MAKE IT YOUR BUSINESS: ENGAGING WITH THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS - PWC
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It makes commercial sense to embed the SDGs in operations and
strategy, but how ready is business to support governments achieve
these global goals?
Make it your business:
Engaging with the Sustainable
Development Goals
71%
of businesses say they are
already planning how they
will engage with the SDGs
13%
of businesses have identified
the tools they need to assess
their impact against the SDGs
41%
of businesses say they will
embed SDGs into strategy
and the way they do business,
within five years
90%
of citizens say it’s important
for business to sign up to the
SDGs
www.pwc.com/sdg
Contents
Foreword 3
Overview 6
Results at a glance 8
What business prioritises and why? Is self-interest driving selection? 9
Business is set to cherry pick their SDGs 12
Living in an interconnected world 14
The people perspective – citizens are employees too! 18
Can a focus on SDGs help mitigate risk and optimise opportunity? 20
Engaging with the SDGs – what happens next? 22
Contacts 30
Foreword
2015 is a momentous year for change. It could be a pivotal year in human history turning
the tide on the major social, economic and environmental issues of our times. With the
ratification of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the way we do business has
the potential to fundamentally shift. A new demand for assessment and accountability
could drive real change across the business community, with a sense check against the
impact on society.
Driven by the UN, the SDGs sense if a CEO wants to be business in a way that resonates
are a set of global goals that on the receiving end of ‘fair’ and can be easily interpreted
governments are expected to regulation and a welcoming and incorporated into normal
adopt. When they sign up to licence to operate. It’s not business operations. No NGO
them, they will look to society, about business implementing speak or political rhetoric, but
and business in particular, the SDGs - it’s about business practical guidance on how
for help to achieve them. It having a strategy that, at to engage and the business
will herald a major change the national level, is goal- benefits of doing so. After
for business. Governments congruent with government all, the investment involved
will want to measure and ambition. for business should not be
monitor progress and manage underestimated. Determining
the effectiveness of their Equally, there is real requirements, accessing the
interventions. In turn, business opportunity here. The SDGs right skills and developing
will need to assess its impact put a spotlight on some of the the right tools, will be top
on the SDGs and review its world’s biggest issues and our priorities to understand and
strategy accordingly. It will ability to shape our impact on deliver impact assessment, goal
need to collect, assure and them, for good or bad. To my setting, strategy development,
Malcolm Preston report new data, evolving its mind, this represents a catalyst operational change and
PwC, Global Sustainability reporting too. for innovation and new market reporting in this new world.
Leader opportunities for the savvy CEO
It would seem sensible that a to embrace and drive growth. Business will also need to
CEO will want to know if their rethink its strategy and change
business operations (across its So how can government get the behaviours to evidence its
value chain) support or detract best from business? There is contribution and, hopefully, be
from the government’s goals. no clear request for support as seen to contribute positively
This just seems to be common- yet, it is early days. But when it to the government’s goals.
comes, it needs to be pitched to
PwC Make it your business 3
“We are encouraged by the high degree of awareness of
the SDGs among sustainable companies and their belief
that business has a key role in making the SDGs work.
A truly global movement is underway. For companies,
successful implementation of the SDGs will strengthen the
environment for doing business and building markets around
the world. The case is clear for companies to get involved
by doing business responsibly and pursuing opportunities
to solve global challenges through innovation, investment and
collaboration.”
Lise Kingo, Executive Director, United Nations Global Compact
International companies will the Global Reporting Initiative majority. This level of change Secondly, we are already
need to get to grips with the (GRI) who have joined forces to will take many years and seeing governments using
differing priorities of different guide their members through potentially cross the tenure of the draft SDGs to inform the
countries and the national the requirement) and they several CEOs before it becomes development of policy and
policies in place to deliver were keen to hear the business business as usual. Will we see regulation. Those businesses
them. It’s not about tweaking perspective too. a new ‘legacy commitment’ that are aware of and engage
what they do, but looking at emerge with outgoing CEOs with the SDGs are more
core strategy. With no holistic What our analysis shows is wanting assurance that their likely to have alignment with
view or understanding of how that there’s good awareness strategies to embed the SDGs emerging policy, giving them
the SDGs interlink with each of the SDGs that is translating will not be over turned by their more resilient business models.
other or if a positive impact at many levels into great successor?
in one area creates a negative engagement. However, there’s So what’s the starting point
impact in another, it may prove little consistency in approach Our work with business for business? How does this
complex to navigate... there or priorities. Real direction and policy makers in this translate into action and next
will not be a “one size fits all” is needed, written in a way area points to two critical steps? For many, the best place
answer. that’s tailored to resonate business imperatives. Firstly, to start will be to understand
with the business community businesses that align and what impact a business is
We wanted to find out how and inspire action. It’s also engage their strategy with having against each of the
engaged and prepared business clear that this is not going national priorities will most SDGs, recognising that these
is with the SDGs and to to be delivered on day one. likely be given their licence all differ country by country.
understand their current plans Admittedly, with some citing to operate, by governments After all, a business needs
and vision. We shared our an impending data revolution, and citizens alike – those that to understand which of its
thinking with SDG Compass overnight delivery is not do not, or who struggle to activities are preventing or
(the combined working group expected. But what will cause demonstrate alignment with hindering governments from
of the UN Global Compact concern is the potential for the national interest, cannot achieving their goals, or worse
(UNGC), The World Business slow progress as the five year expect equivalent treatment, taking them in the wrong
Council for Sustainable vision reveals significant and so creating competitive direction. Then businesses need
Development (WBCSD) and fundamental gaps for the disadvantage. to understand, strategically,
4 PwC Make it your business
“The post-2015 development agenda presents a historic opportunity for
businesses to engage more deeply as a strong and positive influence on society.
