Need a framework for sustainability? Use the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals

The Corporate Sustainability Collaborative’s last Quarterly Meeting introduced us to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  These broad goals can act as a framework on which to build a more socially responsible and sustainable business. Mike Wallace from BrownFlynn, an ERM Company, gave us the 30,000-foot view of the SDGs and how they compare to other measurement tools.  (View his CSC SDG introduction for links to a TON of great resources.)

In this same presentation, Michelle Singler of Portland Roasting Co. covered how their local business incorporates UN SDGs into its employee engagement program. (Skip to page 35 to see their work.)  Michele Machado from Hostelling International (Hawthorne) also gave examples of how HI’s network of travelers’ hostels built an award-winning awareness campaign around the SDGs. (Skip to page 41 to see their work.)

Jami Haaning from Engie Insight shared a crucial tool for considering how to use the SDGs in your organization. Download her worksheets to consider questions that can help you find the right SDGs for your company.