Sustainable Development Goals Impact Research Articles

Developing and corporate purpose: impact of sustainable development goals

Developing and corporate purpose: impact of sustainable development goals

How environmental, social, and governance implementation and structure impact sustainable development goals

AbstractThis study investigates how environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategy and implementation, along with governance structure, influence sustainable development goals (SDGs). In recognizing the SDG gap between intent and implementation, our study places a special focus on the mediating role of ESG implementation, the moderating role of governance structure, and the pivotal concept of embeddedness of strategy in shaping SDG impact. To test the hypotheses, we analyze firm‐level data from 552 Taiwanese listed companies. The results suggest that ESG implementation mediates the relationship between a firm's ESG strategy and SDG impact. The governance structure plays a moderating role on the relationship between ESG implementation and SDG impact. Furthermore, the embeddedness of strategy shows a positive effect on SDG impact. The empirical findings contribute substantially to the theoretical landscape of ESG studies. The findings offer practical implications for business leaders striving to elevate their firms' SDG impacts.

Reducing Poverty and Promoting Sustainable Development in Nigeria: An Examination of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Poverty remains a prevalent issue, primarily concentrated in rural area and tied to various well- known impediments such as government shortcomings, deprivation, inflation, and disease. Poverty continues to be a pervasive and critical challenge faced by diverse economics worldwide. This paper investigates the Impact of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development in Nigeria. The specific Objectives of this study include assessing the potential of (SUGs) In Nigeria, evaluating the SDGs performance in poverty reduction, examining the obstacles hindering SDG performance in poverty reduction and sustainable development in Nigeria, and proposing measures to fortify SDGs impact on poverty reduction and sustainable development. The finding indicates that the activities associated with the SDGs have not made significant strides in diminishing poverty or advancing sustainable development in Nigeria. The study concludes that the Nigerian government has not exerted sufficient effort to meet the targets outlined in the SDGs policy document in the country. Consequently, the study recommends that governments at all levels prioritize through and rural development in Nigeria.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) practices and firms' financial performance: Moderating role of country governance

<abstract> <p>It is becoming increasingly apparent that businesses must consider the impact they have on the environment and society while pursuing profit maximization. As a result, there is a growing need to incorporate sustainable frameworks into business decision-making. By focusing on sustainable performance at the firm level, we addressed a significant gap in understanding how environmental and social Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) impact bottom-line performance and the crucial role that effective country governance plays in implementing sustainability at the organization level. In 2015, the United Nations established Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), where firms are encouraged to practice in the strategic operation of their businesses. In addition, country governance can play a significant role in adopting sustainable practices and policies that can impact bottom-line performance. In this study, we examined the relationship between environmental and social Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) practices, country governance, and firms' financial performance from 2017 to 2021. The sample data set consisted of top-listed firms in the finance, manufacturing, and technology industries of 100 companies from 17 countries in developed and developing and emerging economies. We utilized content analysis to account for the qualitative aspects of how firms implement social and environmental SDGs. Ten environmental SDGs and eight social SDGs were incorporated in this study as a means of measuring sustainable development goals' impact on a firm's financial performance. We adopted return on assets (ROA) to measure the firm's financial performance. We adopted government effectiveness and regulatory quality to moderate the relationship between social and environmental sustainability practices and firm performance. The panel regression method was exercised to find out the relationship between environmental and social SDGs' impact on financial performance. In addition, we measured the interaction effect between environmental and social SDGs and country governance on firms' performance. We also deployed two-stage least squares (2SLS) regression estimation to mitigate endogeneity concerns. We found that environmental SDGs had a positive and significant impact on firms' financial performance. The coefficient of social SDGs on firm performance was negative and statistically significant. We observed that the coefficient of interaction terms between environmental SDGs and country governance was positive and statistically significant. Moreover, the coefficient interaction terms between social SDGs and country governance were positive and statistically significant, lessening the negative impact of social SDGs on firm financial performance. Finally, we also performed a robustness test on our analysis based on the firm's average capital and average assets. The findings almost held the same.</p> </abstract>

Embedding Countries Governance in Assessing Companies' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Reporting: A Quantitative Analysis

