What the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are and the opportunity they represent for business. The technology decision that can deliver an impact and how Unfinished-Products defines a natural archetype for Technology Solutions supporting the SGDs.
When defining their purpose some of the company find challenges. While it is important not to look too marketing focused or abstract in the intent, sometime is difficult to relate the purpose to the company strategy and hence to define the Return On Purpose metrics.
The natural starting point and deep guidance on where to set your company Purpose is to look at the United Nations Sustainable Developments Goals (SDG). The SDG are seventeen goals established in the 2015 and designed to transform our world. The goals plan is to achieve all the 17 goals by 2030. Achieving the goals in the expected timeline requires the commitment of countries and business to promote prosperity while protecting the planet. The goals go hand-in-hand with strategies that build economic growth and address a range of social needs including education, health, social protection, and job opportunities, while tackling climate change and environmental protection. The goals provide a critical framework for COVID-19 recovery plans (as the one adopted by the European Union). The goals define the guidelines on how to transform the COVID-19 crisis in the opportunity to transform our world [1] .
Unfortunately the SDG planis is off the track and the COVID-19 crises is putting at risk the successful achievement of the end goals by the 2030. As stated by Liu Zhenmin Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs in the The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2020[2] “One third of the way into our SDG journey, the world is not on track to achieve the global Goals by 2030. Before the COVID-19 outbreak, progress had been uneven, and more focused attention was needed in most areas. The pandemic abruptly disrupted implementation towards many of the SDGs and, in some cases, turned back decades of progress.
The crisis has touched all segments of the population, all sectors of the economy, and all areas of the world. Not surprisingly, it is affecting the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people the most. It has exposed harsh and profound inequalities in our societies and is further exacerbating existing disparities within and among countries.”
The words and considerations by Liu Zhenmin are visualized in the infographic above which testimonies all the criticality in re-focusing on the Sustainable Development Goals. The response to the Covid-19 crisis must be designed around the opportunities of accelerating the SDGs outcome.
Everything we do during and after this crisis [COVID-19] must be with a strong focus on building more equal, inclusive and sustainable economies and societies that are more resilient in the face of pandemics, climate change, and the many other global challenges we face.
— António GUTERRES Secretary-General of the United Nations
This is a clear call to action for all the governments and the international organization but it also indeed a call to action for all the business that are looking to define their purpose in a genuine and sincere way as well as looking for strategies to come out from the COVID-19 crisis stronger.
Strategies for business are not going to be designed around Philanthropy/Corporate Social Responsibilities principles neither around the scary risk to be out of the market. Financing sustainable development brings new, exciting opportunities. As reported in the “Business and Sustainable Development Commission, 2017; Better Business Better World; Report of the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate, 2018“, evidence shows that investing in the SDGs makes economic sense, with estimates highlighting that achieving the SDGs could open up US$ 12 trillion of market opportunities and create 380 million new jobs, and that action on climate change would result in savings of about US$ 26 trillion by 2030[3].
SDGs push Stakeholder Capitalism to change registry
Business are already moving from a stakeholder-centric approach to a purpose driven approach. The proposition and believe that entrepreneurs should combine the interests of customers, partners, the workforce, and society, as well as shareholders, is nothing new. Already more than a century ago in various part of the world entrepreneurs were stating the importance of the purpose of the business. We have various proof in the literature as the American chocolate maker Milton S. Hershey stated “business is a matter of human service”[4]. Or the capitalism’s philosopher king Adam Smith noted in The Theory of Moral Sentiments that the individual is “sensible too that his own interest is connected with the prosperity of society, and that the happiness, perhaps the preservation of his existence, depends on its preservation”[5] . Or Shibusawa’s Eiichi father of the Japanese capitalism, stated that there are “three-way good”—namely for buyers, sellers and society—Shibusawa fused Confucianism’s collectivist morality with market logic[6].