Leading businesses can provide an extraordinary boost in realizing the
SDGs through innovation, investment, a mass customer base and a global
labour force. In turn, the SDGs can amplify the opportunity for business
to be successful by improving the enabling environment and by providing
inspiration and direction. Visionary and forward-looking companies
must take the lead in pushing the sustainable development agenda
forward. The SDG Compass provides companies with the tools to put sustainable
development at the heart of their business.”
Peter Bakker, President & CEO, World Business Council for Sustainable Development
where operations and growth
could support national
governments achieve the SDGs
“This research identifies the high level of SDG awareness
and identify the opportunities
for competitive advantage.
amongst the business community and highlights the
opportunity to convert this awareness into action. Business
Making the difference the and government leaders can agree with international
UN hope for will take serious principles, such as the United Nations Sustainable
commitment, investment Development Goals (SDGs), but often they still need practical
and strong leadership from
guidance on implementation. Many companies are looking
the top. I often talk about a
for tools to enhance their contribution to the SDGs and the
change in business model from
shareholder to stakeholder and
SDG Compass has been developed as a guide for companies to meet
I can see the SDGs driving this this need. From GRI’s perspective, when organisations align their
new approach, as short term strategy with the SDGs and measure their contribution through
gains are put to one side to data driven reporting, and as governments understand this
achieve long term sustainable contribution by tracking progress within their jurisdictions, we’ll
development. And we can’t see the sustainable decision making needed to achieve these goals.”
overlook the issues of a CEOs
legacy. SDGs, with their 15 Michael Meehan, Chief Executive, Global Reporting Initiative
year time horizon, could help
CEOs drive their longer term
vision for their business. This
is a pivotal year for our planet
and we are all ready for change
– my hope is that business
recognises the critical role it
has in helping achieve these
new global goals.
PwC Make it your business 5
Overview
the reality that environmental MDGs because they were aimed
Not so long ago, sustainability is a key at developing nations. The 17
sustainability was seen by consideration. At the same SDGs, however, are relevant
most companies as little time those same companies are for every global company:
more than a peripheral coming under greater scrutiny they don’t discriminate
‘green’ issue – useful for about their role in society. between mature and emerging
reducing energy and waste Fuelled by the explosion in economies and their focus is on
disposal costs or supporting online social networking, the broader issues that drive
some worthy community consumers, NGOs, the media sustainable development.
causes but hardly central to a and their own employees
company’s core business. are holding companies to Still, why should business
account about their treatment really care? The SDGs are
That view is changing. a product of two years of
Increasingly, companies of workers, the sourcing and
quality of their products and multi-stakeholder negotiations,
from all sectors are having including business and the
to confront and adapt to a their corporate culture.
private sector, and all 193 UN
range of disruptive forces As companies navigate this member states are preparing
including globalisation, uncertain business landscape, to sign up to them. While
increased urbanisation, intense having a cohesive vision of the SDGs are not legally
competition for raw materials environmental and social binding, they will act as de
and natural resources and a sustainability will help them facto regulation and drive the
revolution in technology that develop new models for implementation of national
is challenging the business growth and opportunities to regulation and incentives to see
models of many sectors while be product, service and market them succeed.
forcing all companies to be leaders. So there is no better
more accountable to, and time for the United Nations We believe that when global
transparent with, all their to launch its Sustainable companies align with the
stakeholders. Development Goals (SDGs) – SDGs they will have a clearer
a roadmap for good business view on how their business
As a result, sustainability is helps or hinders a government
moving from the corporate growth for the next 15 years.
to achieve its goals, and the
sidelines into the mainstream. In some ways the SDGs opportunity to evidence and
Faced with a future of (see Figure 1: Sustainable maintain their license to
uncertain energy costs, Development Goals) seem operate. We think they’ll also
looming regulation on carbon like a continuation of the UN’s have a competitive advantage
emissions, concerns about Millennium Development Goals over those companies that don’t
access to raw materials and the (MDGs). In reality, they are understand their contribution
availability of natural resources very different. Business, for the or use the knowledge to revise
like water, companies all over most part, didn’t focus on the their strategies accordingly.
the world are waking up to
6 PwC Make it your business
Figure 1: Sustainable Development Goals
End poverty in all its forms everywhere
End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote
sustainable agriculture
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning
To better appreciate the opportunities for all
approach global companies
are adopting, with regard to
the SDGs, we conducted two
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
separate surveys this past
summer – one for business and
another for citizens – that were
promoted through social media Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
and shared with PwC clients,
United Nations Global Compact
(UNGC) members and Global
Reporting Initiative (GRI) Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
members. We wanted to know
just how aware companies and
citizens were of the SDGs and Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and
how companies were planning productive employment and decent work for all
to engage with them.1 The
reason is simple and pressing.
Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation
Once ratified, governments
and foster innovation
will formulate new regulation,
incentives and strategies to
achieve the SDGs, gaining
momentum to deliver lasting Reduce inequality within and among countries
change.
Expectation is high that
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
business will make a
significant contribution to
help governments, and society
for that matter, achieve the Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
goals. Smart companies
wanting to position themselves
as supporters may want
plan now how they can take Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
sustainability and put it at the
heart of business growth to stay
ahead of their competition. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for
sustainable development
Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems,
sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land
degradation and halt biodiversity loss
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide
access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions
at all levels
1 PwC SDG Engagement Survey Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for
was conducted during June-July sustainable development
2015 and generated 986 business
responses and 2015 citizen
responses. Source: United Nations, Open Working Group; Global Goals, www.globalgoals.org
PwC Make it your business 7
Results at a glance
1 2
92%
Government is seen as having prime
responsibility to achieve the SDGs by
business and citizens alike (49% of business
responders and 44% of citizens ranked
government first)
SDG awareness amongst the business
community is high (92%) compared to
the general population (33% citizens
aware of SDGs)
3 4
Business has already started to There are distinct gaps in how to engage,
take action: especially in areas where tough decisions
71%
are required.
