New SDG tool to help progress sustainable business

By Martin Christiansen

How does my company impact the Global Goals and what are the business potentials going forward?

Doing well by doing good is a rapidly rising concern for top management across the globe. Fortunately so, as delivering on the Paris Agreement and the 2030 goals imply swift and profound transformation in all sectors, not least the private sector. A starting point, is gaining an overview of how a company impacts the SDGs, directly or indirectly.

For this, Ramboll has developed an SDG impact assessment tool aimed at decision makers looking for sustainable business or employees working with sustainability, CSR, circular economy or the likes.

Actions based on insights

The tool comes free of charge and promotes trans-disciplinary thinking and a deeper understanding of the SDGs, both from a strategic and tactical level. This allows leaders and other users to reflect on the company's results and the potential unlocking of new, sustainable actions to drive long-lasting transformation, says Hans Lindeman, Executive Director in Ramboll Management Consulting:

   "We encourage companies to take actions based on sound insights. Therefore, using the SDG tool can be an easy first step to allow for joint reflection on how a company currently impacts the Global Goals - and more importantly - where there could be potential for more and better business."

Many upsides

Executive Director Lindeman hopes the many opportunities related to the SDG’s will surface as key employees get more and more hands-on with the goals and its implications:

   "Being consultants, we’re here to help companies tap into the SDG’s from a business transformation angle. For instance, this could include exploring new business models, clarifying opportunities in a company’s technology pipeline, gain access to new capital, re-think the supply chain setup, or improving resiliency to regulatory changes. Just to name a few upsides to companies engaging with the SDGs."

At the heart of the SDG tool is a questionnaire that will help the user consider and evaluate business and society impacts related to UN’s Global Goals. Once completed, the tool will equip the user with a custom-made report to explore the direct SDG support and areas of improvements as well as considerations for the next phases of change.

The tool has been developed to fit manufacturing companies, with an initial focus on the building materials and pharmaceutical sector

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