It is a fact that the thinking where “business should be guided by a purpose approach and serve a interests beyond maximising shareholder returns”, is gaining adherents across the rich world. That said, as confided to The Economist in the article How Japan’s stakeholder capitalism is changing, Mr Nakanishi Hiroaki chairman of At Keidanren (Japan’s big business lobby) “no one denies that corporations should create value beyond pure profit, the discussion is about how to define those broader, fuzzier values for today’s more complex society”. The debating in Japan on how stakeholders’ capitalism should evolve, is very important and interesting as Japan is a rare big economy to have tried social purpose approach at scale.
We do believe that the Sustainable Development Goals #SDG represent the most tangible way to define the broader #purpose #values for #businesses engaged in today’s complex society. Unfinished-Products
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Thanks to a desktop analysis we looked at the top 10 most valuable brand as well as select 10 brands (between the 11th and 50th most valuable brands) to try to understand how their mission relate to a specific purpose and how the impact those brands aim to achieve support the SDGs[7].
Given our analysis there is a divide (11 vs 9) between brands whom mission focus mainly on maximizing the stakeholders needs and those whom mission is a bold statement on purpose and impact. Despite what stated on the mission (or vision), all the brands analyzed denote a strong attention and awareness of the SDGs. As expected the majority of the brands focus on selected SDGs that are closer to their business purpose and impact. Several Brands publish yearly report to communicate and demonstrate their contribution to the SDGs and their sustainability commitment in general.
In addition to the analysis we had a conversation with a Senior Director Analyst at Gartner. The conversation was about if and how companies in their technology selection decision making process, include sustainability variable in the business value equation definition. The Gartner answer was “even though we see more and more attention to the sustainability and purpose aspects, the priority on decisions regarding technology selection is still driven by the classic business value factors (TCO reduction, revenue growth or process improvement).
While our analysis gives an encouraging prospect on business commitment to the SDGs, we do think that the business should explore opportunity also outside of their natural markets. Especially in the context of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs)[8]. LDCs are struggling in being on target with the SDGs and very often they find themself behind 2-5 folds from the more developed countries. LDCs are more affected by natural disasters and scarcity of resource. In terms of digitization and the ability to report consistently on SDGs progress, LDCs face the biggest challenges and gaps. For example, while mobile connections are practically universal, still about half the global population is offline, mostly in LDCs. LDCs had almost no fixed-broadband connections owing to the high cost and lack of infrastructure. All those challenges are reflected in the fact that while global trade is expected to plummet, LDCs struggle to build their share of exports[2].
We do believe that technology and how the actors (government, business , national and/or international institutions, as well as NGO) will implement technology is going to define the right solution to most of the challenges and opportunities the SDGs bring along. The extend on how the technology will be implemented and the ability to go out a siloed approach, embracing technology multiparty systems is going to affect the effective impact and achievement pace for the SDGs solutions.
we do believe that #Advanced #Technology has a purpose if and only if can advance the #sustainable #growth of a #democratized #Globe. Unfinished-Products
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Let’ look at few example on how technology is helping selected business in addressing their purpose and the related sustainable goal/s.
The smart water navigator www.smartwaternavigator.com
Ecolab.com implemented a tool helping companies to conserve water and to meet environmental goals in line with the SDG #6 Clean Water and Sanitation with particular attention to the Target 6.3: Improve water quality, wastewater treatment and safe reuse (UN definition: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally).
For example, the tool has being used by Marriott to analyze how much water scarcity and pollution cost to their operation. Same awareness has been brought to also global manufacturing giants such as 3M, Dow Chemical and General Mills. Microsoft too (who helped to build the tool itself) adopted the tool. According to Emilio Tenuta, Ecolab’s vice president of corporate sustainability “by 2030 fresh water demand will exceed supplies by 40 percent, that has a dramatic impact to businesses and communities around the world. The challenge is that many water users have limited awareness of the real costs that water presents to their operations.” The smart water navigator helps in calculating water bills, water basin data, regulatory and water treatment costs, and other factors to determine the full price of water to company operations. The tools is bringing up alerting on the chance of regional water shortages, pollution costs to provide the right insight on the company operational risks[9]. A good overview and demo on how the smart water navigator works is published with the video Water Risk Monetizer Tutorial.
