Despite the environment of uncertainty, the SDGs are making progress

Companies in all sectors are looking for the new opportunities offered by the Sustainable Development Goals and innovating to be more efficient, and to attract more responsible talent and consumers

Despite the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), they are permeating society and, of course, among companies. Various UN Global Compact reports analyse the achievement of these SDGs with a sectoral approach. In Spain and in general terms, the utilities and energy sector is the one that is most aware of the SDGs (72.86%) and identifies their priority objectives; they are followed by banking and insurance financial services, and the pharmaceutical and healthcare sector. At the bottom of the list in terms of ignorance of the SDGs are trade and distribution, with 31.25% of knowledge, and tourism (33.33%). Despite the data, the Global Compact warns that “there is a significant gap between knowledge and identification of the SDGs, and concrete and quantifiable commitments in all Spanish economic sectors”. To comply with the 2030 Agenda, experts advocate innovation. A survey carried out by the United Nations Global Compact Spain to more than 2,500 companies concludes that 49% already carry out innovations under a sustainability and SDG approach, “although there are considerable differences between large companies and SMEs”. While 50% of the former have some innovations in this regard, in the case of small and medium-sized enterprises and the self-employed the percentage drops to around 30% and 15% respectively.

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