“These guidelines will unlock greater contributions to the SDG targets by aligning business purpose, strategy, and results with societal needs,” says Neto.
A future-ready approach
The guidelines, developed by an international group of experts brought together by ISO member for Denmark, Danish Standards, also offer a broader perspective on sustainable development.
ISO and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) have unveiled the world’s first international guidelines to help businesses and organizations expedite their contributions to the U.N.’s sustainable development goals (SDGs).
New guidelines for urgent action
The new guidelines aim to take organizations from SDG alignment to SDG action. ISO Secretary-General Sergio Mujica highlighted the importance of these guidelines in providing a common approach for both public and private-sector entities to align their strategies with the SDGs and document their progress.
This initiative marks a significant milestone in the strategic partnership between ISO and UNDP. In September 2023, both organizations signed a landmark statement of intent to enhance standards initiatives that will strengthen sustainability efforts globally. The new guidelines are the first major outcome of this collaboration.
“These guidelines allow all types of organizations—large or small, new or well-established—to place SDGs at the core of their operations,” Mujica says.
Partnership for the goals
Looking ahead, these guidelines are set to evolve into the first international standard for the U.N. SDGs, building on the foundation laid by UNDP’s SDG Impact Standards and relevant ISO standards.
With only six years remaining to achieve the U.N.’s SDG goals, calls to intensify efforts and rapidly accelerate progress are increasing. According to the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals Report 2024, only 17% of the SDG targets are on track to being achieved globally by 2030.
A common framework for businesses
Published Sept. 12, 2024, in ISO News.