Abstract
Purpose: This paper aims to provide some insights on how progress towards United Nations Sustainability Development Goals – SDGs- can be achieved by organisations. The focus is on two different contexts of UK and Brazil with a specific focus on SDG 9: “Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation” and SDG 12: “Responsible consumption and production”. Design/methodology/approach: This is a viewpoint paper with drawing from literature mainly from UN documents, UK and Brazilian governments and practitioner publications. Findings: A future research agenda is proposed, with four suggestions: (1) understand the context of SDGs, (2) Prioritise SDGs according to sector, (3) develop a common language, (4) Better understand how digital technologies can help sustainability and (5) system thinking application to SDGs. Research limitations/implications: The paper provides a viewpoint, so one of the limitations is that no data that has been specifically collected or analysed for the questions proposed. Nevertheless, it provides a good discussion point. Practical implications: The implications to practice, managers can place their own practical experience on progress towards SDGs with the future research agenda proposed in this paper. Social implications: SDGs are concerned with all aspects of sustainability including social development. This paper provides some insights on the different context that develop and developing countries observe. Originality/value: This paper highlights the potential different challenges and opportunities that the implementation of SDGs 9 and 12 poses in both developed and developing economies.
Highlights
Since the sustainability development goals (SDGs) were unveiled in 2015 (United Nations, 2015), there has been an enhanced drive for individuals, organisations and governments to know how to best achieve them
It has been argued that education is paramount (Parker, 2017) because of its direct impact on economic growth, innovation, responsible consumption and development of partnerships, which will foster looking after life in our environment, which will lead to the achievement of all the other SDGs
SDG 9: build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation The opportunities for shared value are listed by the United Nations Global Compact and KMPG (2016) and can be summarised as: the need to create sustainable industrial zones, find alternatives to traditional building materials, microfinance, government dialogue
Summary
Since the sustainability development goals (SDGs) were unveiled in 2015 (United Nations, 2015), there has been an enhanced drive for individuals, organisations and governments to know how to best achieve them. It has been argued that education is paramount (Parker, 2017) because of its direct impact on economic growth, innovation, responsible consumption and development of partnerships, which will foster looking after life in our environment (land, water and energy), which will lead to the achievement of all the other SDGs. In this vein, organisations such as Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME, 2019) foster responsible management education, by forming the leaders of the future with a conscious preparation on environmental issues.
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