13%
Only 13% of businesses
29%
Only 29% of businesses are
Despite only 10% business responders ranking business have identified the tools setting goals, but what gets
with prime responsibility, 71% business say they are they need measured gets managed,
already planning how they will respond to the SDGs. what’s in an objective gets
done.
5 6
We should be optimistic that Citizens grasp the significance:
engagement will increase by 2020:
22% 4%
90%
of citizens believe it is
78%
of citizens said they were
22% of business responders say they are doing nothing important that business more likely to buy
right now, but this drops to 4% when thinking about signs up to the SDGs the goods and services
what they’ll be doing in five years. of companies that had
signed up to the SDGs.
8 PwC Make it your business
What business prioritises and
why? Is self-interest driving
selection?
of these three organisations may be reticent to claim opportunities). The chart
The exact nature and and the fact that only those responsibility, but they are not reflects all top five placements
requirements of the SDGs interested in SDGs actually shying away from taking action. given to each global goal, but
might not yet be common chose to participate. As you’ll it’s interesting to note that
knowledge throughout the see though, if the most engaged After all, it makes sense to companies ranked SDG 8
business world but, judging and enlightened companies know how your business (Decent work and economic
from the responses we are those that responded, the contributes towards a growth) as the top SDG they
received, awareness among results would suggest that there government’s ability to achieve have the greatest impact on and
companies is already high is even less planning and action its SDGs. Mapping how you as offering them the greatest
with 92% of the total group happening in the rest of the align, measuring your impact, business opportunity. Globally,
saying they already knew business community. and implementing initiatives to all regions listed SDG 8 (Decent
of the goals. Compare that improve creates a good basis for work and economic growth) as
with just 33% of the citizens However, business is split on dialogue. It helps to evidence the SDG where they could have
surveyed. who they see is responsible your commitment and protect the most impact apart from the
for achieving them. Nearly your licence to operate. If Middle East where companies
It’s a significant gap in half (49%) of the business you’re looking to venture into
awareness. This high result saw SDG 3 (Good health
participants surveyed believe new markets, it helps to secure and well-being) as the more
for business could be a government has the prime your licence to operate in the
reflection of both the survey pressing goal.
responsibility (only 10% gave first place.
being self-selecting and, in business prime responsibility).
the main, promoted via the Despite this, 71% are already It’s quite clear where business
UNGC, PwC and GRI. Perhaps making plans on how to sees its contribution (see
high awareness is driven by a respond to the SDGs – they Figure 2: Business impact
relationship with at least one on the SDGs and potential
“[The SDGs are] new for us. We don’t have enough knowledge about it but
everything that means growth, knowledge and contributing to a better
world is part of our essence and to see that our company obtains recognition
and that it can be sustainable and competitive.”
Engineering & Construction, Kenya
PwC Make it your business 9
It’s hardly surprising that
Figure 2: Business impact on the SDGs and potential opportunities
fostering employment is an area
Q. From the list below, please rank the five SDGs where you believe your business (and your value chain) has the greatest that business feels it can have
impact. (mean index score)
a direct impact on. After all, a
Q. From the list below, please rank the five SDGs that could represent a business opportunity for your company in the
future. (mean index score) sustainable, growing workforce
is good news for both companies
and society, and this vein of
Decent work and
economic growth self-interest when prioritising
SDGs extends through
Climate action industry sectors. Companies
Industry, in the Energy, Utilities and
innovation and
infrastructure
Mining sector say they have
the greatest impact on SDG 7
Quality education
(Affordable and clean energy);
Good health and the Healthcare sector highlights
well-being SDG 3 (Good health and well-
Responsible
consumption and
being), while the Chemical
production sector cites SDG 13 (Climate
Gender equality action). The Chemicals industry
also places SDG 2 (Zero hunger)
Affordable and in third place – a nod to the
clean energy
importance of the sector in
Clean water and
sanitation
agribusiness perhaps.
Life on land Overall, when you look at
the SDGs that companies are
Partnerships for prioritising it’s clear that they
the goals
are identifying areas where
Sustainable cities
and communities
their business can excel and
grow (see Figure 3: Top business
Zero hunger impacts by industry). That
might grate with some critics
Peace and justice
Strong institutions who believe self-interest lies
at the heart of environmental
No poverty
issues and corporate greed, but
Reduced identifying the growth potential
inequalities of responsible environmental
and societal strategies – the
Life below water
so-called Triple Bottom Line –
lies at the heart of sustainable
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
business. When business profits
n Impact n Opportunity from solving social problems,
Source: PwC SDG Engagement Survey, 2015 when it makes profit while
benefitting society and business
performance simultaneously,
it creates solutions that are
“Fundamentally, businesses need much more support in areas including scalable.1 Should we question
collaboration, inclusiveness, partnership building, effective communication, the motives of business if
and the recognition/elimination of racism in all of its forms. In most their activity and ingenuity
respects, understanding the benefits of ‘Long-Termism’ as an indispensable works to the benefit of society?
Enlightened self-interest
element of the business approach that supports SDGs... The concept of
focused on the SDGs could
‘Alignment of Interests’ is also a vital aspect that traditionally businesses generate tangible results.
have struggled to support their business objectives.”
Asset Manager, Italy
1 Michael Porter, Rethinking Capitalism, https://hbr.org/2011/01/the-big-idea-creating-shared-value
10 PwC Make it your businessEngaging with the SDGs:
“We launched a project to better understand and manage our socio-
economic contribution in areas where we operate. This project will
enable us to ensure our efforts and resources are allocated to ensure
our contribution is efficient and sustainable, and that we are aware and
contributing to the management of any negative impacts of economic
growth in the areas where we operate.”
