Protecting the future with the 17 UN SDGs
What are the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals?
The United Nations, in 2015, adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs ) with the aim of charting a path to peace and prosperity for the world to be achieved by 2030.
It is an unprecedented effort to define a methodology and criteria aimed at positively impacting the planet, Society and international relations, for both developed and developing countries.
The criteria are applicable by individual countries and companies and are a source of inspiration for world leaders. They form the basis of our investment analysis work.
How we take them into account
As the analysis of the SDGs is particularly complex, we have extracted a list of simplified, easier-to-read impact areas that cover all aspects marked out by the UN in the 2030 sustainability pathway.
We then checked for evidence in the management processes of Society and developed objective rankings of 'ESG intensity'.
Here are the selected themes and their relation to the 17 UN SDGs.
Environmental aspects
In the fight against climate change, we include goals 7 (increase affordable access to renewable energy) and 13 (take action to prevent climate change and mitigate its effects).
The theme of conserving natural resources calls for a transformation of production processes by favouring the recycling of materials andeco-sustainability, as well as new consumption habits (SDG 12). It also relies on sustainable agriculture (SDG 2) and the preservation of ecosystems on land (SDG 15) and in water (SDG 14).
It is mandatory to protect biodiversity both in urban areas (SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities) and in natural environments, through environmentally integrated sustainable agriculture (SDG 2) and the preservation of ecosystems on land (SDG 15) and in water (SDG 14).
Taking comprehensive action for the environment means addressing all other causes of degradation resulting from human action: wars (SDG 16) resulting from a lack of international cooperation (SDG 17), migration flows associated with poverty (SDG 10) andpollution issues due to obsolete industrial practices (SDG 9).
The aspects of Society
Securing people's basic needs means eradicating poverty (SDG 1) and hunger (SDG 2), providing access to water and sanitation (SDG 6), education (SDG 4) and basic infrastructure (SDG 9), and enabling people to have jobs (SDG 8).
Enabling populations to stay healthy is through a quality health system (SDG 3), creating inclusive and safe cities (SDG 11) and promoting sustainable communities (SDG 16) by reducing social inequalities (SDG 10).
Making the economy sustainable means renewing industry and infrastructure (SDG 9), providing suitable jobs for all and boosting growth (SDG 8) strengthening the circular economy (SDG 12) in a context of improved cities (SDG 11).
Ensuring sustainability at work requires strengthening equality and inclusion (SDG 5), reducing inequalities (SDG 10), facilitating education (SDG 4) and access to work (SDG 8) and security (SDG 3).
Promoting inclusion and equal opportunities at Society means strengthening gender equality issues (SDG 5), reducing inequalities (SDG 10), facilitating education (SDG 4) and setting up strong institutional safeguards (SDG 16).
Social equity encompasses all elements that make or break peoples: international relations (SDG 17), the fight for values of justice, such as anti-corruption and tax evasion (SDG 16), combating poverty (SDG 1) and sharing wealth (SDG 10), exploitation of children (SDG 8) and women (SDG 5).
Aspects of good governance
Bringing the culture of peace to the world means reducing tensions between states and between inhabitants, converging towards goals of peaceful coexistence (SDG 17), coordinated at the international level (SDG 16) through a better distribution of wealth in the world (SDG 10) and through an economy that respects the planet (SDG 11) that protects economic security (SDG 8) and people's health (SDG 3).
International cooperation to achieve the goals of the 2030 plan concerns everyone, rich and developing countries, Society and people (SDG 17), by changing our habits (SDG 16), using technology (SDG 9) and knowledge (SDG 4) to create a positive world.
Good governance is a global issue that involves everyone, individuals, businesses and communities: the search for good practices passes through a system of effective control of the conduct of business and politics. Therefore, compliance with treaties and codes of conduct, which permeate all SDGs, are relevant.