The United Nations Sustainable Development Summit in New York in September 2015 resulted in a tumultuous period for the companies in their quest to support the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The adoption of SDGs by all United Nations member states targets ending poverty and other deprivations, developing strategies to improve health and education, reducing inequality, and spurring economic growth while tackling climate change and working to preserve oceans and forests. This paper aims to assess the influence of countries' governance six dimensions (Voice and Accountability, Political Stability and Absence of Violence/Terrorism, Government Effectiveness, Regulatory Quality, Rule of Law, and Control of Corruption) on European companies' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) reporting from 2019 to 2021. To achieve this goal, quantitative research was conducted through linear parametric regressions. The econometric analysis is based on six regression equations, one for each countries' governance dimension, data being collected from Thomson Reuters, World Bank Governance Indicator, and International Monetary Fund databases. The sample includes 2542 companies headquartered in Europe, with 6644 panel data observations highlighted. The results show that the indicators regarding countries’ governance negatively influence companies' SDGs reporting. This study fills the gap in countries' governance research in relation to companies' SDGs reporting, which helps develop future research. Therefore, future research should address other methods of quantifying the score of companies' SDGs reporting. Furthermore, this research may be extended to all 193 United Nations member states to investigate the impact of SDGs reporting on country performance.

Applying sustainable development goals in financial forecasting using machine learning techniques

AbstractThis study seeks to identify the impact of sustainable development goals (SDGs) in predicting corporate financial performance (CFP) in the information communications technology (ICT) industry. Data over the period of 2016–2020 that are relevant to financial reporting and corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting have been extracted for 208 firms in the ICT industry. Important variables have been identified to help predict the financial performance in the following years upon the publication of CSR reports. Drawing on resource‐based view and stakeholder theory, the purpose of this study is to find the quintessential variables that influence the prediction accuracy of financial performance. To better forecast earnings per share (EPS), machine learning feature selection methods have been implemented. The findings suggest that certain variables such as return on total assets, SDGs adoption and whether the firm has established KPI for SDGs achievements can help enhance EPS prediction. With the various predictive models, the artificial neural network model is the most effective in predicting CFPs. Most importantly, the adoption of SDGs can be utilized to sharpen the forecast on financial performance as it enables firms to bolster stakeholder engagement and evaluate environmental, social, and corporate governance efforts.

On the Incentive and Sustainability Impact of SDGs on Innovation in Small and Medium-Sized Tourism Enterprises (SMEs)

This paper investigates the influence of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on innovation and sustainability in Small and Medium-sized Tourism Enterprises (SMEs) in Brazil. Through qualitative methods, including interviews and document analysis, the study explores how specific SDGs act as incentives for innovation, shaping employment strategies and responsible production processes within SMEs. The sustainability impact is evident in environmental conservation, community engagement, and responsible consumption. Despite notable achievements, challenges such as resource constraints persist, emphasizing the need for targeted support. The study concludes that aligning with SDGs positions Brazilian SMEs as contributors to global sustainability, promoting responsible and innovative business practices.

The impact of SDGs triggering the geographical information system (GIS) innovation influencing urban and rural system mechanism and socio-economic growth

The globe has seen major breakthroughs in a variety of disciplines in recent years. The implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) necessitates a multifaceted approach that incorporates innovative ideas and technology to track, monitor, and evaluate progress towards long-term development goals. Geographic Information System (GIS) innovation is one such disruptive technology that has gained traction in recent years. Geospatial data is used by GIS to give important insights, enhance decision-making, and enable effective resource allocation. This study aimed to investigate the impact of the implementation of SDGs and GIS innovation on the socio-economic boom and concrete and rural machine mechanisms, with a focal point on the mediating role of community engagement and the moderating function of technology infrastructure. A quantitative research method turned into followed, and data was gathered from 320 individuals. A structured questionnaire was administered electronically to measure the constructs of SDGs implementation, GIS innovation, community engagement, socio-economic growth, and urban and rural system mechanisms. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was utilized for data analysis. The results indicated a significant and positive impact of both SDG implementation and GIS innovation on community engagement. Community engagement was found to have a significant and positive effect on socio-economic growth and urban and rural system mechanisms. Additionally, technology infrastructure was found to moderate the relationship between community engagement and urban and rural system mechanisms, as well as the relationship between community engagement and socio-economic growth. This study contributes to the existing literature by empirically examining the interplay between SDGs implementation, GIS innovation, community engagement, technology infrastructure, and their impacts on socio-economic growth and urban and rural system mechanisms. The findings highlight the importance of community engagement as a mediator and technology infrastructure as a moderator in achieving sustainable development goals and improving urban and rural systems.

