The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are 17 interlinked global goals established by the United Nations in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. These goals aim to address various global challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice.

17 SDGs are:

  1. End Poverty
  2. End Hunger
  3. Healthy and Quality Life
  4. Qualified Education
  5. Gender Equality
  6. Clean Water and Sanitation
  7. Accessible and Clean Energy
  8. Decent Work and Economic Growth
  9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
  10. Reducing Inequalities
  11. Sustainable Cities and Communities
  12. Responsible Production and Consumption
  13. Climate Action
  14. Life in Water
  15. Terrestrial Life
  16. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
  17. Partnerships for Purposes

The link between CSRD, ESRS and the SDGs lies in their focus on sustainability and their driving force for greater transparency and accountability in corporate practices. By requiring more comprehensive sustainability reporting, these initiatives can help track progress towards the SDGs in the private sector and encourage businesses to align their strategies with global sustainability goals.

In assessing the ESRS framework, it appears that references to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are common in various sustainability reporting areas.

Voluntary Disclosure: The document frequently uses phrases such as “the entity may disclose”, indicating that reporting of SDG compliance is encouraged but not required under the ESRS.

Broad SDG Integration: The SDGs are referenced in many sustainability areas, including biodiversity, labour impacts, community engagement, consumer impacts and environmental protection. This demonstrates a broad integration of the SDGs in sustainability reporting.

Specific SDG Focus: While multiple SDGs are mentioned, some goals are specifically emphasised:

SDG 2 (Zero Hunger)

SDG 3 (Healthy and Quality Life)

SDG 5 (Gender Equality)

SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation)

SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth)

SDG 14 (Life in Water)

SDG 15 (Terrestrial Life)

Link to Business Activities: By encouraging companies to link their initiatives and processes to specific SDGs, the document shows how business activities can contribute to global sustainability goals.

Alignment with Other Frameworks: By linking the SDGs with other environmental initiatives, such as the European Green Deal and various EU Directives, the ESRS demonstrates an effort to harmonise different sustainability frameworks.

Impact Focused Approach: References to the SDGs are often associated with specific impacts or outcomes, encouraging companies to consider how their actions concretely contribute to sustainable development.

Value Chain Assessment: By mentioning SDG alignment in the context of value chain activities, the document demonstrates that sustainability assessments have a broad scope beyond just direct operations.

Transition Planning: The SDGs are specifically mentioned as potential reference points for transition plans, emphasising their importance for a long-term sustainability strategy.

Overall, the ESRS appears to use the SDGs as a complementary framework to guide and contextualise sustainability reporting. While not mandating SDG reporting, it strongly encourages companies to assess and disclose their contribution to these global goals in various aspects of their operations and impacts. This approach allows for flexibility while encouraging alignment with internationally recognised sustainability goals.