Metals, Mining & Extraction, USA
Figure 3: Top business impacts by industry
Q. From the list below, please rank the five SDGs where you believe your business (and your value chain) has the greatest impact. (mean index score)
Chemicals Communication Energy, Engineering Financial Healthcare Manufacturing Professional Retail and Technology
Utilities and and Services Services Consumer
Mining Construction
Source: PwC SDG Engagement Survey, 2015
Question to Business:
Q. With an industry focus on a limited number Q. Once developed and shared with your own
of SDGs, is there opportunity for industry industry, are you willing to share best practice
associations to support their members, and with other industries? This would fast track
create best practice and share knowledge? thinking for business on SDGs that they’ve
Can you look to them for advice, support and prioritised lower.
guidance on measuring your contribution to
specific SDGs?
PwC Make it your business 11Business is set to cherry pick
their SDGs
However, at the moment, Prioritising one or two SDGs Also, if the ‘cherry picking’
The SDG framework has companies look set to ‘cherry might make sense internally is driven by the front facing
been devised to be adopted pick’ the SDGs they want to (and might make for good teams in PR looking for strong
as a whole with the business focus on and ignore others sustainability PR) but, from messaging to appeal to the
impact across all 17 goals that don’t meet their corporate an honesty and transparency media, no one is pushing for
intended to be viewed in its priorities or comfort zones. perspective, governments, genuine understanding that
entirety (see Figure 4: The Just 1% of companies we citizens and other stakeholders could embed change and drive
Global Goals). For business, surveyed plan to assess their are likely to be less impressed. business performance that
the aim is to understand the impact on all 17 SDGs – With 90% of citizens we more closely aligns with what
impact of its operations and reflecting the spirit of the SDGs. surveyed saying that it’s governments are trying to
activity, taking into account 34% said they were planning important for business to sign achieve.
its positive and negative to assess some SDGs that are up to the SDGs and 78% saying
effects, and if it offers relevant to their business they would change their buying Can a business really be
help or a hindrance to the (see Figure 5: Business is behaviour because of SDGs, expected to focus on all 17
governments of the markets planning how to assess their public engagement has the SDGs? 44% of the companies
it is operating within. impact on the SDGs). potential to be high. we talked to say they plan to
Figure 4: The Global Goals (for sustainable development)
Source: Global Goals, www.globalgoals.org
12 PwC Make it your businessFigure 5: Business is planning how to assess their impact on the SDGs
Q. How do you plan to assess your impact on the SDGs?
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
We have no intention We plan to assess our We plan to assess We plan to assess We plan to assess our Don’t know
to assess our impact impact on the SDGs our impact on some our impact on all the impact on all 17 SDGs
on the SDGs but have not thought of the SDGs and SDGs and indicators and indicators
through how indicators relevant to relevant to our
our business business
Source: PwC SDG Engagement Survey, 2015
assess all or some of the SDGs are. It’s less about picking
that are relevant to them. This the easiest, most obvious or “We will study and understand the SDGs and
could simply be a rational positive ones, and more about how they have touch points and impacts on
cost benefit trade-off and picking the ones that are
potentially a sensible approach material to the business.
our organisation. As a socially responsible
– a recognition that they need The suspicion, considering organisation, we will respond to the SDGs
to start somewhere. the SDG priorities expressed and apply ourselves and implement those
by companies, is that this isn’t that (1) impact the business and (2) can be
Perhaps, but only if those the case at present. most effectively implemented for the common
companies really comprehend
how all 17 SDGs impact good. A focus on local communities around the
their value chain and they operations will be the point of departure for
have thought through how selected SDGs.”
interconnected these goals Metals, Mining & Extraction company, Colombia
Question to Business:
Q. How do you manage your Q. How do you select your Q. Should you cherry pick
stakeholders’ expectations starting point? Do you focus the best SDGs for your
when you want to focus on on the SDGs that are material business or the best ones for
a limited number of SDGs, if to your business? Or the the planet?
the expectation is that you SDGs you can contribute
should know your impact positively towards? Or the
across all 17? How do you SDGs on which you have the
avoid a challenge to your biggest impact?
reputation?
PwC Make it your business 13Living in an interconnected world
It’s of concern then that some Strong institutions) didn’t growth strategy is all well and
Where business has an impact goals consistently fail to be appear in any top five for good if companies have a fully
it tends to see opportunity prioritised highly regardless of over 80% of businesses. Is rounded understanding of
as well. (see Figure 6: industry (see Figure 7: Which this a reflection of business their sustainability impact and
SDGs – Business impact and SDGs could be left out in the deprioritising them or opportunity. With too many
opportunity) It makes sense cold?). SDG 14 (Life below recognition that achieving companies that isn’t the case.
that those SDGs in the high water), SDG 10 (Reduced other SDGs may potentially
impact/high opportunity inequalities), SDG 1 (No have knock on benefits? Take SDG 14 (Life below
quadrant are more likely to get poverty), SDG 2 (Zero hunger) water), which aims to
tackled first. and SDG 16 (Peace and justice ‘Cherry picking’ goals and conserve and sustainably use
aligning SDG action to business the oceans, seas and marine
Figure 6: SDGs – Business impact and opportunity
Q. Please rank the five SDGs where you believe your business (and your value chain) has the greatest impact (mean index score).
Q. Please rank the five SDGs that could represent a business opportunity for your company in the future (mean index score).
45
Decent work and
economic growth
40
35
30
Climate action
25 Responsible
Quality education Industry, innovation and infrastructure
Impact
consumption and
Gender equality Good health production
20 and well-being
Affordable and clean energy
15 Life on land Clean water and sanitation
Zero Hunger
Peace and justice Strong institutions Sustainable cities and communities
10 No Poverty Partnerships for the goals
Reduced inequalities
5
Life below water
0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
Opportunity
Source: PwC SDG Engagement Survey 2015
14 PwC Make it your businessresources for sustainable
Figure 7: Which SDGs could be left out in the cold?
development. Water levels are (% not ranking an SDG in their top five)
rising, warming, becoming
more acidic and holding less Q. Please rank the five SDGs where you believe your business (and your value chain) has the greatest impact.
