More than half of all businesses ignore UN's sustainable development goals

Author:
Katharine Earley

Businesses are failing to work on the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDGs), according to two new surveys, despite being billed as having a key role to play in achieving the ambitious goals.

With an estimated investment gap of at least $3tn annually across the SDGs for the next 15 years, private sector involvement is critical if countries are to succeed. Yet fewer than half of global companies plan to engage with the goals, according to Ethical Corporation’s State of Responsible Business 2016 report, which surveyed 2,045 sustainability professionals globally (36% of whom worked for a company or a brand).

Meanwhile, a study from sustainability consultancy Corporate Citizenship found the lack of tangible business action on the SDGs is causing a trust problem among consumers, particularly so-called millennials. Findings showed that despite 81% of millennials believing business has a key role to play in achieving the SDGs, the majority of businesses are not yet acting.

The article's full-text is available here.

Back to CIRSD recommends

Latest news

CIRSD Vice President Stefan Jovanović Speaks at Regional Conference on China’s Role in the Western Balkans

Belgrade, June 5, 2025 – Stefan Jovanović, Vice President of the Center for International Relations and Sustainable Development (CIRSD), participated in the regional conference “Democracy Meets Strategy: Parliament’s Place in China Policy”, held in Belgrade. The event gathered parliamentarians, policymakers, and experts from across the Western Balkans to examine the region’s evolving cooperation with the People’s Republic of China. Read more

Despite Enticing Narratives, the International Community Has Fueled Bosnia’s Instability

In 1984, during the Sarajevo Winter Olympics, Bosnia and Herzegovina was presented to the world as Yugoslavia’s poster child—a picture that would fall apart only eight years later. Read more

Democracy in Iraq: A Facade for Corruption and Human Rights Violations

To guarantee the protection of the rights and freedoms of its people, the Iraqi government must be a true democracy. Read more

CIRSD Hosts Horizons Discussion with Professor Andrey Sushentsov on Russia’s Global Role and the Future of Multipolarity

Belgrade, April 2025 — The Center for International Relations and Sustainable Development (CIRSD) hosted a special edition of its acclaimed Horizons Discussions series, featuring an in-depth conversation between CIRSD President Vuk Jeremić and Professor Andrey Sushentsov, Dean of the School of International Relations at MGIMO University and one of Russia’s most influential strategic thinkers. Read more