Royal Dutch Shell’s goal is to become a net-zero emissions organization by 2050
Shell sets its purpose and sustainable strategy in line with the SDG #7 Affordable and Clean Energy supporting few targets as: Target 7.1: Universal access to modern energy; Target 7.2: Increase global percentage of renewable energy; Target 7.A: Promote access, technology and investments in clean energy.
In executing the strategy, Shell set the three building principles. The principles have been introduced by Yuri Sebregts, Shell Chief Technology Officer in the Three ways to thrive through the digital and energy transitions[10] and they are:
- Collaborating with others. This is essential because no single company, institution or industry can tackle these digital and energy transitions alone.
- Building capability. In order to make the most of these transformations, you need your own technological solutions, on top of others’, to create combined offers to customers.
- Giving our customers choice. This is for Shell the most important aspect. Shell does not decide what is best for its customers.
In collaborating with others, Shell started several collaborations in the space of technology. For example: Shell cooperates with theoretical physicists and chemists of Leiden University to research how quantum computer algorithms can help simulate complex molecules Shell works with Leiden and VU researchers on quantum computer algorithms for chemistry – Leiden University (universiteitleiden.nl); Shell has awarded KONGSBERG digital an Enterprise Framework Agreement for supply the KOGNITWIN® ENERGY, Digital Twin Software Shell Global Solutions International B.V. has awarded Kongsberg Digital an enterprise framework agreement for the supply of Kognitwin® Energy, digital twin software. – KONGSBERG; Microsoft and Shell are partnering. While Microsoft is committing to purchase from Shell renewable energy for powering its Cloud offering, Shell is entering a technology Joint-Venture (JV) with Microsoft. The JV has the goals to enable Shell benefiting from Microsoft cloud services and to develop the required artificial intelligence technology for Shell to access real-time data insights, Those technology capabilities will empower Shell in improving the efficiency of its operations, leading to lower emissions[11].
Bentley is going Electric
Bentley is looking at the future of electric drive and its sustainable impact. Bentley launched a three-year research study that promises to transform electric vehicle powertrains, utilising a fully integrated, free from rare-earth magnet e-axle that supports electric vehicle architectures. The research study if successful will support the SDG #9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure and the Target 9.5: Enhance research and upgrade industrial technologies (UN definition (to be achieved by 2030): Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular developing countries. Encouraging innovation and substantially, increasing the number of research and development . Those increase is measured as: workers per 1 million people; number of public and private research; and development spending).
The research project is aiming to develop an “e-axle” that is fully recyclable, and eliminates the rare-earth magnets used in many current production electric cars. The project OCTOPUS (Optimized Components, Test and simulatiOn, toolkits for Powertrains which integrate Ultra high-speed motor Solutions), could significantly reduce the overall environmental impact of electric cars by taking a closer look at the materials used to make them, in addition to emissions from propulsion. First electric Bentley due in 2026 will say no to rare-earth magnets (greencarreports.com)
All the example brought have IT technology (integrated with the functional technology) at their heart. The IT technology could be is some cases the main vehicle of the user interaction (e.g. in the smart water navigator) or it is the core infrastructure support to implement the function technologies that are supporting the research project (in both the effort from Shell and Bentley).
The Technology that will support the SDGs implementation and achieve the expected impact, will be in most of the cases based on three critical guiding principles defined and explained in the following infographic.
Let’s explore now few example that implements one or more of the guiding principles highlighted in the infographic. We will analyze the solutions from the perspective on they are supporting relevant sustainability aspects and goals.
Circular Supply Chain Capability – Multiparty solution for sustainable growth.