Q. Please rank the five SDGs that could represent a business opportunity for your company in the future.
oxygen, yet SDG 14 (Life below
water) barely registers in the
corporate conscience, based on Life below water
this survey. These factors also
Reduced inequalities
have direct links to other SDGs
like SDG 13 (Climate action),
No poverty
SDG 9 (Industry, innovation
and infrastructure) and SDG 3
Zero hunger
(Good health and well-being).
Business looks to the Shipping Sustainable cities and communities
Industry to take a lead, but
most ocean problems don’t Life on land
stem from transport. According
to UNESCO, land-based Clean water and sanitation
sources (such as agricultural
run-off, discharge of nutrients Partnerships for the goals
and pesticides, and untreated
sewage including plastics) Gender equality
account for approximately 80%
Peace and justice
of marine pollution, globally.2 Strong institutions
Once companies have a better- Good health and well-being
rounded view of how they have
an impact on the achievement Quality education
of the SDGs, we may start to
Affordable and clean energy
see so far neglected goals move
onto the corporate radar. Take
Climate action
SDG 1 (No poverty) as one
example. It sits high on the Responsible consumption and
UN priority list, but low for production
business which views SDG 8 Industry, innovation and
infrastructure
(Decent work and economic
growth) as top of its agenda. Decent work and economic growth
Improve employment for all
and you start to address one 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
of the key causes of global
poverty – the lack of work. Impact Opportunity
Source: PwC SDG Engagement Survey 2015
It’s just a matter of making
the right connections within
the SDGs. In this way
SDG 8 (Decent work and
economic growth) could yet
be the common denominator
across industry and the SDG
that links business.
2 UNESCO, Facts and figures on marine pollution http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/ioc-oceans/priority-
areas/rio-20-ocean/blueprint-for-the-future-we-want/marine-pollution/facts-and-figures-on-marine-pollution/
PwC Make it your business 15One for all and all for one? All SDGs are equal but some are more
How linked are the goals? David Le Blanc, UN DESA, equal than others – where to put the
has shown that two of the proposed goals, SDG 12 smart money
(Responsible consumption and production) and In terms of social good, some SDGs provide better returns
SDG 10 (Reduced inequalities), provide critical connections than others. Made up of 169 targets, if the world were to
among other goals and make the SDGs more tightly linked spend money equally across all of them, it would do about
as a network. He’s ranked the goals according to the number $7 of social good for each dollar spent. But according to
of other goals they’re linked to. SDG 12 (Responsible the Copenhagen Consensus, a much shorter list of just 19
consumption and production), SDG 10 (Reduced targets will do the most good for the world. Every dollar
inequalities), SDG 1 (No poverty) and SDG 8 (Decent work spent on these targets will likely produce $32 of social good.
and economic growth) top the list and all have links with Being smart about development spending could be better
10 other goals or more. At the bottom of the list are SDG 7 than quadrupling the global aid budget.4
(Affordable and clean energy) with 3 links, SDG 9 (Industry,
innovation and infrastructure) with 3 links, and SDG 14
(Life below water) with 2 links.3 So with SDG 8 (Decent
work and economic growth) the top ranking SDG for
business, we could naturally see improvements across other
SDGs as well.
Engaging with the SDGS:
“We have developed a five year social investment framework with focus
areas that map to a number of the SDGs. We are developing a monitoring
and evaluation framework to track and report outputs, outcomes and
impacts delivered as a result of the implementation of our social investment
framework.”
Energy, Utilities and Mining, Egypt
Question to the UN:
Q. Is SDG 8 (Decent work and economic growth) a good Q. It’s clear that some SDGs are not on the radar for business.
starting point for the UN to focus on to build and drive Are they covered elsewhere or is there a risk they won’t be
business engagement around the SDGs? What would the achieved? Is a plan of action required to ensure these SDGs
benefit be of driving SDG 8 (Decent work and economic are achieved?
growth) on other SDGs eg. Would it have a positive impact on
SDG 1 (No poverty) and a negative impact on SDG
12 (Responsible consumption and production) perhaps?
3 Department of Economic & Social Affairs, David Le Blanc, Towards integration at last? The sustainable development goals
as a network of targets, http://www.un.org/esa/desa/papers/2015/wp141_2015.pdf
4 World Economic Forum, Bjørn Lomborg, What are the smartest goals for sustainable development? https://agenda.
weforum.org/2015/05/what-are-the-smartest-goals-for-sustainable-development/?utm_content=bufferec136&utm_
medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
16 PwC Make it your businessWill business pick Figure 8: MDG issues in a new era
up where the NGOs
left off? 2000 2015
Driven by governments
and NGOs, the Millennial MDGs SDGs How Which SDGs
business thinks business
Development Goals (MDGs) it impacts the sees as an
achieved much, but it is SDGs opportunity
widely recognised that there
Poverty/Hunger Decent work and economic growth
is significant work still to be
done. It’s expected that the Zero hunger
SDGs will engage the private No poverty
sector far more effectively
Education Quality education
than the MDGs, with business
a proactive supporter of Equality/Women Gender equality
governments as they try to
Reduced inequalities
achieve the goals. Certainly,
we’ve noted that awareness Child Mortality Good health and well-being
of the SDGs is high amongst Maternal health
business, much more so than
citizens. HIV/AIDS/Malaria
Environment Climate action
Mapping the MDGs to the SDGs
and then exploring where Clean water and sanitation
business feels it has an impact Life on land
versus an opportunity exposes
areas of weakness in this plan Sustainable cities and communities
(see Figure 8: MDG issues in Peace and justice Strong institutions
a new era). There’s a distinct
Life below water
possibility that while some
areas move forwards (eg. SDG Partnership Partnerships for the goals
8 (Decent work and economic
Industry, innovation and infrastructure
growth)) others will not be a
party to the same driving forces Affordable and clean energy
(eg. SDG 1 (No poverty) Responsible consumption and
and SDG 2 (Zero hunger)). production
Least impact/opportunity (mean index score 20)
Source: PwC SDG Engagement Survey 2015.
