Sustainability Standards Can Help Governments Report on Progress Toward Advancing the Sustainable Development Goals
From ending hunger to conserving natural resources, the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set an ambitious vision for the global community to achieve by 2030. But progress toward achieving this vision has stalled.
As the deadline for action looms closer, new research from the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines how governments can work with voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) to advance the SDGs and better track and report on their progress toward achieving them.
VSSs like Fairtrade International, Rainforest Alliance, or ARSO Agriculture Standard set requirements for producing, selling, and purchasing products responsibly. They share many of the same targets and objectives as the SDGs and are therefore well placed to support national governments—and thus the wider global community—in realizing the vision of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
“Achieving the SDGs will only be possible if stakeholders come together and align their efforts,” said Elena Kosolapova, Senior Policy Advisor, IISD. “VSSs offer a promising way forward in our collective efforts to accelerate progress and ensure people and our planet thrive by 2030—and beyond.”
Kosolapova is the lead author in IISD’s new State of Sustainability Initiatives Review: Standards and the Sustainable Development Goals: Leveraging sustainability standards for reporting on SDG progress. The report explores how VSSs can help to alleviate the reporting burden governments face when presenting their progress to the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. For example, they can share the data they gather on the activities they conduct within a certain country and the results they have achieved as part of their monitoring and evaluation processes.
“Pooling information to share good practices that help advance the SDGs in each jurisdiction is one practical example of how multistakeholder collaboration can help the international community change course and achieve what they set out to do,” said Cristina Larrea, Lead II, Sustainability Standards, IISD.
IISD is hosting a webinar to discuss the findings of the report on May 9 with several invited speakers, including Sakiko Fukuda-Parr, Chair of the UN Committee for Development Policy, Alex Lwakuba, Commissioner for Crop Production in Uganda, Vidya Rangan, Senior Manager at ISEAL Alliance, and Uchita de Zoysa, Former Chief Negotiator for the SDGs in Sri Lanka.
Contact
For more information or to set up an interview, contact media@iisd.org.
About the State of Sustainability Initiatives
IISD’s State of Sustainability Initiatives advances sustainable and inclusive value chains by providing credible and solutions-oriented research, dialogue, and strategic advice for decision-makers about voluntary sustainability standards and other supportive initiatives.
About the International Institute for Sustainable Development
The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is an award-winning independent think tank working to accelerate solutions for a stable climate, sustainable resource management, and fair economies. Our work inspires better decisions and sparks meaningful action to help people and the planet thrive. We shine a light on what can be achieved when governments, businesses, non-profits, and communities come together. IISD’s staff of more than 120 people, plus over 150 associates and consultants, come from across the globe and from many disciplines. With offices in Winnipeg, Geneva, Ottawa, and Toronto, our work affects lives in nearly 100 countries.