Mastercard, Amazon Web Services, Everledger, Mercy Corps, and Accenture developed and defined the circular supply chain. The circular supply chain is a multiparty solution combining few capabilities as: identity verification, payment capabilities, resource planning, and secure data sharing. Those capabilities and the ability to share data in a secure manner across all the multiparty members provide benefits to anyone engaged in the ecosystem[12]. The circular supply chain is supporting at least the SDG #12 Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns and aiming to achieve all the targets associated with the SDG #12 itself.
The solution goal is to address the enormous waste, mismanagement, misalignment of resources and the financial inequality among participants that today happen in supply chains. It is a fact that most of the impact of productions (e.g. the environmental impact) is happening in the supply chain process. Even the financial inequality is driven by the supply chain process. Imagine a small-scale Fair Trade organic coffee farmer. She sells her coffee beans around $1.30 a pound. The retail in US will re-sell the beans provided by the small-scale Fair Trade organic coffee farmer for $20 per pound. This fifteen plus times more!!!! the money earned by the small-scale Fair Trade organic coffee farmer.
The circular supply chain is a solution encouraging the maximum use and reuse of goods and materials by repurposing them at the end of each stage of their service life. His model combined with the help of blockchain and artificial intelligence, provides full visibility on the product life-cycle: from the initial producer all the way through the supply chain to the end consumer. The visibility enabled by the circular supply chain, reduces intermediar steps and establish a better connection between the base-of-the-pyramid producers and the consumers. This connection is enabled by the circular supply chain solution thanks to its ability to combine supply chain, blockchain, identity, biometrics and payment capabilities.
Plastics Traceability – Porsche & its suppliers use Digital Twin to track sustainable materials
Porsche and its material suppliers – Borealis, Covestro and Domo Chemicals – recently launched a project to enable the traceability of plastics thanks to blockchain. The aim is for Porsche to ensure and prove that sustainable materials are used in the Porsche’s supply chain. This is another example on how supporting at least the SDG #12 Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns and aiming to achieve all the targets associated with the SDG #12 itself.
In the project launched by Porsche and its material suppliers, one of the core component to deliver is a digital twin. The digital twin is mirroring the whole supply chain. Doing so the digital twin is enabling: material traceability; CO2 footprint tracking together with other sustainability metrics (e.g. water waste and consumption). Usually and with the existing solutions, there is no much trust in the data received by suppliers engaged in the supply chain. This is mainly due to the tendency of supplier to obscure information they fear could raise confidentiality concerns or because are complex to manage and standardize. In the project launched by Porsche and its material suppliers, the trust on the data received by the supply chain sources is obtained by the use of blockchain. The blockchain is going to guarantee the right level of confidentiality.
The project is strategic for Porsche because it enables Porsche to know the details on the parts and materials being used in their products. Those details include information on production processes deep down in all the end-to-end supply chain. It allows Porsche to have a clear view on the statements of recycled content and more.
The scope of the digital twin that is going to be developed in the project is to analyze all relevant information. Those include batch, such as its environmental footprint and origin. The digital twin does create transparency between the project partners leading to an improved supply chain collaboration. The digital twin is continuously performing “what-if” analysis to understand the sustainability impact to use a given spare material instead of another one. The digital twin is so able to drive the right decision on the material to be supplied. All the decision taken are transparently surfaced to the customers, fulfilling their desire on understanding the sustainability and the impact of the product they purchase. That said, given the early stage of the technology, data validation is also inforce though audits run by humans. Once the technology will mature and standard will be enforced, we could then think of a full automated process. Porsche in Joint Effort for Plastics Traceability (plasticstoday.com)
The lesson learned from projects including the implementation of complex digital twin and digital thread is: companies leading the project have to solve three main challenges. Challenge #1: which sensors and in the IoT devices collecting data to invest in? Challenge #2: what technology for aggregating, analyzing, and driving insight on the huge amount of information streamed, to select? Challenge #3: what technology to adopt at the edge enabling the intelligence and the action execution, close to where the user’ needs are?