Question to the UN:
Q. Thinking about the MDGs, if MDG issues are not being Q. Is there work to be done to communicate that by driving
picked up by business through the SDGs (neither SDG 1 SDG 8 (Decent work and economic growth), SDG 1
(No poverty) nor SGD 2 (Zero hunger) are a strong focus (No poverty) nor SGD 2 (Zero hunger) will be improved?
across the business community), what can be done differently Standing in the shoes of business, will an understanding of
over the next 15 years to engage industry better to make sure the relationships between the 11 SDGs ranked in their top five
these goals are achieved? and the other SDGs, help business better see the true extent
of their role in society? Some work on the interplay of the
SDGs across the Food.Water.Energy nexus has already been
undertaken.5
5 Stockholm Environment Institute, Cross-sectoral integration in the Sustainable Development Goals: a nexus approach, 2014
PwC Make it your business 17The people perspective –
citizens are employees too!
This is a strong mandate and that general society deem organisation who had signed
Citizens are keen to see reinforces the business case to important rather than focusing up to the SDGs. This increased
business sign up to the take action. But, interestingly, just on the goals where the to 90% for citizens from Latin
SDGs (see Figure 9: Citizens the priorities for business, company believes it has the America.
think it’s very important that whether looking at impact most impact and opportunity?
business signs up to the global or opportunity, are markedly After all, business is dependent To reinforce the point, consider
goals) with Argentina (80%) different to those of the global on society for employees, how citizens and government
and Malaysia (70%) the most citizens we talked to (see customers and its reputation are aligned on the issue of
impatient. Figure 10: Are business and and licence to operate. So if SDG 1 (No poverty) – it’s a
citizens on the same wave business is targeting thinking prime focus for the UN when
length?). SDG 1 (No poverty), towards priorities not on they communicate about SDGs
SDG 2 (Zero hunger) and the consumer agenda, is this but is not a high priority for
SDG 6 (Clean water and indicative of a disconnect in business. On the other hand,
sanitation) are in the top five the way business identifies and SDG 13 (Climate action)
SDGs that citizens cite but values its dependencies? appears in the top five for both
these barely registered with the business and citizen groups.
companies. Citizens also place In the ‘front-facing’ parts of the Could this synergistic view,
SDG 15 (Life on land) and business such as marketing, combined with a potential
SDG 16 (Peace and justice product development and binding climate change
Strong institutions) much customer service, companies agreement at the COP21
higher up their agenda. ignore consumers at their peril. Climate Conference in Paris,
78% citizens reported that they prove to be a tipping point
To what extent should business would be more likely to use in how the world tackles this
be taking a lead from the goals the goods and services of an pressing SDG?
Question to Business:
Q. If it’s important to your customers, your Q. Is SDG 13 (Climate action) the best SDG
stakeholders, should it be important to you? to partner with citizens to achieve, as it’s the
Is there an opportunity to align your focus to SDG with strongest appeal to both groups?
that of your clients?
18 PwC Make it your businessFigure 9: Citizens think it’s very important that business signs up to the global goals
Q. Having read the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, how important do you think it is that business sign up to these goals? (% selected ‘very important’)
Russia
UK 44%
67% Germany
France 66% China
53% 49%
UAE
55%
USA Japan
50% 30%
Thailand
Nigeria India 40%
58% 58%
Malaysia
It’s very 70%
Brazil
important for 60%
business to
South Africa Australia
sign up 69% 51%
Argentina
80%
Source: PwC SDG Engagement Survey, 2015 Global 59%
Figure 10: Are business and citizens on the same wave length?
Q. Please rank the five SDGs that could represent a business opportunity for your company in the future (mean index score).
Q. From the list below, please rank the five SDGs that you consider most important to you (mean index score).
45
40
35 B1
Decent work
and economic
30
B2 growth
Business opportunity
Good
Industry,
B5 health B4 C2
25 innovation and Climate action
infrastructure
Responsible
consumption
B3 and well-
being
Affordable and
20 and production clean energy
Sustainable cities C3
and communities Quality education
15 Gender equality
C5
10 Peace and justice Life on land Clean water and sanitation
Partnerships for
Strong institutions C1
the goals
Reduced inequalities
C4 Zero Hunger
5 Life below water No Poverty
0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
Citizen importance
C1-C5 = top 5 ranked SDGs for citizens
B1-B5 = top 5 ranked SDGs for business
Source: PwC SDG Engagement Survey 2015
PwC Make it your business 19Can a focus on SDGs help mitigate
risk and optimise opportunity?
We’ve taken a look at how the WEF reports it as both high as SDGs, there is much lower
With business seemingly set WEF data stacks up against impact and high likelihood relevance placed on them by
to focus on a small number companies’ opinions on the and business sees it as the business either from an impact
of SDGs, is there more to be SDGs. It creates an interesting priority SDG. Energy and or opportunity perspective.
done to show business how picture. We asked business to climate change both register, When it comes to risk and
SDGs are relevant to their prioritise the top five SDGs by perhaps less so, but already opportunity prioritisation, if
business? Every year the the impact they had on them both business and government business chooses to put several
World Economic Forum (WEF) and the opportunity, while are upping their commitment SDGs on the back burner, they
asks business leaders for their WEF asked business to state if and investments in addressing are going to need to select
views on the greatest risks to they viewed an issue as a risk these goals. carefully to avoid leaving risks
their business,6 both from the (see Figure 11: Comparing WEF unaddressed. If they are not
perspective of the impact it Risks 2015 against business However, WEF Risks 2015 joining the dots about how one
would have on their business perspectives on SDGs). identifies both water and SDG impacts others or positions
and the likelihood biodiversity as being high SDGs into the wider business
of it happening. Employment is a hot button impact and high likelihood, context, a course of action may
issue both from a risk and serious potential disruptors be ruled out unwittingly.
opportunity point of view. to business operations. Yet,
Do CEOs have backing to make long-term plans?
