Quantifying sustainable impact pathways
The Sustainable Development Goals have been adopted with the goal of achieving all targets by 2030. Traditionally developed with national governing bodies in mind for application on a policy level, these goals span 17 different topics. It has, however, been challenging for companies to contribute to these goals due to their nature. This project, which spanned over the course of 3 years, has created a first attempt at making an operational link between the SDGs to company activities on a product level. This is done through the use of Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) information.
For this project, that is executed by PRé Sustainability and 2.0-LCA consultants under the administration of OnePlanet and initiated by the UN Life Cycle Initiative, the aim has been to create robust links between the SDGs and LCA data and to develop a methodology to show the contribution of companies to the SDGs. Two approaches have been developed in parallel – the life cycle SDG screening (LCSS) and the life cycle SDG assessment (LCSA). The methodology that resulted from this project allows companies to assess and report on their contribution to the SDGs, and therefore substantially helps to streamline and coordinate action and increase efficiency in implementing the 2030 Agenda.
The method documents for the life cycle SDG screening that resulted from this project are the following:
- Final report SDG Screening methodology
- SDG 1 No poverty
- SDG 2 No hunger
- SDG 3 Healthy lives
- SDG 4 Quality education
- SDG 5 Gender equality
- SDG 6 Clean water
- SDG 7 Affordable and clean energy
- SDG 8 Decent work and economic growth
- SDG 9 Industry, innovation, and infrastructure
- SDG 10 Inequality
- SDG 11 Sustainable cities
- SDG 12 Sustainable production and consumption
- SDG 13 Climate action
- SDG 14 Life below water
- SDG 15 Life on land
- SDG 16 Peave, justice and strong institutions
- SDG 17 Partnership for the goals
- Data collection guideline for SDG Screening studies
- Case study summaries
Access the method documents related to the life cycle SDG assessment on the 2.0 LCA Consultants website.
Earlier working documents include:
- Making the SDGs Relevant to Business (2018), a working document looking at the existing knowledge on the linking of SDGs to business needs and the role of LCA in meeting the needs and filling the gaps.
- LCA-based Assessment of the Sustainable Development Goals (2018), is a working document that elaborates on the application and expected results of the LCSS and LCSA. It updates readers on the general steps to be taken for both approaches, describes screening and assessment processes and outlines the next steps in the project.