Seven years ago, the UN adopted the Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs) to promote and encourage sustainable actions from corporations. For the first time, all countries agreed on the primary issues facing the planet such as eradicating poverty, fighting for peace, climate change, and quality education for all.
Achieving your goals while focusing on business performance and getting buy-in from your team can be a challenge. But at Optimy, we are convinced that there are a few tricks that can help you structure and achieve your SDGs.
To start working on this kind of sustainability roadmap, you need a clear understanding of what and why you're launching these projects internally. Here are 5 easy steps you can take to structure your plan:
SDGs: A 5-step plan to achieve them
#1 Connect your SDGs to your purpose
The goals provide opportunities for your company to stand out while staying true to your purpose. While some SDGs may not be relevant for your business or industry, you can identify others that fit your company’s values and align with your CSR strategy.
Your internal teams and customers will be more likely to participate in CSR and social impact projects that align with your organizational purpose. You make sure that whatever project you articulate is relevant to your audience.
#2 Build strong, passionate teams
A CSR and ESG strategy is fast becoming something that almost every business takes into account when planning their roadmap, as well as their expansion in the industry. Instead of leaving these projects to the HR or Marketing departments, more and more organizations are forming cross-functional and specialized teams to help them achieve their SDGs.
This way it's no longer an isolated project, but a collaborative one. You should start building these purpose-driven teams internally and allow them the appropriate time and resources to drive your CSR, ESG, or SDG programs.
#3 Foster community support
While you could work on your sustainability projects on your own, it would be better to develop strong collaboration on important social projects with community organizations such as nonprofits and businesses that share the same values as your company.
Social impact projects are opportunities to engage and build strong relationships with your community. They help spread awareness about your organization’s purpose among the public while strengthening it from within (and increasing your team's motivation) at the same time.
#4 Share your successes and learnings
Some corporations take a restrained approach to sharing their success because of concerns about greenwashing. If backed by action, your communications can make a powerful impact on the public.
Share the challenges you faced on the road to achieving (or falling short of) your goals, and communicate how you will improve your programs in the future.
#5 Report on SDGs according to your KPIs
When evaluating your key performance indicators, make sure to also consider the next steps to ensure your project evolves and reaches the required or desired level! After all, you don't want to stop there: doing even more good and continuously amplifying your impact should be your ultimate goal. Having reporting best practices in place will help you achieve it.
How digitalization can help you reach your SDGs
Managing projects via manual processes can be a real pain. And even with tools like Excel, you will soon reach a limit preventing you from developing even more powerful social impact projects.
Taking advantage of an all-in-one online platform that is fully configurable to your needs, and made for your social impact projects can help you streamline and scale your CSR projects more than any manual process can.
At Optimy, we help you make the most of your time and resources via a personalized platform to manage your projects without effort. Learn more about the Optimy platform and request a demo to discover the tool.
