Post published on Medium on 8-2-17 https://medium.com/@albert.vilarino/how-to-implement-actions-to-achieve-the-sustainable-development-goals-6a38232a4df9

1. Albert Vilariño Alonso
Consultant in Corporate Social Responsibility, Sustainability, Reputation and Corporate Communicatio…
Aug ; · = min read
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How to implement actions to
achieve the Sustainable
Development Goals?
The scope of issues and the measures necessary to achieve the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDG) have led to the publication of various tools that
help in its implementation.
It seems that it was yesterday, but it has been little more than a year since
the entry into force of the SDG, with a time horizon for its fulfillment of the
year 2030.
17 Objectives with 169 goals of an integrated and indivisible character that
cover the economic, social and environmental spheres, and which were once
objects of criticism and it was discussed “From the Millennium Goals to the
SDG… Repeating mistakes?”.
In 2016 the first reports and status data of the SDG were published and the
situation left much to be desired in a Spanish level according to data from
the Observatorio de la Sostenibilidad, while globally there were different
situations according to each country as you can see in this report of the
United Nations.
SDG are obviously very global objectives but on which we must act through
local actions that join and move in the same direction.
And in order to be able to meet them successfully, it is essential that the
SDG are known by stakeholders and it is also very necessary to use guides
and tools to assist those groups in achieving the goals set.
The indispensable role of the private sector.
While governments and the civil sector have retained their relevance to UN
objectives, the business community at all levels has taken an
unprecedented lead role in meeting the challenges posed by the Goals.
An important role that was also concretely recognized by Ban Ki-moon to
senior representatives of Spanish companies, encouraging them to
implement responsible models of management and to look for
opportunities to make transformational changes that will help to achieve
the SDG.
In order to assist the private sector in its important role, the publication of
two guides should be highlighted.
The first of these is “The private sector and the SDG. Practical
guide for action”, carried out by the Spanish Network of the United
Nations Global Compact and whose publication in September we already
echoed in this article.
This guide provides a detailed approach to each of the 17 Goals from the
perspective of the companies, an explanation of what they are, and how
companies can contribute to their achievement from a management point of
view and also taking into account the vision of other external stakeholders.
It also includes some internationally agreed tools and indicators, as well
as several case studies.
Another guide for the private sector is the “SDG Compass”, developed by
the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the United Nations Global Compact
and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).
Its purpose is to guide companies in how they can align their strategies and
measure and manage their contribution to the SDG.
SDG Compass bases its guidance on facilitating organizations’
understanding of SDG, encouraging the definition of priorities on which to
act, setting business objectives aligned with SDG, integrating sustainability
into the core business and corporate governance, and incorporating the
SDG into their communication and reporting to stakeholders.
It has a focus on large multinational companies but also encourages
small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as other organizations, to use it
as a source of inspiration and adapt it as needed.
Action plans for policy makers.
Governments and the public sector are also relevant in the SDG as
discussed above, since policies that are introduced will depend to a large
extent on the creation and promotion of enabling environments that
facilitate the achievement of the Goals.
This is even more important and necessary in developing countries
where many of the SDG have a complicated starting point and are far from
being met.
It is for this reason that the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) has published
a guidedeveloped with other organizations for policy makers in developing
countries, which provides guidance on the adaptation of the Goals in their
national planning.
The extensive 113-page document, in addition to explaining SDG and
establishing five steps for their implementation and policy integration,
provides ten case studies of individual countries at different stages of
development such as Switzerland and Cambodia.
Human Rights: transversal principles of
the Goals.
An analysis of SDG shows that Human Rights are very relevant in the new
sustainable development agenda, since the objectives emphasize the
principles of equality, non-discrimination, and access for all, and
many of the SDG are defined directly related to economic, social, cultural,
civil and political rights.
The Danish Institute For Human Rights is an independent Danish
institution operating as a link between governments, NGOs and businesses
and has developed The Human Rights Guide to the Sustainable
Development Goals.
The guide is the essential tool for “understanding the connections between
human rights and SDG, and developing a human rights-based approach
to the programming, implementation, monitoring and review of
sustainable development”.
It is designed to be used by any stakeholder group and can assist in
basing national, regional and global action plans and SDG implementation
strategies on Human Rights.
It is also useful to include existing Human Rights control and reporting
mechanisms in the monitoring and review processes of the Goals, to
identify additional indicators to those proposed and to promote an
inclusive, transparent and participatory approach in implementation,
monitoring and review at all levels.
Urban development as a source of
challenges and opportunities.
Cities and urban settlements will be key to achieving global SDG.
Urbanization has generated some of the greatest development challenges
in the world, but it also offers tremendous opportunities to drive
sustainable development.
For forward-thinking urban and local governments, the SDG agenda is a
powerful toolto mobilize collective action around common goals that not
only improve the quality of life of local residents, but also turn cities into
attractive investment centers.
SDG 11 recognizes the key role of urbanization for sustainable development
and urges “to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient
and sustainable”.
For these reasons, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network
(SDSN) has also published its guide on how to implement SDG in cities.
This entity was created with the purpose of mobilizing global scientific and
technological experience to promote the practical solution of problems for
sustainable development, including the design and implementation of SDG.
Once these have been adopted, the organization is dedicated to supporting
the implementation of the Goals at local, national and global levels.
“Getting Started with the SDGs in Cities” was published in July 2016
and is aimed at local and regional government leaders, policy makers, civil
servants as well as corporate and civil society professionals working in cities
and human settlements around the world.
The shift towards sustainable development is an opportunity for urban and
local governments to move away from traditional development paths
towards more inclusive, environmentally sustainable and economically
successful development paths.
The guide, among other things, provides step-by-step suggestions for
local authorities and stakeholders in defining, planning and implementing
strategies to achieve the Goals.
It also offers tools and experiences from different cities and countries,
where users will find methodologies that allow the local implementation
of SDG, adapting to different contexts.
Sustainable Development Sdg Sustainability Corporate Responsibility Csr
Albert Vilariño Alonso
Consultant in Corporate Social Responsibility, Sustainability, Reputation and
Corporate Communication,and integration of people with disabilities.
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