With a timeline of 15 years, will it be the CEOs of today sharing their achievements against
the SDGs in 2030? According to the PwC 17th Annual Global CEO Survey,7 most companies
(51%) work to a three year planning horizon, not a good start for a 15 year project demanding
significant investment. An added complication is that average CEO tenure is dropping, from
10 years to 8.2, if the S&P 500 is anything to go by between 2002 and 2012.8 So invest now
and you are unlikely to see the fruits of your labour during your tenure. That’s a difficult
message for a CEO to accept and then drive forward, one which will take strong leadership
and vision to look beyond it. Especially when, according to the Conference Board, CEOs with
less than five years in their current position are more likely to be dismissed for a company’s
poor performance than CEOs with longer tenure.9 Will supporting the SDGs become a legacy
initiative for many CEOs?
6 WEF Global Risks Report, 2015 http://reports.weforum.org/global-risks-2015
7 PwC 17th Annual Global Survey www.pwc.com/ceosurvey
8 Departing CEO tenure (2000–2013), Conference Board https://www.conference-board.org/retrievefile.cfm?filename=TCB_
CW-0561.pdf&type=subsite
9 Departing CEO Age and Tenure, Conference Board https://www.conference-board.org/retrievefile.cfm?filename=TCB-
CW-019.pdf&type=subsite
20 PwC Make it your businessFigure 11: Comparing WEF Risks 2015 against business perspectives on SDGs
Q. Please rank the five SDGs where you believe your business (and your value chain) has the greatest impact (mean index score).
Q. Please rank the five SDGs that could represent a business opportunity for your company in the future (mean index score).
45
Decent work Water crises
and economic
40 growth Failure of
climate-change
35 adaptation
Unemployment or
30
Climate action underemployment
Quality education Good health and Industry, innovation and
25 well-being infrastructure
Fiscal crises
Impact
Responsible
Gender equality
consumption and production
Spread of infectious
20
Affordable and diseases
clean energy
15 Life on land Clean water and sanitation Food crises
Zero hunger
Peace and justice Strong institutions Sustainable cities and communities Energy price shock
10 No poverty Partnerships for the goals
Biodiversity loss and
Reduced inequalities
5 ecosystem collapse
Life below water
Failure of critical
0 infrastructure
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
Failure of urban planning
Opportunity
Source: PwC SDG Engagement Survey 2015; World Economic Forum, The Global Risk Report 2015 RISKS
Question to Business:
Q. Will aligning business Q. Is it worth being mindful of Q. In addressing your risk
behaviour to SDGs reduce how exploring the connection register, will you be able
identified risks too? between SDGs and business to identify more ways in
risks, might influence how which you impact the SDGs
you prioritise the SDGs? and how you are positively
contributing towards them?
PwC Make it your business 21Engaging with the SDGs – what
happens next?
Indeed, 22% say they are
There are compelling reasons Figure 12: What action can we expect to see from
business by 2020? doing nothing right now –
to support the SDGs and they’re waiting for ratification,
business has great ambitions Q. What action is your business taking to prepare for the launch of the SDGs? for government regulation,
to do so. Best practice Q. What action do you think your business will be taking within the next five or just don’t see it as their
and process on ‘how to’ is years to implement the SDGs i.e. what is your vision?
responsibility.
limited though – a gap in
Identifying relevant SDGs
the execution that has the However, as far as citizens
potential to slow engagement. are concerned, waiting isn’t
CSR engagement
So, how can business fast an option, or leaving SDGs to
track its thinking and turn the others to achieve. Our results
Specific projects engaging with the SDGs
complexity of the global goals suggest citizens expect business
into business as usual? to apply SDG thinking to their
SDGs embedded in strategy and way of doing business core business activity, with
Making SDGs matter less emphasis on peripheral
to business Goal alignment with relevant SDGs projects or reporting. 50%
It’s encouraging to see that expect business to embed
companies are already taking Identification and use of indicators for relevant SDGs the SDGs into its strategy and
steps to understand what the way it does business (see
the SDGs will mean for their Figure 13: Citizens expect
Annual Sustainability report written in line with the SDGs
business (see Figure 12: What business to take action).
action can we expect to see However, this compares to only
Identification and use of tools that will help assess impact
from business by 2020?). At against relevant SDGs 31% of business responders
present, 52% of the companies saying they were currently
we talked to are identifying planning to do so, ie. embed
Alignment of philanthropic donations with the SDGs
the SDGs that are relevant the SDGs, rising to only 41%
to their business, 34% are who thought they’d be doing it
Annual report written in line with the SDGs
identifying specific projects within five years.
that will contribute to the SDGs
and 29% are setting goals or Alignment of Foundation work with the SDGs
It’s evident too that some
preparing to set goals aligned citizens have higher
with the SDGs that are relevant 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% expectations than others –
to their business. this could translate into a
n Current activity Next five years greater and more vocal demand
This is obviously the beginning Source: PwC SDG Engagement Survey 2015
for engagement and action
of a journey. It’s evident that in some countries more than
there is a huge disconnect others (see Figure 14: Citizens
between awareness and have high expectations).
planning to actual action.
22 PwC Make it your businessFigure 13: Citizens expect business to take action Figure 14: Citizens have high expectations
Q. What actions do you think businesses should be taking to support the SDGs? Q. What action do you think businesses should be taking to support the SDGs?
