In our recent blog post, ‘Sustainability Values – Starting with Why’, we introduced you to the golden circle of sustainability. We took a look at how identifying our values was at the core of our approach to sustainability. After focusing on the ‘why’, we shift our focus to the ‘how’ – that being how we approach sustainability.
There are many ways that we can approach sustainability. At The Whole Story we are big believers in using the Sustainable Development Goals in our approach to sustainability. The Sustainable Development Goals provide a great compass for steering our actions and impact towards sustainability.
What are the Sustainable Development Goals?
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. At their core the Sustainable Development Goals are focused on five P’s: People, Planet, Peace, Prosperity, and Partnerships. They are very ambitious goals based on a transformational vision to work towards building a better future for all people and the planet. This focus allowed for the creation of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals which cover many key topics such as biodiversity and ecosystems, education, sustainable agriculture, poverty eradication, gender quality, industry, technology, trade, innovation, and much more.
Key features of the Sustainable Development Goals include:
- An integrated approach – that is, the Sustainable Development Goals recognize that action in one area will affect outcomes in others, and that sustainable development must balance social, economic and environmental sustainability
- An applicability to a wide range of contexts including global and international, policy, business, and individuals
- A universal language to communicate sustainable development that is recognised by all countries around the world
- The pursuit of ‘win-win’ co-operation to create gains for all countries, parts of the world and of society
- An emphasis on benefit for all – better futures for current and future generations, and prioritisation of people who traditionally have been left behind
- A focus on economic, social and environmental objectives to ensure a balanced approach to sustainable development
Prioritising the Sustainable Development Goals that align with your values
While action towards all of the Sustainable Development Goals is important, it is also important that our approach to sustainability is in fact sustainable itself. Creating action and impact is all about continuous and consistent efforts, so we advocate for choosing your top five Sustainable Development Goals to prioritise your sustainability strategy and impact around.
How we approach sustainability is tied into our values. Therefore, what Sustainable Development Goals we seek to prioritise in our strategic approach to sustainability will also be aligned with our values. Identifying our top five Sustainable Development Goals may take a process of elimination, or it may be relatively straightforward – it really is personal to you and your values.
Identifying the top five Sustainable Development Goals that you seek to prioritise is a great way to be strategic in your approach to sustainability. This prioritisation of Sustainable Development Goals then allows us to focus on prioritisation of actions and resultant outcomes, which we will touch on in a future blog post.
I challenge you to take some time to identify your top five Sustainable Development Goals and really think about why they are the ones most important to you. I’ve spent some time doing the same and show you my five below, and the reasons why I’ve chosen them.
Lucy's Top Five, and Why
Sustainable Development Goal #3 – Good Health and Wellbeing
Sustainability is deeply tied to people. Sustainable Development Goal #3 seeks to ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all, which particularly aligns with my value of care. Healthy, thriving people are necessary for many facets of sustainability and sustainable impact. Looking after ourselves, those around us, and our wider communities ensures that we are upholding the ‘people’ element of sustainability. As people are so important to sustainability, this also encompasses how I approach sustainability – ensuring that people are well, thriving and supported.
Sustainable Development Goal #10 – Reduced Inequalities
Sustainable Development Goal #10 seeks to ensure that all people are included and are able to thrive. Having a society that prioritises equality and equity is deeply important to me, and therefore is important to my approach to sustainability. This is important to me as I believe we all have a responsibility to ensure that all people are afforded inclusion, equity, opportunity, and the ability to thrive.
While Sustainable Development Goal #3 is important to me, I believe that it cannot be truly sustainable without also trying to reduce inequalities. Sustainable Development Goal #10 is aligned with my approach to sustainability that focuses not only on environment, but on the people within it.
Sustainable Development Goal #12 – Responsible Consumption and Production
In today’s world it is hard for us to avoid the cycle of consumption and production as we are so dependent on it. For this goal I think it is important to recognise that consumption and production are part of the same cycle, and that we as people are fundamental to ensuring that this cycle can be as resilient and sustainable as possible. For me, this goal feeds into the objectives of many other Sustainable Development Goals as it ensures that we are looking out for the best interests of people, planet and profit. I think that creating true resilience through responsible consumption and production is very important and is therefore one of my top five, both personally and professionally.
Sustainable Development Goal #15 – Life on Land
We are nothing without the land. A thriving environment is essential for us to obtain resources, however, I also deeply believe that the land and environment has the ability to be resilient, and thrive, because of the immense value that it has at its own entity. Life on Land is a goal that is of great importance to me because it signifies living in harmony between people and planet, ensuring that the planet is able to serve current and future generations, but more importantly that we are able to serve the planet in return. A respectful and enduring relationship between people and planet is something I envisage being core to Life on Land and it is key to my approach to sustainability.
Sustainable Development Goal #17 – Partnerships for the Goals
While as individuals we may only be one person, as a community and as wider humanity, we are a collective. Partnerships for the Goals is very important to me as we do not live in isolation, we live in a complex network of societies, systems, and more. I believe that collaboration and cooperation are key to our efforts towards sustainability and therefore Sustainable Development Goal #17 is very important to my approach to sustainability. Whether it is working together intentionally, or the actions of many adding up to create impact, coming together as true partners for sustainable action and impact is something that I strive to enact in my personal and professional life.