There are significant benefits for businesses incorporating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into their operations. New business opportunities through market differentiation, expansion, and growth, increased attractivity for employees, customers, and investors, better employee retention, supply chain resilience, and reduced costs through resource and operational efficiency are some of the positive effects SDG-aligned companies can expect. Furthermore, the SDGs – as the only universally agreed blueprint for a sustainable and prosperous future for all – can enable businesses to stay ahead of the curve, not least with rapidly changing ESG regulations.
The following report provides an overview of each of the SDGs in turn, explains why the Goals are material to businesses down to the SDG Target level, and showcases good practice examples of how businesses in the UK are already contributing to achieving the Goals. Examples draw from multinationals, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as well as a variety of sectors and industries. The report ends by highlighting how businesses can accelerate action to create a world we like to live and do business in by taking a leadership role through SDG-aligned policy advocacy.