Supporting businesses critical to realizing SDGs

For Kenya to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, it must create an enabling legal, institutional and policy framework hinged on a robust institutional framework with distinct yet complementary roles, responsibilities and accountability mechanisms.

This is the overarching message of the SDGs Readiness study conducted by Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM), Global Compact Network Kenya and the Office of the Deputy President.

The report, titled SDGs Readiness report: A Policy, Legislative and Institutional Review of the 17 SDGs in Kenya, identifies gaps in the laws and policies across the 17 goals with an emphasis on how the country can achieve green economic growth and recommend interventions. Additionally, it reviews institutional arrangements for executing SDG commitments and makes recommendations on how the parliament should monitor the national and sub-national execution of SDG commitments.

Five years since the adoption of the SDGs challenges still exist particularly in the areas of extreme poverty, inequality - for women, young people and workers and climate change. Now more than ever, this state of affairs demands decisive leadership, collective action, and greater partnerships to get back on track and boost shared prosperity by 2030.

As part of its initiatives to assist business communities to meet the deadline, the UN Global Compact and B Lab developed an SDG Action Manager to empower companies of all sizes anywhere in the world, to take meaningful action and track their progress on the Global Goals.

The web-based impact management solution brings together B Lab’s B Impact Assessment, the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact that broadly cover areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption and the Sustainable Development Goals, to enable businesses to take meaningful action on the SDGs through 2030.

The UN Global Compact Network Local Chapter Board Chair and KAM Chief Executive, Ms Phyllis Wakiaga notes that the delivery of the SDGs requires bold action from businesses and for leaders to set radical goals to establish a new normal for doing business.

“Every individual effort from large and small businesses alike will count in helping realize our collective goal. To bridge the gap between commitment and action, the SDG Action Manager is available to all companies to self assess, benchmark and improve their sustainability performance aligned with the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact and the Global Goals.

The SDG Action Manager is free to access by companies and is informed by the work and feedback from a range of stakeholders, including experts in corporate sustainability, civil society, the UN, and academia,” adds Ms Wakiaga.

The SDGs cover a wide range of issues ranging from Leaving no One Behind; keeping sustainable development at the core; transforming economies for jobs and inclusive growth; building peaceful and effective, open and accountable institutions and forging a new global partnership; culminating into the five (5) Ps – People, Prosperity, Planet, Peace and Partnerships.

The SDGs are action-oriented, global and universally applicable. They take into account different national realities, capacities and levels of development and respect for national policies and priorities.

The targets integrate economic, social and environmental aspects and recognize their interlinkages in achieving sustainable development in all its dimensions.