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A Vision for Business to Accelerate Progress on the SDGs

Second GRI-Enel collaboration forum highlights areas for action

A Vision for Business to Accelerate Progress on the SDGs

Second GRI-Enel collaboration forum highlights areas for action

Published 01-13-20

Submitted by Global Reporting Initiative

Business and policy representatives from around the world have shared their views on the changes needed to ensure companies can actively contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – and how reporting and partnerships supports this process.

A second online forum by GRI and Enel took place in November, to gather ideas and scope the vision for change, when 389 individuals from 59 countries taking part. This built on the first session in October, where current practice for SDGs corporate reporting was explored.  

Key highlights and ideas put forward from the discussions in this second session are summarized below. 

How to strengthen links between business reporting and SDG contributions

 

  • Regularly monitoring progress and reporting on SDG impact

  • Linking SDG-related goals to business KPIs (key performance indicators)

  • Take account of SDG-related priorities within materiality assessments

 

Partnerships: business and government

 

  • Develop a common understanding on which SDGs are the priority at national or regional level

  • Ensure clear and robust impact measurement

  • Consider use of tax or other financial incentives

Partnerships: business to business

 

 

  • Implement new systems that provide easier ways to identify SDG partners

  • Establish shared goals, with a strong business case on both sides

  • Share training and education programmes

 

What’s needed for effective leadership

 

  • The ability to articulate a clear purpose supported by long-term goals

  • A commitment to integrating the SDGs into corporate strategy

  • Taking an adaptable approach to deliver on sustainability priorities

 

Sustainable business models that support SDGs impact

 

  • A shift to a longer-term focus, within companies and in the wider corporate landscape

  • Embracing new finance models – such as green bonds or social impact bonds

  • Alignment of new business models with a company’s core competencies

 

Read in full the report for session 2, which adds to the session 1 report. The findings from both forums will be used by GRI and Enel to inform next steps, which will include regional events later this year. More details will be announced soon.

The online collaboration forums were hosted by insights and strategy consultancy GlobeScan. Expert panellists led the two sessions, each of which took place across two time zones to support greater participation from around the world.

The Driving Corporate Action Towards Accomplishing The SDGs project has been initiated by GRI, the sustainability reporting standard setter, in partnership with power company Enel, a leading integrated player in the global power, gas and renewables markets.

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Global Reporting Initiative

Global Reporting Initiative

The Global Reporting Initiative's (GRI) vision is that reporting on economic, environmental, and social performance by all organizations becomes as routine and comparable as financial reporting. GRI accomplishes this vision by developing, continually improving, and building capacity around the use of its Sustainability Reporting Framework.

An international network of thousands from business, civil society, labor, and professional institutions create the content of the Reporting Framework in a consensus-seeking process.

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