The breadth and depth of the SDGs make it possible for nearly any business to become active in achieving global goals. Businesses also don’t have to feel that they are limited to just one of the goals. There are many examples of products/services that combine elements of multiple goals.
One example of this would be the increase in free online learning platforms, which not only works towards providing quality education to those in need (SDG 4), but also as it is gender neutral can be seen as working towards creating gender equality (SDG 5). At RDB, the work that we’re doing for many of our clients is centered 7 SDGs, but the biggest impact will be created within the SDG #17 (Partnerships for the goals) to enable others, such as #13 (Climate Action), 14 (Life below water) and 15 (Life on land).
Additionally, capital investment is expected to play a crucial part in the progressive advancement of the SDGs. Estimates on the costs to achieving the SDGs vary greatly with the UNCTAD predicting that $2.5 trillion would need to be invested annually to for all 17, while others have said that the SDG 16 alone will require over $1.8 trillion per year.
As they affect both the private and public sectors, influxes of investment can be garnered from sources that wouldn’t generally be available on such a large scale.