New initiative launched to rank businesses on SDGs

24th September 2018


Web e 2016 sdg poster all sizes with un emblem a4

Related Topics

Related tags

  • Global ,
  • Society ,
  • Sustainable Development Goals

Author

IEMA

A new multi-stakeholder initiative that ranks companies on their work towards delivering the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was launched today.

The World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA) will make its rankings freely available to the public, and intends to boost the transparency and accountability of firms in relation to the SDGs.

The first set of benchmarks will be published in 2020, focusing on climate and energy, digital inclusion, food and agriculture, and gender equality and empowerment.

However, many more will be produced by 2023 in order to comprehensively assess the progress of 2,000 companies across all the major areas needed to achieve the SDGs.

As well as empowering consumers, investors and governments, it is hoped that the initiative will promote competition among businesses in their race to deliver against the goals.

“This new and unique approach will measure and incentivise businesses to continue driving efforts towards a more sustainable future,” WBA executive director, Gerbrand Haverkamp, said.

“With only 12 years left to deliver against the SDGs, governments, businesses, civil society and individuals alike must make a concerted effort to achieve progress.”

With 17 overarching goals and 169 individual targets, the SDGs are intended to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all by 2030 through the participation of everyone in society.

The WBA was launched today by insurance company Aviva, the United Nations Foundation, and the Index Initiative, and is also funded by the governments of Denmark, the Netherlands and the UK.

It follows a year of international consultations, expert meetings and online surveys, with more than 10,000 stakeholders representing business, civil society, government and consumers.

The UK’s international development secretary, Penny Mordaunt, said: “More and more people are recognising that businesses need to be a force for good in the world.

“In giving ordinary people the information they need to hold companies to account, the WBA will fundamentally challenge businesses to up their game on the contribution they are making to the goals.”

Image credit: UN

Subscribe

Subscribe to IEMA's newsletters to receive timely articles, expert opinions, event announcements, and much more, directly in your inbox.


Transform articles

Facing the climate emergency challenge in local government

It’s well recognised that the public sector has the opportunity to work towards a national net-zero landscape that goes well beyond improving on its own performance; it can also influence through procurement and can direct through policy.

19th March 2024

Read more

The UK government’s carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS) strategy is based on optimistic techno-economic assumptions that are now outdated, Carbon Tracker has warned.

13th March 2024

Read more

The UK’s new biodiversity net gain (BNG) requirements could create 15,000 hectares of woodlands, heath, grasslands, and wetlands and absorb 650,000 tonnes of carbon each year.

13th March 2024

Read more

The UK government’s latest Public Attitudes Tracker has found broad support for efforts to tackle climate change, although there are significant concerns that bills will rise.

13th March 2024

Read more

Multinational corporations are undermining their net-zero commitments with excessive air travel and no plans to reduce ‘the low hanging fruit’ of carbon footprints, a study by Transport & Environment has found.

13th March 2024

Read more

The UK government’s climate adaptation plans are ‘inadequate’ and falling ‘far short’ of what is required, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) has warned today.

13th March 2024

Read more

Large businesses across the world are avoiding climate action due to fear they will be called out for getting their work wrong, according to a new Carbon Trust report.

29th February 2024

Read more

A thought-provoking discussion on how storytelling can change the world took place in Central London last night, alongside an exclusive sneak preview of an upcoming IEMA film series.

29th February 2024

Read more

Media enquires

Looking for an expert to speak at an event or comment on an item in the news?

Find an expert

IEMA Cookie Notice

Clicking the ‘Accept all’ button means you are accepting analytics and third-party cookies. Our website uses necessary cookies which are required in order to make our website work. In addition to these, we use analytics and third-party cookies to optimise site functionality and give you the best possible experience. To control which cookies are set, click ‘Settings’. To learn more about cookies, how we use them on our website and how to change your cookie settings please view our cookie policy.

Manage cookie settings

Our use of cookies

You can learn more detailed information in our cookie policy.

Some cookies are essential, but non-essential cookies help us to improve the experience on our site by providing insights into how the site is being used. To maintain privacy management, this relies on cookie identifiers. Resetting or deleting your browser cookies will reset these preferences.

Essential cookies

These are cookies that are required for the operation of our website. They include, for example, cookies that enable you to log into secure areas of our website.

Analytics cookies

These cookies allow us to recognise and count the number of visitors to our website and to see how visitors move around our website when they are using it. This helps us to improve the way our website works.

Advertising cookies

These cookies allow us to tailor advertising to you based on your interests. If you do not accept these cookies, you will still see adverts, but these will be more generic.

Save and close