United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
In 2015, the United Nations put forward an ambitious 15-year strategy to address some of the most pressing global issues.
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) represent an ambitious plan to enhance peace and prosperity, eradicate poverty and protect the planet.
SDGs are recognized globally as essential to the future sustainability of our world.
The plan calls on the contribution from all elements of society, including local and national governments, business, industry, and individuals.
To be successful, the process requires consensus, collaboration, and innovation.
These are the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
- Goal 1: No Poverty - End poverty in all its forms everywhere.
- Goal 2: Zero Hunger - End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.
- Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being - Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all, at all ages.
- Goal 4: Quality Education - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
- Goal 5: Gender Equality - Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
- Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation - Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
- Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy - Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.
- Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth - Promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all.
- Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation.
- Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities - Reduce inequality within and among countries.
- Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities - Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
- Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production - Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
- Goal 13: Climate Action - Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
- Goal 14: Life Below Water - Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development.
- Goal 15: Life on Land - Protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
- Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions - Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels.
- Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.
How ISO standards contribute to the SDGs
By supporting its members to maximize the benefits of international standardization and ensure the uptake of international standards, ISO is helping to meet the United SDGs. Economic, environmental, and societal dimensions are all directly addressed by ISO standards, which provide effective tools to help organizations and companies rise to the challenge of sustainability.
ISO has published more than 22 000 International Standards and related documents that represent globally recognized guidelines and frameworks based on international collaboration. Built around consensus, they provide a solid base on which innovation can thrive. They are essential tools to help governments, industry and consumers contribute to the achievement of every one of the SDGs.
ISO SDG tool - Putting ideas into practice
For each Goal, ISO has identified international standards that make a significant contribution to the SDGs. This tool serves as a resource for those who are looking for concrete ways where they can play a part. With ISO standards covering almost every subject imaginable, from technical solutions to systems that organize processes and procedures, there are numerous ISO standards that correspond to each of the SDGs.
The ISO SDG tool presents a list of top standards (i.e., the ‘SDG List’ at: https://www.iso.org/sdgs.html), with links to each SDG, that help users determine what SDGs and ISO standards align with their particular needs. Users can also see which ISO technical committee developed each standard and learn more about what ISO technical committees are currently working on.