SDGs embedded in strategy and way of doing business SDGs embedded in strategy and way of doing business
100%
CSR engagement
90%
Support SDG development process
80%
Specific projects engaging with the SDGs
70%
Malaysia UK
Identifying relevant SDGs Nigeria
60% Argentina
China
Brazil
Alignment of Foundation work with the SDGs Thailand
50% Global
UAE
South Africa
Alignment of philanthropic donations with the SDGs France
40%
Germany
Australia
Annual Sustainability report written in line with the SDGs
30%
India Russia USA
Japan
Annual report written in line with the SDGs
20%
No action
10%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 0%
Source: PwC SDG Engagement Survey, 2015 Source: PwC SDG Engagement Survey, 2015
PwC Make it your business 23The vision for 2020 is and services of companies that
promising. Roll on 5 years and had signed up to the SDGs
90% of companies say they (see Figure 15: SDGs influence
will be taking some sort of buying behaviour). Around
action. This would seem to be the world, 78% are saying the
the smart strategy: in Brazil, same thing, so if citizens see
nearly all citizen participants the SDGs as a differentiator,
(95%) said they were likely or business is right to engage.
highly likely to use the goods
Figure 15: SDGs influence buying behaviour
Q. If you knew that an organisation had signed up to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, would that make you more or
less likely to use their goods or services? (% responding likely or very likely)
95% Brazil
87% India
86% Argentina
85% China
85% South Africa
Source: PwC SDG Engagement Survey, 2015
Question to Business:
Q. Will your customers think Q. Will lack of engagement Q. If your customers are
your business isn’t doing with the SDG agenda more likely to buy from
enough to support the SDGs become a reputational issue? a company signed up to the
or doing it fast enough? SDGs, can you afford not to?
“[We need] clarity on the regulatory and legal roadmap governments
plan to implement to support the SDGs. Businesses want as much certainty
in their business environments so that they can plan their contributions
and how they impact the SDGs. Too much uncertainty and variability in the
regulatory and legal regimes increases business risk and stifles innovation
and longer term thinking.”
Communications company, France
24 PwC Make it your businessPwC Make it your business 25
“I think that there will be challenges about
how to measure and monitoring the actions.
Business do many things but they don’t know
which of those are linked with the SDGs,
so a guide with some examples per industry
will help.”
FS company, Colombia
Figure 16: What’s stopping business engaging?
13%
Speeding up against the SDGs that are
engagement relevant to their business.
The SDGs could yet be real This is understandable
game changers, fundamentally considering the newness of of the companies
reshaping how global business them, but even in five years,
surveyed have
operates, but it’s clear that only 30% think they will be
using impact assessment identified the tools
business is adopting a wait-
and-see attitude in terms of tools. Assessing impact is that will help them
implementing definitive action. fundamental to valuing assess their impact
the positive and negative against the SDGs
A fear of the unknown and contributions a business makes
the inability to measure and towards the SDGs. Without the
evaluate how SDGs will impact tools identified and in use,
a company is one reason for business will struggle
this reticence. Just 13% of to engage effectively (see
the companies surveyed have Figure 16: What’s stopping
identified the tools that will business engaging?). Source: PwC SDG Engagement Survey, 2015
help them assess their impact
26 PwC Make it your business“A standardised tool for gap analysis, monitoring,
reporting and measurement would be most
relevant for industry benchmarking, or best
practices sharing.”
Manufacturing, Denmark
In an ideal world, every In a world where time costs
business would know how their money, non-financial impacts Mapping SDGs to business activity
activities and the consequences are rarely measured, and The tools to map SDGs to a business don’t currently exist.
of them (even the unforeseen investment budgets under Some companies are developing their own methodologies
elements), map across to the scrutiny and stringent others are reliant on their business associations. Consistency
SDGs. Their operations would prioritisation, what’s the reality of approach is lacking. And for a multinational there is
have identified, valued and be and the appetite to embed the added complexity that there is no single approach for
measuring how they contribute SDGs? Clarity is required to governments – some SDGs will be more important than
to each SDG, monitoring their give business the confidence to others – so there’s the added need to determine government
impact, and implementing new embrace the SDGs. Guidelines, priorities too. Recognising the issue business is facing, PwC is
ideas to effect improvement. case studies, best practice developing a mapping tool that helps a business understand
SDG impact awareness examples, mapping tools etc are not only how its operations and activities map against the
wouldn’t be confined to a all needed. But we’re hearing SDGs, but also how the business maps against the SDG
specific showcase project, but business ask for support with priorities of the countries it operates within.
be embedded in a new way financing, resource and skills
of working that prioritises requirements as well. It is only
the impact on the global when they are in place will we
goals alongside its business see real engagement. Measuring impact
objectives. The success of the SDGs has a huge reliance on data – many
are predicting a data revolution to meet the demand.
Defining which indicators are relevant, how current
“I believe it is important to set out examples and business metrics align to them and potentially developing
good practices so that companies can decide additional ones, and working out how to measure success
how to proceed. The intention is there but the against them, will be a significant time outlay for business
as well as investment across their operations. Total impact
implementation sometimes is not clear and methodologies and techniques will prove invaluable – PwC’s
therefore the actions are delayed.” Total Impact Management & Measurement framework
Retail & Consumer, Europe is one such approach that would support business in
establishing a baseline from which to monitor, measure
and evaluate the impact of interventions and strategy, and
Engaging with the SDGs: provide the evidence for how a business contributes towards
the achievement of the SDGs. It is more than measuring
“We have developed...a measurement framework
outputs, impacts and outcomes though, as data will need to
to understand the impact of the work we are be recorded and submitted in a timely fashion too.
doing to directly support over half a million small For more information, go to pwc.com/totalimpact
enterprises to enhance their business growth
and family livelihoods.”
Retail & Consumer company, Brazil
Question to Business:
Q. H
ave you identified Q. Are you clear on how Q. H
ave you identified your
the tools you’ll need to you’ll assess your impact? internal stakeholder
establish which SDGs groups and are they
your business has an on board to deliver the
impact on? strategy that supporting
the SDGs involves?
PwC Make it your business 27You can also read
