Module 11 – Managing sustainable approach (SDG Compass)

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) establish global objectives and ambitions for 2030. SDGs are an opportunity to overcome global sustainability related challenges and guide the world on a sustainable path. These goals have already been agreed upon by governments from all across the world. How to integrate sustainability to company’s operations is a wide spread challenge among companies. The SDG Compass explains how the SDGs affect firm’s business and provides the tools and knowledge to incorporate sustainability into company’s strategy.

The SDG Compass’s aims to assist businesses on how to align their plans, as well as monitor and manage their contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals. This is a practical approach to manage sustainable approach on a company level. Originally SDG Compass has been developed for larger corporations, but it can be adapted also in small and medium sized enterprises and public sector organizations. The SDG Compass is intended for usage at the company level, but it may also be used at the product, site, divisional, or regional levels as needed. This means that all types of organizations may adapt the tool to their unique situation.

Depending on where they are on the route of ensuring that sustainability is a result of core business strategy, companies may use the five steps to define or align their route. These five steps are based on the acknowledgment of all firms’ responsibilities to comply with all relevant legislation, follow international minimum standards, and resolve all negative human rights consequences as a priority.

The SDG Compass progresses in five steps:

1. Understanding the SDGs
2. Defining priorities
3. Setting goals
4. Integrating sustainability development measures
5. Reporting and communicating

Figure 1:The linkages between different steps for the SDG Compass

Source: SDGCOMPASS (2022)