Aligning projects to UN Sustainable Development Goals

The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and improve the lives and prospects of everyone, everywhere. The 17 Goals were adopted by all UN Member States in 2015, as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which set out a 15-year plan to achieve the Goals.

Progress is being made in many places. However, overall action to meet the Goals is not yet advancing at the speed or scale required. 2020 needs to usher in a decade of ambitious action to deliver the Goals by 2030.

Today, many businesses are already working to incorporate the SDGs into their business plans and strategies.  Reporting on UN SDG performance at an organisational level is typically done by businesses using sustainability and impact reporting frameworks.

“We are seeing a wide range of businesses incorporating the SDGs in planning and communications,” said James Link, Head of Partnerships for Landcare Australia.

“On one end of the spectrum, some corporates have mapped out which UN SDGs they should align with. They specifically seek a partnership with Landcare Australia to help them progress one or more of the identified SDGs of importance to them.

“Other companies are pleasantly surprised to learn that Landcare Australia’s programs and activities contribute to the UN SDG targets and success indicators. We work in partnership with organisations to help them achieve their sustainability objectives through targeted actions.”

The 17 SDGs are interconnected, so progress on one goal can advance progress on another. Corporate support for biodiversity and other sustainability initiatives has the potential to contribute to multiple UN SDGs.

Below are a couple of recent examples of how Landcare Australia works in partnership with organisations to help them achieve their sustainability objectives through targeted action:

2019 Coca-Cola Foundation and Landcare Australia Coastal Protection Grants

Since 2006, Coca-Cola Australia with The Coca-Cola Foundation has partnered with Landcare Australia, providing funding to a range of community projects and engaging employees in environmental volunteering activities across Australia.  The outcomes of the 2019 Coca-Cola Foundation and Landcare Australia Coastal Protection Grants Program align with six of the UN SDGs.

KPMG holds mega employee environmental volunteering day

In September 2019, KPMG Australia joined a global Day of Action in support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.  Across Australia, 3,500 KMPG staff volunteered for more than 100 organisations, including Landcare Australia, OzHarvest and Beyond Blue.

Over 450 of the KPMG employees worked with Landcare Australia and several of our local landcare groups at eight locations in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.  They got their hands dirty volunteering with weeding, planting and helping out with a variety of bush regeneration activities.

For Landcare Australia, this was the largest number of staff from a single business participating in a corporate environmental volunteering activity on one day.

KPMG Partner for Corporate Citizenship, Catherine Hunter said, “KPMG is passionate about the power of business to empower change in our communities.  The collective impact created from this day was both unifying for our people and raises awareness of our ability to support the UN’s SDGs and our role in finding sustainable solutions to these local and global issues.”

Click here to see an infographic about KMPG Australia’s contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals through their volunteering with Landcare Australia.