Essay On UN Sustainable Development Goals' Achievement Prospects.

Background

Title: Achievement Prospects of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a program that was created by the United Nations (Anger, 2010). Its aim is to achieve an all-round development globally through having the desire to achieve such factors as; hunger and poverty reduction, having many people access both clean and affordable energy, improvement and provision of proper health services, industrialization, innovation and both economic and infrastructural development and many more objectives totaling to seventeen. In other words, it offers a sincerely comprehensive apparition of the future, (Institute for Human Rights and Business, 2015).

These sustainable development goals were created and adopted in 2015 September, after the period for which the achievements of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were terminated in 2015. However, some of the objectives were substantially met. Nevertheless, some remain unfinished business, to enable the overall global sustainability and prosperity for all by the year 2030. The achievement of these development goals will involve many stakeholders, including the public sector, the private sector, and the business sectors or companies (Assembly, 2013).

According to the United Nations Website, the sustainable development goals that were outlined in the 2030 agenda on sustainable development for all around the globe having the intention of uniting the whole world including both wealthy and developing countries with one priority include; Poverty reduction and termination to raise the standards of living of people, reduction of hunger levels and hunger pains through advocacy towards the achievement of food security and promotion of sustainable agriculture and improve nutrition, ensuring that by 2030, many people will be able to access affordable health care and related services together with the promotion of everyone’s’ well-being, ultimate learning and equitable and comprehensive access to quality education for all, preferment and achievement of gender equality, through such activities like women and girl child empowerment,the major factors towards cleanliness and hygiene, proper water and sanitation management to ensure its availability and sustainability, energy is paramount in running various businesses and activities even at home (Bass & Dalal-Clayton, 2012).

Therefore, Sustainable Development Goals strives to make sure that it will be readily available, affordable, reliable and very much sustainable. Promoting a stable, gradual economic growth, a fruitful form of employment and decent work for all; advocating for industrialization, fostering innovation and creativity together with the construction of resilient infrastructure; ensuring that inequality is reduced in all areas and aspects of human life among all nations in the world; the building and construction of sustainable cities and human settlements in the whole world in a safe and resilient manner, in an inclusive way; ensuring that the patterns of production and consumption are those that are responsible and ecologically friendly through such processes like recycling and reusing products towards pollution reduction;

Objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals

Taking a very urgent action towards combating climate change and activities that can be used in controlling the increase rate of global warming and all its effects; for continued and sustainable life for all animals under water, conservation and proper use of all water bodies including oceans, seas, and marine resources are encouraged; peace is a very crucial element for the growth and sustainability of any nation, and strong institutions that provide justice and order like courts are necessary for ensuring the availability of peace (Elliot, 2012).

The creation of peaceful societies and the provision of justice to all without favor and the building of such and similar strong institutions will lead to an all-round sustainable development; partnerships provides high pillars for the achievement of the sustainable goals, and they, therefore, should be strengthened for implementation and regeneration. The private sector is considered the most key players who will aid in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (Jackson, 2016) and their significant role may include some of the following.

 They can induce economic progress and development, through the employment of many people thereby reducing the level of unemployment which will thus lead to improved standards of living; creation, advancement, and participation in the industrialization and the sustainability of a developing region with a broad and full participation of the members living in that particular area; becoming ambassadors of peace and gender equality during the acquisition process of its employees and even when conducting its business as a whole thereby promoting its business in the process, having a wider access to markets, therefore, getting maximum returns; (Anger, 2010) says that the private sector can contribute in this through encouraging its employees to volunteer in the achievement of one of the 17 SDG goals based on the skills they have.

Then, also through the organization and the promotion of campaigns and awareness with the determination of pushing for the achievements of the SDG goals among staff and public; promoting and encouraging of people to efficiently use and manage natural resources through recycling of waste and reduction of its creation and reduction of the amount of food wastage especially during the harvesting period through embracing facilities that will enable proper preservation and storage (Ibrahim, 2016).

The SDG goals have been built on conceptualization and institutionalization with a very broad scope and with various challenges on the way in trying to ensure they are achieved by the year 2030 by involving the private sector, the business world, and corporations. According to (Hopkins, 2016), Corporations have various roles to in the quest for achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and development including some of the following; enabling the improvement of reputations through building it on foundations such as hope, stability, trustworthiness, transparency in relationships and integrity, investing in people and encouraging diversification of the environment (Ghai & Vivian, 2014). Capacity development and the incorporation of philanthropic actions also promote the enhancement of the organization's reputation; enhancement of easier access to financing and creation of better economic indexes that enable many people to take and repay loans with ease for their businesses and personal development hence growing towards the achievement of goal number eight that advocates for economic growth and having decent workplaces for all (Hulme & Scott, 2010).

Role of Stakeholders in Achieving the SDGs

Positive treatment of the stakeholders together with the staff helps in the development and investment in the area of the intellectual capital, innovation, and creativity, this working towards the achievement of goal number nine, which states as the industry, innovation, and infrastructure; making available various skills in the areas of technology, energy, and management to manage the alleviation of poverty, through different platforms like businesses in the community and both public and private partnerships; embedding an anticorruption culture in the organization that improves efficiency by eliminating of poorly maintained projects and investing in good ones.

