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The SDGs

Background

In September 2015, all 193 Member States of the United Nations adopted a plan for achieving a better future for all – laying out a path over the next 15 years to end extreme poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and protect our planet. At the heart of “Agenda 2030” are 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 related targets that address the most important economic, social, environmental and governance challenges of our time. The SDGs clearly define the world we want – applying to all nations and leaving no one behind.

We are all in agreement on where the world needs to go. The new global goals result from a process that has been more inclusive than ever, with governments involving business, civil society, higher education and citizens from the outset. The Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), an initiative by the United Nations Global Compact, is a collaborative, collegial learning community that thrives on sharing good practices to inspire and champion responsible management education, research and thought leadership globally.

Successful implementation of the SDGs will require all players to champion this agenda; the role of higher education is critical to this.

Why They Matter

The SDGs are relevant for business and management schools. Higher Education Institutions have the ability to influence students with responsible and sustainable business practices. This influence shapes tomorrow’s business leaders and society.

Business

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)

How the SDGs Can Help

Strengthen the enabling environment for business

Strengthen and enable future business practitioners, thereby adding value to modern business and society

Define future business opportunities

Give future business leaders the tools to recognize and maximize sustainable opportunities

Enhance the business case for sustainable business practices

Create a paradigm for teaching, learning and understanding sustainability as core to the business model

Allow for better stakeholder engagement

Connect with a network of stakeholders reaching beyond the business sphere, into signatories and supporting organisations

Setting Goals

Scope defined by company’s strategic priorities

Scope defined by organisation’s strategic vison, accreditation standards and external partnerships

Covers all dimensions of sustainable development

Covers all dimensions of sustainable development as implemented on an interdisciplinary scale

Covers entire value chain

Covers value chain and all HEI stakeholders

Specific, time-bound and measurable

Specific, time-bound and measurable

Based on KPIs for impact or outcomes

Based on mission and strategic vision of HEI

Explicitly linked to financial value drivers

Linked to value creation, financial drivers and future investment

Integrated into performance evaluation and incentives

Integrated through all levels of the HEI and through strategic engagement with students

How to Take Part

Individual Level: PRME Signatory Members

  • Align curricula and research to the SDG commitments and agenda
  • Insert new content, learning methods and transformative approaches (i.e., experiential and interdisciplinary learning and new skills into the curricula)
  • Seek more applied research around the SDGs that can create solutions to help businesses be more effective and sustainable
  • Engage with students to commit to and act in support of the SDGs
  • Act as leaders of public opinion, advisers, suppliers of knowledge and solutions and mediators among businesses,
    government and civil society in support of the SDGs (contributing, for example, with the SDGs National Plans)
  • Contribute through your PRME Chapter to scale-up efforts in your region and identify the local priorities towards building global sustainability


Collective Level: PRME Chapters and Global Compact Local Networks

  • Connect and collaborate with the PRME Chapter and Global Compact Local Network within your region
  • Use the Local Global integrated strategic direction process from a bottom up approach to identify local priorities that can contribute to the advancement of the SDGs. This methodology is based on Architecture for a Better World and provides strategic direction to the local-global relationship between the Global Compact Office and Global Compact Local Networks. The process increases the potential impact of PRME Chapters and Global Compact Local Networks, offering an integrated local-global framework and agenda for transformative action in support of the SDGs. Find more information here.
  • Share your good practices, learn from peers and contribute to the many projects developed around the SDGs
  • Join PRME Working Groups and the thought leadership PRME Champions group
  • Host events and webinars to raise awareness of SDG integration strategies, research, and other developments
  • Conduct training meetings to help PRME Signatory Members and other stakeholders understand how they can contribute to the SDGs
  • Define local priorities based on the SDGs
  • Participate in national government action plans in your country

Maximizing Your Engagement

Engaging with the UN Global Compact and PRME enables Participants and Signatory Members to maximize their learning and impact in their sustainability journies. Together, we can transform business education to develop responsible management that can achieve the SDGs through business.

UN Global Compact

Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME)

“…To create a sustainable and inclusive global economy that delivers lasting benefits to people, communities and markets.”

“…To inspire and champion responsible management education, research and thought leadership globally.”

Ten Principles

Universal principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption

Seven Principles

Internationally accepted values creating an engagement structure that advances social responsibility in curricula and research

Global Issues Initiatives

Bringing business together on topics such as anti-corruption, children’s rights, climate, food and agriculture, gender equality, peace, rule of law, and water and sanitation

Working Groups

Collaborating across institutions and disciplines to advance topics of anti-corruption, business for peace, gender equality, poverty alleviation and others

Local Networks

Supporting participants to drive sustainability locally in over 60 regions

Chapters

Supporting HEIs to promote responsible management education in 17 regions


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