NVIDIA Clara™ Guardian – how Distributed Architecture help health services
NVIDIA recognizes the need for smart hospitals has never been more urgent. NVIADIA implemented an application framework and a partner ecosystem based on distributed architecture. The distributed architecture is composed by smart sensors acting as “eyes and ears,”. Those smart sensors ensure safety and operational excellence in critical ways—from temperature screening and protective gear detection, to safe social distancing. NVIDIA Clara™ Guardian improves patient care in healthcare facilities. NVIDIA Clara™ Guardian can contribute to the SDG#3 Good Health and Well-Being that aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages Clara Guardian Helps Building Smarter Hospitals | NVIDIA.
NVIDIA Clara™ Guardian Framework has been used to monitor patients in a Contact Free Environment (Ouva’s Hospital Intelligence Platform Uses NVIDIA Clara Guardian Framework to Monitor Patients in a Contact Free Environment | MarkTechPost). Diycam Hospital thanks to the NVIDIA technology can check in real time if doctors and medical staff are wearing mask and all the other relevant Personal Protection Equipment Diycam Brings AI to the Edge of Healthcare with NVIDIA Clara Guardian – Times of India (indiatimes.com). NVIDIA Clara™ Guardian has been already deployed in several hospitals spread across a high number of countries. NVIDIA Clara™ Guardian has been a strategic solution for the fight on COVID-19.
NVIDIA Clara™ Guardian success would not be possible without innovation and cohesion at every layer and nodes of its distributed technology architecture. System’s smart sensors are engaged to stream data and generate insights as body temperatures, movement, social distancing, and
mask detection. Pre-trained data models process the sensor’s data (at the edge or centrally) to help a diagnosis or predict if a patient requires Intensive Care Units. Edge AI chips and GPUs infrastructure provide the processing speed and capabilities the system needs to simultaneously supporting intelligent human–computer interactions like voice-powered assistance and dynamic wayfinding.
In all the technology sample we have been introducing so far in this article, the Data Trust is a common challenge and issue. To address the challenge, for example Microsoft is betting on open data. Microsoft launched an Open Data Campaign to help address the looming “data divide” and to help organizations of all sizes to realize the benefits of data and the new technologies it powers. Microsoft believes everyone can benefit from opening, sharing and collaborating around data to make better decisions, improve efficiency and even help tackle some of the world’s most pressing societal challenges. One Accenture study found that investment in creating industry data interoperability could result in administrative cost savings of $30 billion. Another study found that the adoption of blockchain, and the subsequent data exchanges, fraud protection, and ecosystems it would generate, could save the industry between $100–150 billion. We encourage analyzing your Data Trust needs since the very begin of your project and to consider what ecosystem can accelerate your solution.
The three pillars we identified for the technology that are going to enable business, governments, NGOs and international authority in supporting the SDGs goals (Collaboration; Continuous Intelligence to support continuous decisions; Distributed Architecture) are the critical design principles we professed since the very begin for Unfinished-Products[13]. Unfinished-Products hence are not limited to the concept of connected or intelligent devices.
Unfinished-Products define the strategic #archetype for #entrepreneurs (and #intrapreneurs) that want to put #purpose at the center of their #strategy.
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The following infographic provides a guidance on how to built your growth strategy around purpose and how the unfinished-products archtetype is going to help you.
The courage we are asking to entrepreneurs (and intrapreneurs) is to look beyond their current market. They should and challenge their solution on how it could bring an impact in Least Developed Countries (LDC) too. The advices we can give to entrepreneurs (and intrapreneurs) are:
- in LDC (and not only) very often there is a lack of the commodity infrastructure (connectivity, streets, communication means, transportation) we easily find in more developed countries. Hence the entrepreneur focus shouldn’t be only on the unfinished-products, but also on the infrastructure the unfinished-product requires to be successful;
- in designing their unfinished-products they need to to answer the critical question “not what technology should be build but actually how technology should and can be used”;
- companies will need to go beyond today’s proven digital technologies to innovate at the next frontier (e.g. while the company average R&D spending rose by 31%, unfortunately that spending is mainly used on incremental innovation for legacy business).
