The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) represent a unique opportunity for companies to align their own sustainability agenda with the broader global goals. While the scale and scope of the global goals can vary, the fundamental ways that businesses can contribute remain unchanged.
The Global Compact Network Canada (GCNC) has been spearheading and promoting the SDGs in Canada through collaborative efforts with the private sector. After several consultations with various Canadian companies, it was determined that the lack of SDG-inspired practices was one of the leading obstacles in the adoption of the SDGs—which resulted in the preparation of this “SDGs Emerging Practice Guide.”
We made an open call to the Canadian private sector to submit examples of how its policies are working to advance the SDGs. To get structured responses, we asked the following questions:
- How was your primary SDG focus identified and prioritized in the company’s value chain?
- How was your primary SDG integrated and anchored throughout your business?
- Did you employ any innovative approaches in your efforts to implement the goal?
- Were any partnerships leveraged or created?
- What communications strategy did you employ to share the initiative with your stakeholders?
- How did your company measure impact and how would you describe success?
- What were some key lessons learned? Please also elaborate on any setbacks you may have encountered?
Practices employed by companies and organizations for the advancement of the SDGs will continue to evolve regularly as we continue to find new and improved methods of advancing the goals. Therefore, we hope to see more innovative examples in the next publication.
This guide is part of a growing number of tools that the UN Global Compact provides to support the Canadian private sector.
