SDG Action Manager Launch: A New Tool to Help Businesses Take Meaningful Action on the Sustainable Development Goals
NEW YORK, 29 January 2020 — With 10 years left to meet the deadline of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, a new web-based impact management solution for the global business community launches today. Available in five languages, the SDG Action Manager empowers companies of all sizes, anywhere in the world, to take meaningful action and track their progress on the Global Goals.
Developed by B Lab and the UN Global Compact, the SDG Action Manager brings together B Lab’s B Impact Assessment, the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact, and the Sustainable Development Goals, to enable meaningful business action through dynamic self-assessment, benchmarking, and improvement.
The SDG Action Manager, which is free to access by companies worldwide, is informed by the work and feedback from a range of stakeholders, including experts in corporate sustainability, civil society, the UN, and academia; and it is inspired by the Certified B Corporation community and participating companies of the UN Global Compact. It was developed with generous support from the following funding partners: The UK Department for International Development (DFID), the Generation Foundation, Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Emmanuel Faber as an individual donor, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Skoll Foundation.
Andrew Kassoy, Cofounder and CEO, B Lab Global: “Shifting the role of business in society has always been at the heart of B Lab’s vision. And now, with just 10 years left in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the role of business is not just to participate in delivering the Global Goals, but to lead—to use the power of business to solve the world’s most urgent problems, and inspire others to do the same. The SDG Action Manager is a unique tool that helps businesses take action and continuously improve on that action, and ultimately use their business as a force for good.”
Lise Kingo, CEO and Executive Director, United Nations Global Compact: “Despite real progress being made by the business community, there is clear recognition that action is not measuring up to the size of the challenge. The business community has an important role to play delivering on the promise of a shared, durable prosperity for all. Grounded in our principles-based approach, the SDG Action Manager was developed to mobilize the private sector to take meaningful action and get us back on track to achieve the 2030 Agenda.”
Baroness Sugg, CBE, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department for International Development: "Businesses have a vital role to play if we are to achieve our Global Goals in sustainable development. I’m pleased that UK aid has supported the SDG Action Manager, an important web tool which will help businesses track their progress and find out about what they can do to contribute."
To access the SDG Action Manager, visit bcorporation.net/SDGAction and unglobalcompact.org/sdgactionmanager.
###
About B Lab: B Lab is a nonprofit that serves a global movement of people using business as a force for good. B Lab’s initiatives include B Corp Certification, administration of the B Impact Management programs and software, and advocacy for governance structures like the benefit corporation. B Lab’s vision is of an inclusive and sustainable economy that creates a shared prosperity for all. To date, there are over 3,000 Certified B Corps in 150 industries and 70 countries, and over 70,000 companies use the B Impact Assessment. Visit https://bcorporation.net for more information.
About the UN Global Compact: As a special initiative of the UN Secretary-General, the United Nations Global Compact works with companies everywhere to align their operations and strategies with ten universal principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. Launched in 2000, the UN Global Compact guides and supports the global business community in advancing UN goals and values through responsible corporate practices. With more than 10,000 companies and 3,000 non-business signatories based in over 160 countries, and 68 Local Networks, it is the largest corporate sustainability initiative in the world. Visit https://www.unglobalcompact.org/ for further information.
Media Contacts: Hannah Munger B Lab Global, Director of Communications Tel: +1 212 608 4150 Email: press@bcorporation.net
Sofina Mirza-Reid UN Global Compact Tel: +1 908-540-1075 Email: media@unglobalcompact.org