CONCLUSIONS
In this article we have been discussing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and see how those represent opportunity for business ready to put purpose at the core of their strategic agenda.
SDGs achievement is at high risk and the pandemic in some of the cases has removed most of the gain obtained so far. This is a call for Business to go over their Philanthropic or Corporate Social Responsibility traditional approach. Business has to realize how to materialize the US$ 12 trillion of market opportunities and hundreds of million new jobs creation SDGs are going to create. Business should consider addressing markets that are not traditional targets but provide most the SDGs achievements benefits.
Technology not surprisingly, is the enabler for solving those challenges. The technology guiding principles for solution based on purpose are: Collaboration; Continuous Intelligence to support continuous decisions; and Distributed Architecture. Those guiding principles are nothing more than the Unfinished-Products archetype pillars.
In the following articles we will focus on the technology pillars and the Unfinished-Products archetype. We will trying to cover in depth the technology aspects of the pillars, while keeping the connection with sustainability and impact well alive.
[1]17 Goals to Transform Our World – United Nations Sustainable Development Goals https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/
[2]The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2020 – United Nations Sustainable Development Goals https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2020/The-Sustainable-Development-Goals-Report-2020.pdf
[3]UN Secretary-General’s Strategy for Financing the 2030 Agenda – United Nations Sustainable Development Goals https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sg-finance-strategy/
[4]The next normal arrives: Trends that will define 2021—and beyond – McKinsey &Company https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/leadership/the-next-normal-arrives-trends-that-will-define-2021-and-beyond
[5]Adam Smith on What It Means to Flourish – Foundation for Economic Education (FEE) https://fee.org/articles/adam-smith-on-what-it-means-to-flourish/
[6]How Japan’s stakeholder capitalism is changing – The Economist https://www.economist.com/business/2021/03/18/how-japans-stakeholder-capitalism-is-changing
[7]Business and Purpose: an empirical desktop based analysis – Unfinished-Products.com APPENDIX – BUSINESS and PURPOSE: an empirical desktop based analysis (at the bottom of this same article).
[8]UN list of least developed countries – UNCTAD https://unctad.org/topic/least-developed-countries/list.
[9]Ecolab has tool to help companies conserve water, meet environmental goals – StarTribune https://www.startribune.com/ecolab-has-tool-to-help-companies-conserve-water-meet-environmental-goals/428932123/
[10]Three ways to thrive through the digital and energy transitions – Shell https://www.shell.com/energy-and-innovation/digitalisation/news-room/three-ways-to-thrive-through-the-digital-and-energy-transitions.html
[11]Three ways to thrive through the digital and energy transitions – Forbes https://www.forbes.com/sites/johntough/2020/10/07/microsoft-the-surprise-energy-wildcatter
[12]IMAGINE… A new generation of fairer trade now – Accenture https://www.accenture.com/_acnmedia/PDF-95/Accenture-Circular-Supply-Chain.pdf
[13]Implementing the strategy for unfinished products – Unfinished-Products.com https://unfinished-products.com/2020/06/27/implementing-the-strategy-for-unfinished-products/
APPENDIX – BUSINESS and PURPOSE: an empirical desktop based analysis
If and how companies in the world build their mission around a purpose or simply aiming their stakeholders needs.
The following section highlights our analysis (using a simple method of review content available in the official company’ website) to interpret wherever companies build their mission around a precise purpose or simply around their stakeholders needs. For each company we also looked if and how they are relate to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, if they include sustainability in their growth strategy.
We selected twenty companies. The first ten are the Top 10 companies in the world by brand value. The second ten are selected companies whom brand value is is in the Top 50 in the world. The selection has buing guided by the intent to maximize industry coverage and location diversity. The Brand Value and Ranking data source is: The Top 50 Most Valuable Global Brands – Visual Capitalist – https://www.visualcapitalist.com/top-50-most-valuable-global-brands/.
