action tools (SDG impact assessment tool, SDG action manager by the united nations global compact) and do self-assessment and benchmark it.
• After a certain interval, revisit and reflect on your progress. Measure it and draw an action plan to catch up the lagged ones.
• Communicate that in an inspiring manner. More and more companies and leaders will follow or replicate the approach. Eventually, it will create a multiplier effect.

So the bottom line is government, citizens, businesses — everyone has their own role to play in order to make the planned SDGs a reality within the defined timeline. One size fits all approach in terms of implementation will probably not help. Drastic plans need drastic actions. I believe, the business community can play their role far better than any other entity.

Would you like to have further dialogue on how your business is able to implement 17 SDGs in its strategy?

Just drop me a note at abirh@how2transform.com

I would love to continue the dialogue.