According to Global Survey on Sustainability and the SDGs, people are familiar with the meaning and concept of sustainability. The aim of SDGs (United Nations Sustainable De-velopment Goals) is to provide all people with an orientation framework in order to
understand the concept of sustainability. Nevertheless, in contrast to awareness of sus-tainability as a term, a little bit less than a half of respondents around the world (to be more specific 49,7%) know what SDGs represent (Global Survey on Sustainability and the SDGs, 2020). Despite the results presented above, humans do take an interest in SDGs. Based on research conducted by Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC), more than three quarters of citizens claimed that they would rather use services and goods of a company that had signed up to the SDGs (CGMA, 2018).
United Nations (UN) strive for a better and sustainable future through sustainable de-velopment goals (SDGs). Those goals concern global challenges that we are being faced with such as poverty, climate change, inequality, degradation of the environment or a matter of peace and justice (United Nations). As can be read from the Figure 2, there are 17 goals that were adopted by all member states of United Nations in 2015, repre-senting an element of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development that set a 15-year plan in order to achieve those goals (United Nations).
Figure 2: United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (United Nations)
Furthermore, the goals particularly relevant to this work will be described more in detail.
The first goal strives for ending poverty in all its forms and everywhere. “Globally, the number of people living in extreme poverty declined from 36 per cent in 1990 to 10 per
health and well-being, but still not enough to achieve this goal (United Nations, 2020).
Even in this area, the COVID-19 pandemic leads to an impossibility to meet the target.
Due to this crisis, a large percentage of global population is suffering while the global economy is being destabilized (United Nations).
The fourth goal aims to ensure equitable and inclusive quality education and promote learning opportunities for everyone lifelong, Increased access to education is one of the keys to escape poverty. In 2018, there was 260 million children out of school which was a significant progress. However, by April 2020, there was 1.6 billion children and youth out of school due to COVID-19 spread and subsequent restrictions. It is important to mention, that the number of students out of school has never before been so high (United Nations).
The fifth goal focuses on achievement of gender equality and empowerment of all girls and women. There have been many achievements in this area, such as higher number of girls in schools, more women in parliament and leader positions, fewer young girls forced into marriage and law reforms in order to advance equality of genders. However, the COVID-19 crisis has negatively affected the progress, especially due to an increase in women’s unpaid care work or violence against girls and women (United Nations).
The eighth goal strives for a promotion of inclusive, sustained and sustainable economic growth plus productive and full employment and a decent work for everyone. This growth might contribute to the creation of decent jobs for everyone as well as to the
improvement of living standards (United Nations). According to The Sustainable Devel-opment Goals Report 2020, there is anticipated to be the biggest unemployment growth since world war II due to COVID-19 crisis (United Nations, 2020).
The twelfth goal is to ensure both sustainable production patterns and consumption.
“Should the global population reach 9.6 billion by 2050, the equivalent of almost three planets could be required to prove the natural resources needed to sustain current life-styles” (United Nations). When consuming and producing in a sustainable way, a degra-dation of the environment might decline, resource efficiency increase, and poverty alle-viate (United Nations).
The thirteenth goal strives for an urgent action to fight climate change and its impacts.
2019 happened to be the second warmest year on record and CO2 levels with other greenhouse gasses increased to new records (United Nations). Since there has been a significant reduction in human activity due to COVID-19 pandemic, emissions are ex-pected to decline by 6%. However, the trend of increasing emissions is projected to con-tinue as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted (United Nations, 2020).
The fourteenth goal is focused on life bellow the water, particularly on conservation and a sustainable use of the oceans and seas resources (United Nations, 2020). This goal plays a very important role even when it comes to the climate change since oceans are able to absorb almost a one third of carbon dioxide that is produced by humans (United Nations).
The fifteenth goal is to protect, promote and restore sustainable use of ecosystems, to manage forests in a sustainable way and to minimize desertification (United Nations, 2020). Nowadays, almost 75% of our planet’s surface has been touched by humans and nearly one million plant and animal species might be faced with extinction (United Na-tions).
SDGs in a given country will have a tremendous impact on the business environment. If there is a reduction in poverty in a particular country, you are increasing the consumer base for your product” (CGMA, 2018, p. 7). This principle works when it comes to edu-cation and gender equity as well. When being active in addressing these issues, business will notice a positive effect on their brand reputation (CGMA, 2018).