The Relationship Between the SDGs and Corporate Performance: Key Factors Contributing to the Achievement of the SDGs

Sustainability has become a key concern for businesses and government agencies around the world. Companies are increasingly recognizing that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) not only has a positive impact on the environment and society, but also has a significant impact on their own performance and competitiveness. Therefore, this thesis aims to explore in depth the impact of SDGs on business performance and analyze the key factors for achieving SDGs. Through comprehensive analysis of relevant literature and case studies, this thesis concludes that actively promoting the realization of SDGs is an effective way to improve corporate performance. In pursuing SDGs, companies can ensure the relevance of their business activities to SDGs through the rational formulation and implementation of sustainability strategies and integrate sustainability into core business decisions and processes. At the same time, enhancing stakeholder engagement is one of the key factors in achieving the SDGs. Working closely with stakeholders, including employees, consumers, suppliers, communities, and governments, can help companies gain broader support and cooperation to jointly drive sustainability. In summary, the findings of this thesis suggest that actively promoting the achievement of SDGs is critical to improving business performance. To successfully achieve SDGs, companies need to develop and implement sustainability strategies, enhance stakeholder engagement, and adopt innovative business models and technology solutions. This will provide companies with a long-term sustainable competitive advantage and make a positive contribution to society and the environment.

The Impact of Sustainable Development Goals on Collaborative Entrepreneurship and Creating Transformational Leaders Towards Sustainable Business Models

The 2019 Coronavirus pandemic has revealed a world where the status quo no longer holds, reigniting the social debate on sustainability. Many people are becoming aware of the planet's vulnerability to natural disasters resulting from our current way of life and business practices. Due to these climate emergencies, climate change's impact could cost corporations $1 trillion in the next five years.
 In 2015, The 193 United Nations General Assembly member states witnessed and endorsed the '2030 Development Agenda' titled 'Transforming Our World.' The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a collection of 17 interconnected global goals set by the United Nations to serve as a "blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all." The question then arises, what should be done?
 This research aims to determine how Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) inspire collaborative and transformational leaders within the organization, thereby creating Sustainable Business Models. The empirical data for this study was collected from 327 respondents from various industries in Indonesia. According to this study, the UN’s SDGs are ineffective motivators for developing a Sustainable Business Model. However, business process sustainability becomes evident when collaborative actions and transformational leaders are utilized as intermediaries.

Voluntary sustainability reporting assurance in the European Union before the advent of the corporate sustainability reporting directive: The country and firm‐level impact of Sustainable Development Goals

AbstractDrawing on institutional and signaling theories, this paper investigates country‐and firm‐level impact of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on the European Union (EU) companies' decision to have sustainability reporting assured prior to the implementation of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). The dataset consists of 960 companies based in the EU and covers 2020–2022. The total number of observations equals 2880. The research focuses on SDGs‐related factors influencing companies' assurance decisions such as the countries' advancement in SDGs implementation represented by SDG SCORE and companies' efforts toward the SDGs achievement captured with SDG INDEX. The data are analyzed using descriptive statistics and the fixed effects regression model for panel data. The results of the study indicate that SDGs impact companies' assurance decisions on both levels. Larger companies tend to opt for assuring their sustainability reporting more frequently, while those operating in environmentally sensitive industries display greater hesitancy in this regard. The research findings suggest adding SDGs to the wide range of factors identified in previous literature as determinants of the differences in sustainability reporting assurance. Company managers should increase their efforts to achieve the SDGs, as this might promote the use of assurance. The involvement of government agencies, national accounting and auditing associations and standard setters in the implementation of the SDGs can be useful in facilitating the transition from voluntary to mandatory implementation of assurance under the new CSRD.

Measuring business impacts on the SDGs: a systematic literature review

The private sector must play a central role in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To fulfill their duty, businesses must rely on accurate methodologies for measuring their impact on the SDGs. Since they were established, tools for evaluating companies' impact on the goals have proliferated. Over the last few years, there has been an increasing interest from academia in the evaluation of business impacts on the SDGs. The current study undertakes a systematic literature review to investigate the state-of-the-art of academic research on corporate SDG impact measurement. The review sampled 30 articles published between 2015 and 2022. Relying on qualitative content analysis and descriptive statistics, this study investigates the scope, purpose, main findings, and publication data of the articles of the sample, aiming to provide some structure to this novel field of research. Furthermore, this work identifies relevant gaps in the literature, providing some insights for future research.