#1 Apple (Brand value: $323B; Industry: Technology)
Mission: Bringing the best user experience to its customers through its innovative hardware, software, and services.
Mission and Purpose Analysis: Fully focused on stakeholders. No link between the mission, the purpose and the SDG in general.
SDGs Awareness: The main attention and engagement is on SDG #13 -Climate Action. https://www.apple.com/environment/
#2 Amazon(Brand value: $201B; Industry: Technology)
Mission: We aim to be Earth’s most customer centric company. Our mission is to continually raise the bar of the customer experience by using the internet and technology to help consumers find, discover and buy anything, and empower businesses and content creators to maximise their success.
Mission and Purpose Analysis: Fully focused on stakeholders. No link between the mission, the purpose and the SDG in general.
SDGs Awareness: At Amazon, there are multiple ways Amazon’s sustainability work aligns with the SDGs. Amazon set-up a series of programs to fulfill the UN SDGs. https://sustainability.aboutamazon.com/governance/unsdgs
#3 Microsoft(Brand value: $166B; Industry: Technology)
Mission: Empowering others – Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.
Mission and Purpose Analysis: The purpose is to empower every person and organization. There is no a limited focus on stakeholders or customers.
There is a link between the mission and the SDGs (e.g the #5 gender equality; #8 decent work and economic growth).
SDGs Awareness: The Microsoft mission—to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more—aligns strongly with the UN global agenda for sustainable development from 2015 through 2030.
We believe the digital transformation of the global economy can make a difference and help address the challenges underlying the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Through a wide range of programs, partnerships, and initiatives we support, Microsoft seeks to advance the SDGs and contribute to a sustainable future that is truly for everyone. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/corporate-responsibility/un-sustainable-development-goals
#4 Google (Brand value: $165B; Industry: Technology)
Mission: Our mission is to organize the world’s information resources so that they become widely available and useful to everyone.
Mission and Purpose Analysis: The purpose sits in making informations available and useful to everyone.
There is no a limited focus on stakeholders or customers.
There is a link between the mission and the SDGs (e.g the #4 quality education; #10 reduce inequalities)
SDGs Awareness: Google is engaged in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. For example Google launched a program for start-ups in fulfilling the goal:
Establishing a context as the 2021 Solution Challenge mission is to solve for one or more of the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals using Google technology. https://developers.google.com/community/dsc-solution-challenge
The Google for Startups Accelerator: Sustainable Development Goals (GfSAS) is a 3-5 month program for startup companies working on products/services that advance one or more of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs)
https://startup.google.com/accelerator/sdg/
#5 Samsung (Brand value: $62B; Industry: Technology)
Mission: Inspire the World, Create the Future.
Mission and Purpose Analysis: The purpose sits in inspiring the world and creating the future (would be helpful to understand on which principles the future is going to be created). There is no a limited focus on stakeholders or customers. That said we cannot extract a direct link with the SDGs.
SDGs Awareness: Samsung developed an app to come familiar with SDGs, engage with the activities, monitor the progress and to contribute with donations. https://www.samsung.com/global/galaxy/apps/samsung-global-goals/
In its strategy definition Samsung pictures itself as a global corporate citizen. The strategy for Samsung is to create social values in a way that is aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). https://www.samsung.com/us/aboutsamsung/sustainability/strategy/
#6 Coca-Cola (Brand value: $57B; Industry: Food & Beverage)
Mission: Coca-Cola vision is to craft the brands and choice of drinks that people love, to refresh them in body & spirit. And done in ways that create a more sustainable business and better shared future that makes a difference in people’s lives, communities and our planet.
Mission and Purpose Analysis: The purpose sits in refreshing people (with the wider meaning focused on well being). The call on sustainable business is a strategic statement to deliver value for the society. There is no a limited focus on stakeholders or customers. A link can be made between the vision and the SDG#6 Clean Water and Sanitation and SDG #12 Responsible Consumption and Production.