Social networking sites like; Sightsavers, highlight that some of these development goals in various countries like; Benin, Burkina Faso, Pakistan, India, Nigeria, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia, have been partially achieved but not wholly due to the various challenges encountered during the quest to see their implementation and achievement (Rasche & Kell, 2010).  Some of them include; the goal that advocates for ensuring that everyone gets access to good health and well-being; goal that advocates for the provision of quality education that is both comprehensive and reasonable; goal that strives for the achievement of reduction of inequality through giving everyone equal opportunities regardless of age, gender or race.

The Sustainable Development Goals have also encountered some challenges in the process of working towards achieving them by 2030. The major ones being; insufficient funds to run all the required operations in all the seventeen goals, high level of corruption and selfishness of the leaders in various governments of these developing nations (Rasche, Waddock, & Mclntosh, 2013). These leaders block the path towards achievement of these goals due to their selfish needs, low levels of civic education among many citizens about Sustainable Development Goals hence high levels of ignorance, lack of comprehensiveness and inclusivity in the process of implementing these goals especially through gender discrepancy (Rydin, 2012).

When compared, the Sustainable Development Goals have more advantages and clearly focus towards global sustainability than Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Some of these are; Sustainable Development Goals are more universal by including even the developing countries and the poorest countries and all-inclusive through engaging in poverty reduction, inequality, economic growth, and sustainability. The Sustainable Development Goals motto is to develop with everyone without leaving any behind, which is a just method and inclusive to be precise because it is embedded on the foundations of humanity, their rights, standards, and principles; an opportunity for the creation of partnerships, as goal number seventeen says, together with the maintenance of good relationships is encouraged thereby increasing the viewership in the process of conducting business hence contributing to maximum growth, and the advancement of justice is accelerated (Social Media;Sightsavers, 2016);inspiration has helped many people to view poverty; corruption and inequality as a worldwide problem, therefore, join hands in fighting them; the Sustainable Development Goals have also enabled businesses to retain their commitment to program development, significances, and strengthening of their relation with the government and donors /partners.

Challenges in Achieving the SDGs

Businesses are also playing very key roles towards the path to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The adoption of greater worldwide philosophies and environmental, societal supremacy improves the contributions of businesses regarding transparency and culpability, towards sustainable development and the creation of long-term significance in the business environment. Companies that will align themselves towards these goals and advocate for their achievements will increase their pathway towards sustainability and trustworthiness of the organization's goals hence a positive progress with high effect will be realized.

  Before embarking on their business journey, companies should conduct an adequate assessment to identify the significance of involving the Sustainable Development Goals in their activities require vigorous stakeholder consultations in their priorities (Hopkins, 2016). They should also improve disclosure and reporting of their reports in a very prominent way not forgetting financial statements in uniform, accurate and precise format. According to (Global Impact Investing Network, 2016), the primary roles include; using Sustainable Development Goals has streamlined communication framework that articulates and simplifies the relationship between investments and the goals with a range of groups including stakeholders, investors, clients and investees thereby pushing for the achievement of both goals numbers eight and nine.

Driving more capital towards the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals to build an investments portfolio as it provides simple and attractive entry point for many investors. According to (Institute for Human Rights and Business, 2015), business contribute directly to the Sustainable Development Goals according to capacities and proficiency through the mechanisms of two major aspects  (Ibrahim, 2016).

Development of partnerships, as Sustainable Development Goals between various stakeholders, the business itself, donors, well-wishers, the civil society and the private sector, to enhance a very transformative change towards a new spirit of cohesion, collaboration and mutual culpability for all (Institute for Human Rights and Business, 2015). These are underpinned by two factors; the necessity for resources regarding technology, knowledge, and skills, and two; the wider scope of Sustainable Development Goals that also contrast substantially.

Businesses, corporations and the private sector, in general, can be said to have a positive attitude towards the success of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It is because they are the main contributors towards this noble cause through job creation and employment, infrastructural and economic development, promotion of peace, justice, and elimination of gender discrimination, provision of equity in terms of employments and service provisions and generally, reduction of poverty (Jackson, 2016). Many nations both the developing and the industrialized ones should, therefore, invest a lot in businesses and parastatals, both in the public domain and the private sector.

Advantages of SDGs over MDGs

Businesses cannot work alone without the mutual support of governments about regulating innovation that will lead to the introduction of new technologies and products of higher levels compared to the existing predictable ones (Meiers, 2015). Opening up to exciting, profitable markets and ease of identification of business answers, can only be attained by firms that embrace the transformative power of these Sustainable Development Goals. (Rachel, 2015) illustrates that more durable development has been contributed by the universal business platform and has been made possible through its attempt to achieve excellent employment opportunities, mindful investment of capital for the advantage of all, and the design of products that cater for the prerequisites of the susceptible and improves their situations.

Conclusion

The Sustainable Development Goals provide a stimulating and an all-encompassing insight of the future, a worldwide apparition applying to all nations, a place free from prejudices, poverty, discrimination and very healthy, but without proper partnerships, elimination and reduction of corruption and self-centeredness, some of these goals may not be achieved. The above-discussed roles of corporations and businesses and their contribution towards the achievement of the United Nations agenda on sustainable development goals can be used as the projections of a better future and a healthy world by the year 2030. The achievements will lead to the improvement of industries and businesses in their daily activities hence the standard of living of many people raised.

References

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