Social Impact of Sustainable Development Goals and Corporate Governance on Malaysian Government-Linked Companies – The Malaysian Perspective

ABSTRACT Purpose: To determine the public perception of the social impact of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Corporate Governance (CG) on public sector companies focussing on government-linked companies (GLCs) in Malaysia. Design/Methodology/Approach: To ascertain the social impact of SDGs and CG, a mixed-method approach of quantitative survey and qualitative interviews were employed. In this descriptive study, a purposive sampling technique was used to distribute a self-administered questionnaire to 400 respondents throughout the nation while 15 participants were interviewed. Findings: The majority of the respondents in the primary survey are aware of SDGs and have some knowledge about SDGs implemented by GLCs. However, it is interesting to note that when it comes to Corporate Governance, the major concern noted is that many programmes and projects by the GLCs are good but do not have the far-reaching effects that were expected. Originality/Value: The results of this study contribute to policymakers, regulators and practitioners by presenting the public perception on the SDGs and CG practices being implemented by the GLCs in Malaysia. The results will assist the Malaysian government in understanding the gaps between what the GLCs set out to do and how the public perceive the initiatives carried out. Improved and widespread education of the younger generation as to their legitimate rights and the benefits accruing from SDGs will enable them to articulate their needs and vocalise precise expectations from their leaders to improve decent work and economic growth in an era which is increasingly becoming competitive and combative, both locally and internationally. Keywords: SDG, CG, social impact, Malaysians.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS, HERDING, AND RISK-AVERSE BEHAVIOUR IN MUSLIM COUNTRIES

This study examines the impact of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on behavioural biases, namely herding and risk-averse behaviours, in Sharia-compliant stocks. It also explores the mediating effect of investors' sentiments on the relationship between SDGs and behavioural biases. Adopting panel data and quantile regressions, we find that that SDGs 4, 8, 10, 11, and 13 significantly and positively correlate with stock returns in Indonesia, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar. However, SDG 7 is the only SDG goal that is significant to Saudi and UAE stock returns. The results imply a complete mediation as the SDGs have caused changes in investors' sentiment and subsequently triggered the investors to herd and become risk-averse. The impact of SDGs is more pronounced in the upper and lower quantiles of Indonesia, Saudi, and UAE stock returns, as well as the median quantile of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar stock returns. The results of this study can benefit policymakers, regulators, and practitioners in identifying the best SDG practices to assist Sharia-compliant stocks in Indonesia and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to attain better stock returns and improve investors' sentiments and behaviours. The results can also assist governments in weighing the impact and benefits of adopting SDGs in different Muslim countries.

Productivity and Impact of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)-Related Academic Research: A Bibliometric Analysis

In this paper, we conduct a bibliometric analysis of the global research related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the United Nations sustainability agenda. Our analysis builds upon the Elsevier Scopus-indexed scientific outputs since all those are classified for SDG relationships at indexing. We follow the recently published research protocol and use the Elsevier Scopus engine and the SciVal bibliometric reporting and benchmarking tool to analyze the productivity and impact of the global SDG-related research in the 2017–2022 period. We report on the most influential authors and publication outlets for SDG-related research, focusing on the collaboration patterns and their relationship to research productivity and impact. We also use keyword analysis and science mapping to describe the intellectual structure of the SDG research and its implications, which could be interpreted in terms of the “bandwagon effect”.

What they say, what they do and how they do it: An evaluation of the energy transition and GHG emissions of electricity companies

The electricity sector is a critical player in combating climate change through the energy transition. Therefore, companies in the sector should align their policies and actions with the world's major environmental movements, such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Paris Agreement. This paper assesses the energy transition and GHG emissions mitigation by the electricity sector using Paris Agreement targets and evaluates the impact of SDGs and science-based targets adoption on their decarbonization. From 2017 to 2019, we evaluated 39 global electricity companies using their sustainability reports and the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) based on Paris Agreement global warming scenarios of 1.5 °C and well-below 2 °C (WB2°C). We discovered that all companies prioritize climate change actions, with 87% linking these actions to at least one SDG. When analyzing whether GHG emission reductions were in line with either Paris Agreement scenario, this figure dropped to 51%. Companies with SBTi met the 1.5 °C and WB2°C targets at a rate of 92% compared to 32% of companies without SBTi. We concluded that SDG adoption had no effect on mitigation results and that companies with SBTi performed significantly better in terms of emissions reduction and transition to renewables, although there was no proof of causality. These findings can help with the adoption of more effective policies for the implementation of SDGs and their prioritization in the sector, as well as encourage emission targets based on consolidated methodologies to guide companies' actions.

