Business leaders identify the youth employment crisis as one of the most pressing global risks of our time, but also see investing in youth as one of the greatest potentials for business growth and development. There are more young people today than at any other time in history, approximately 1.8 billion, and half are women. These young people are breaking through stereotypes and creating innovative, concrete solutions to long-standing problems. Yet, although young people are creating these sustainable solutions, there is a disconnect with the formal labour force. Over the last year, youth unemployment rates have increased and the disparity in labour force participation between young women and men has widened. This webinar, co-hosted by the UN Global Compact, UN Women and Plan International, highlights the opportunity and need for business to scale up action and invest in the future workforce to create economic opportunities for young women around the world, produce bottom line impacts on business growth and sustainability, and contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Early estimates show that it will take USD $5-7 trillion in annual public and private investment globally into sectors as wide ranging as education, clean energy, agriculture and health to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The scale of investments needed to create these opportunities is immense, but the importance of this moment has never been clearer. As we continue our journey of SDG implementation, every actor will have a role to play in securing the future we want for people and planet.

The paper discusses how the adoption of pro-growth policies tends to result in lower levels of poverty, especially through opportunities for job creation. In particular, the paper calls for policies that promote greater access to credit and the protection of minority investors in order to reduce such levels of poverty. It also highlights the symbiotic relationship between a number of the Sustainable Development Goals, thus emphasising the importance of integrating the SDGs into government policies.

An assessment tool that enables companies and civil society partners to understand corporate impacts on multi-dimensional poverty. As a tool to help implement the SDGs, the Poverty Footprint provides a comprehensive overview of factors that influence poverty, and it emphasizes stakeholder engagement and partnership between companies and civil society as a means for establishing pro-poor business strategies.

Examines how institutional investors across the world are beginning to interact with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and paint an early picture of investors’ current and future plans to engage with these Goals. The study also identifies barriers investors face to supporting the SDGs, and provides recommendations for how these could be overcome.

The Global Opportunity Explorer provides the global business community with direct access to the most innovative business solutions and emerging market opportunities to help achieve and understand the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), end extreme poverty, reduce inequality and protect our planet. A joint project of DNV GL, Sustainia and the UN Global Compact, the Explorer is a digital platform that helps business leaders, entrepreneurs and investors connect with new partners, projects, markets and talents to deliver on the SDGs.

Investors, governments, and other stakeholders are increasingly demanding that companies demonstrate sustainable strategies aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This guide seeks to support companies looking to integrate the SDGs into their financial strategy and business model. A credible SDG strategy allows a company to clearly communicate its impact, facilitates easier access to the growing market for SDG financing, and connects investors with a pipeline of potential opportunities to address the SDG investment gap.  This publication is available in English and Spanish

This publication is an introduction to SDG Ambition — an new initiative of the UN Global Compact. By raising ambition, deepening integration, and embracing new technologies we believe business can become a leading actor in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With the launch of SDG Ambition, the UN Global Compact is proud to share its new SDG Implementation Framework, which aims to guide companies to deepen integration of the SDGs and Ten Principles into business strategy, operations, and stakeholder engagement.

Provides an assessment of how companies participating in the UN Global Compact are adopting the Ten Principles and taking action to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Based on data collected as part of the UN Global Compact annual survey, the report takes stock of how businesses are performing on critical sustainability topics. For the first time, the 2020 report reviews data from a sectoral perspective. It also dives into the current state of progress for specific industry contributions to the SDGs. Broadly, the report finds that companies need to take more ambitious actions, at scale, to meet the objectives of the 2030 Agenda and create the world we want. This special 20th-anniversary edition of the UN Global Compact Progress Report was developed in collaboration with DNV GL. 

Drawing on insights from the SDG Industry Matrix, and on the heels of the historic Paris Agreement on climate change, this Climate Extract identifies industry specific ideas for climate action. Although achieving all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is inextricably linked with climate action, this Extract focuses on SDGs 7, 12 and 13. It profiles opportunities to create ‘shared value’, which in the context of the SDGs represents the coming together of market potential, societal demands and policy action to create a more sustainable and inclusive path to economic growth, prosperity and well-being.

The RELX SDG Resource Centre showcases the latest in science, law, business, events and more that can help drive forward the SDGs, drawing on content from across the whole of our company and from key partners as well. The aim is to support the UN in implementing the SDGs and to broaden awareness and understanding of the SDGS for our customers, governments, researchers, companies, NGOs and individuals.

The Statement, developed by the UN Global Compact and signed by a number of business organizations, reaffirms the commitment to the UN Guiding Principles and recognizes that corporate respect for human rights is a key contribution and vehicle through which business can help achieve the SDGs.