History of SDGs
At the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the MDGs were standardized and documented in advance, and were finally agreed upon by the 193 member states at the time. Just as the deadline for the MDGs (Millennium Development Goals) was approaching at the end of 2015, in September 2015, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted a new document, "Transforming Our World: Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development".
The document adopted by the General Assembly is commonly known as The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The 35-page document, written in English, lists 17 goals and 169 targets for sustainable development, including the SDGs, which not only address issues that cannot be met by the MDGs, but also include economic growth, social cohesion, environmental protection and other issues that will have an impact on each other, as well as proposing a unified approach. Unlike the MDGs, which only focus on developing countries, the SDGs are more universal and target all countries, regardless of whether they are developing countries or advanced countries.
Are SDGs and ESGs related? What is the difference between the two?
Some people may ask what the difference is between SDGs and ESGs. Many people confuse SDGs with ESG. To put it simply, although ESGs and SDGs have similar objectives, they are applied in different areas and have different focuses. ESG is an investment approach in which the investor uses money as an important tool to evaluate whether the resources acquired by the enterprise (not limited to investments through stocks and bonds) have a positive impact on the economy, society, and the environment from a long-term perspective. On the other hand, "CSR" and "Creating Shared Value" are more like a combination of corporate and social concepts. Instead of having a direct impact on society, the investor asks the company to enhance its long-term value through its investment activities, so that the company can endeavor to solve social problems, which, in short, means that it has an indirect impact.
SDGs are structured in a much larger way, with all stakeholders, from corporations, investors, countries, local governments, international organizations, educational institutions, non-profit organizations, NGOs, civil society, etc., from global-scale social issues to everyday consumer behaviors, lifestyles, and all kinds of actions to set ambitious goals.
Overall, ESGs are more focused on how investors assess the positive economic, social and environmental impacts of a business, and create long-term value by solving social problems through business. SDGs, on the other hand, encompass a wider range of participants, including corporations, investors, governments, international organizations, etc., and take into account everything from global social issues to daily lifestyles.
What the UN cares and cares about: 17 goals for SDGs
The UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) cover a wide range of areas, including: poverty eradication, hunger eradication, health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, rewarding jobs and economic growth, industrial innovation and infrastructure, reducing inequality, sustainable cities and communities, sustainable consumption and production patterns, addressing climate change, underwater life, terrestrial life, peace, justice and strong institutions, and implementing partnerships. strong institutions, and implementing partnerships. These goals are relevant to our everyday lives and reflect important global challenges today.
The Earth is begging for help! Reducing Plasticity for the World
As the issue of climate change becomes more heated, there is a growing interest in group activities to reduce the amount of plastic in the world. One such activity that has become a trend is the "beach cleanup" program. Such activities not only raise employees' awareness of environmental issues, but also enhance team cohesion while realizing the SDGs goals. As environmental awareness grows, many companies around the world are taking action to realize the SDGs goals in a practical way. Among them, beach cleanup activities have become an important way for companies to fulfill their social responsibility and environmental goals. Such activities not only raise employees' awareness of environmental issues, but also enhance team cohesion and realize the company's sustainability goals.
Take IKEA in the US for example, the company regularly organizes beach cleaning activities for its employees. In addition to responding to the SDGs of "ecosystem protection" and "climate action," the activities also further enhance employees' awareness of environmental protection. During the activities, employees gained a deeper understanding of the dangers of marine plastic pollution, which in turn raised their awareness of the company's environmental philosophy.
In addition, Toyota in Japan often organizes beach cleaning activities for its employees, which not only helps the environment, but also strengthens the team spirit among employees. Through these activities, Toyota has successfully realized the dual goals of environmental protection and team building.
In Taiwan, there are many companies such as Yuanta Group, Chunghwa Telecom, Lite-On Group, etc. that regularly organize beach cleanup activities and gather their employees to clean up the trash on the beach. In addition to doing our part for the planet, this also enhances the relationship between employees and builds a stronger team spirit.
All of these cases show that earth-friendly activities provide a platform for companies to realize their sustainable development goals, and at the same time provide a new direction for building company culture and enhancing the relationship between employees. Our company will use this as a reference to further promote sustainable development by integrating our own business and corporate culture.
Changing the world starts with changing each and every one of you in your organization.
Changing the world starts with changing ourselves. Every employee should understand the importance of sustainability and incorporate it into their work and life. Companies should also encourage their employees to participate in sustainability-related activities in order to cultivate a culture of sustainability and realize the company's sustainability goals. Only when everyone works together can we create a better future.