Organisations' contributions to sustainability. An analysis of impacts on the Sustainable Development Goals

AbstractOrganisations have been driving sustainability, where some efforts have focussed on the organisation itself and some on how organisations contribute to society, such as addressing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Although organisations have been working to address the SDGs, there has been limited integration of the SDGs in organisation systems. This paper aimed at analysing how organisations have been addressing the SDGs. A survey was developed to investigate the impacts and contribution of organisations to sustainability, where 294 responses were obtained for the questions on organisations' impacts to the sustainability. The data were analysed using descriptive analysis: Friedman test to rank the impacts on the SDGs and divided into quartiles; a ratio analysis between positive impacts and negative impacts; and correlations. The results show that organisations' impacts on the SDGs are quite generalisable to all types of organisations, with three exceptions (SDGs 4, 5 and 16). The results also served to develop an SDG impact categorisation. The correlation analysis showed that organisations address the SDGs through a compartmentalised approach. The results helped to propose the ‘organisations' impacts on the SDGs framework’ focussing on the contribution of organisations to sustainability. This research shows that organisations can contribute directly to some of the SDGs, but not to others. Therefore, the discourse must change from integration of SDGs on organisations to the contribution that organisations can have on the SDGs.

Impact of Sustainable Development Goals on Economic Growth in Saudi Arabia: Role of Education and Training

Sustainable development goals (SDGs) are intended to be attained as a balanced whole. However, significant interactions (the synergies and trade-offs) between the SDGs have caused the need, especially in developing economies, to identify and pursue them in line with their particular developmental needs. The research intends to empirically investigate the relationship between selected UN SDGs and GDP growth rate as a proxy for economic well-being in Saudi Arabia. We also investigate the role of education and training in achieving SDGs in accordance with the Saudi Vision 2030, which places emphasis on the knowledge economy. This research employs multiple regression analysis to explore the relationship between the SDG variables and the GDP. The results show that education and training, gender equity/women’s empowerment, greenhouse gas emissions, and decent employment are positively and significantly related to the GDP growth, whereas poverty, hunger, and health appear to be negatively related. The research indicates that education and training can promote economic, socioeconomic, and health goals without compromising environmental goals. Consequently, the Saudi government should invest more in education and training to maximize synergies and minimize tradeoffs between the SDGs. This will help to promote sustainable employment generation, build human capital, improve socioeconomic empowerment through technology, and boost economic growth.

Mobile Technology's Role in Meeting Sustainable Development Goals

It has become increasingly important for companies in the twenty-first century to consider environmental sustainability. Various industries have taken varied approaches to environmental protection. Every major cell phone company has gotten behind this great cause at some point. The digital divide exists even in the most remote regions of the world, where there is little or no infrastructure. Cellular technology adoption continues to climb even as prices come down for smartphones and the availability of reliable networks expands. Because mobile devices are so widely available and frequently used, many forward-thinking individuals are turning to them to help eliminate knowledge gaps, alleviate poverty, and enhance the environment. According to the GSMA's sixth annual SDG impact report, the mobile industry's contribution to all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) increased in 2020. We are barely half-way to our potential impact on attaining the Sustainable Development Goals because of this worldwide pandemic. Given that the 2030 SDG targets are only 10 years away, progress cannot be taken for granted. There is a strong correlation between mobile phone uses in all the countries of the world. Thus, the purpose of the study is to demonstrate how mobile technology helps achieve long-term sustainable development goals.

Does Sustainable Development Goals Disclosure Affect Corporate Financial Performance?

This study provides empirical examination of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) reporting in Oman. It also examines the impact of SDGs reporting on corporate financial performance. The study adopts content analysis of the narrative sections of the annual reports to measure levels of SDGs reporting. The study examines all financial companies listed on the Muscat Stock Exchange over the period of 2016–2020. Regression models are used to examine the impact of SDGs on corporate financial performance. Our analysis adds to the literature in two crucial respects. First, we provide evidence that financial institutions in Oman have performed poorly in SDGs reporting. Second, we provide evidence that SDGs reporting positively affects corporate financial performance. Our findings offer solid practical implications to regulators, different stakeholders, policymakers, board members, and managers. The study makes an important and novel contribution to corporate disclosure literature. So far as we know, it is the only paper to examine levels of SDGs reporting in financial institutions in a developing country. Moreover, to the best of our knowledge, it is the first paper to show that SDGs reporting is positively associated with corporate financial performance.