Implementation efforts of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. A case study of private companies in Kópavogur municipality

• Main Author: Jóhanna Björk Weisshappel 1967-
• Other Authors: Háskóli Íslands
• Format: Master Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2021
• Subjects: Umhverfis- og auðlindafræði; Kópavogur
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1946/40091

The 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted in 2015 as a part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Agenda highlights the significance of the private sector in meeting the SDGs and calls upon all businesses to use their creativity and innovation to address challenges and social issues hindering sustainable development. The aim of this study is to examine how the SDGs are integrated into daily operations and relevant driving forces and barriers influencing this. Representatives from seven companies in Kópavogur municipality, which have signed a declaration of intent with Kópavogur Marketing Office to implement the SDGs, were interviewed. The interviews were thematically analysed. Gender equality (SDG 5) and Responsible production and consumption (SDG 12) are prioritized by most of the companies, and main implementation methods are awareness raising by presentations or meetings, through certain projects, strategy, and information disclosure. The main driver behind emphasising the SDGs is to contribute positively to the society and be a role model, and the main benefit is increased competitiveness. The main barrier hindering implementation is changing mindset and behaviour. The theoretical contribution of this study is a comparison of steps from some tools that facilitate SDGs integration and how the outcome fit in their synthesized steps. Six out of seven companies follow the steps of understanding the SDGs, assessing impacts on the SDGs, and prioritizing them. These companies have started the step of integrating the SDGs into activities whereof four include them in strategy. Five companies follow the step of making the prioritized SDGs public. Three companies follow the step of using SDGs relevant performance indicators and the same number follows the step of setting goals aligned with the SDGs. Five of the companies have started the step of reporting on progress against the SDGs, while none of them have started the step of building a specific partnership about the SDG. ...