SDGs Awareness: The Coca-Cola Company continues to invest in its core sustainability priorities – which align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Chairman and CEO James Quincey said in a panel discussion held around the virtual opening of the UN General Assembly. https://www.coca-colacompany.com/news/how-coca-cola-is-driving-social-environmental-priorities-and-sustainable-goals-during-covid-19-pandemic
The Coca-Cola Company is a proud supporter of the United Nations Global Compact. We believe that by working together we can create a positive impact and respond effectively to the collective challenges of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Our ongoing commitment to the Ten Principles is further explained in our Business & Sustainability reports, which we publish on an annual basis. https://www.coca-colacompany.com/policies-and-practices/coca-cola-commitment-to-the-un-global-compact
#7 Toyota (Brand value: $52B; Industry: Automotive)
Mission: Toyota will lead the future mobility society, enriching lives around the world with the safest and most responsible ways of moving people.
Through our commitment to quality, ceaseless innovation, and respect for the planet, we strive to exceed expectations and be rewarded with a smile.
We will meet challenging goals by engaging the talent and passion of people who believe there is always a better way.
Mission and Purpose Analysis: The purpose is build on few points: sustainable and safe mobility; respects for the planet driven by innovation; engaging talent. There is no a limited focus on stakeholders or customers. For example links can be made between the vision and the SDG#9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure and SDG #13 Climate Action.
SDGs Awareness: The list of Toyota initiatives supporting SDGs is available at https://global.toyota/en/sustainability/sdgs/
Details on how Toyota Motor North America, Inc. is contributing to SDGs can be find here https://www.toyota.com/usa/environmentreport/feature-contributing-to-the-sgds.html
#8 Mercedes (Brand value: $49B; Industry: Automotive)
Mission: “First Move the World” – that is the Purpose of Mercedes-Benz Cars. It is the deeper meaning behind our work, it is what drives us, our “reason why”. “First Move the World” means pursuing more than what is immediately achievable. This pioneering spirit is part of our DNA. In times of change, it gives us a direction for our all-embracing and sustainable business strategy, and for our decisions. It gave rise to, for example, Ambition 2039 – our road to sustainable mobility.
Mission and Purpose Analysis: Mercedes define its own purpose embracing a sustainable business strategy. No clear link to the SDGs.
SDGs Awareness: The sustainable strategy at Daimler AG (the group that owns Mercedes) embraces the SDGs. https://www.daimler.com/sustainability/strategie.html
Our Sustainability Strategy 2030 supports the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that were approved by the United Nations in September 2015. Although the SDGs are directed primarily at governments and countries, the achievement of these goals will depend greatly on businesses because of their innovative spirit and extensive ability to make investments. As a result, we also took the SDGs into account during the realignment of Daimler’s Sustainability Strategy. We focused our sustainability-related activities on those SDGs that are greatly influenced by our business model and value chain and where we can actually bring about change.
#9 McDonald’s (Brand value: $43B; Industry: Restaurants)
Mission: Our mission is to make delicious feel-good moments easy for everyone. This is how we uniquely feed and foster communities. We serve delicious food people feel good about eating, with convenient locations and hours and affordable prices, and by working hard to offer the speed, choice and personalization our customers expect. At our best, we don’t just serve food, we serve moments of feel-good, all with the lighthearted, unpretentious, welcoming, dependable personality consumers know and love.
Mission and Purpose Analysis: The purpose is build on creating the feel-good moments and helping communities. There is no a limited focus on stakeholders or customers. No clear link to the SDGs.
SDGs Awareness: As one of the world’s largest restaurant companies we have a responsibility to ensure long-term, sustainable value creation for shareholders while taking action on some of the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges that are important to a wide range of stakeholders.
Our strategies to manage environmental and social issues also support progress toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a global agenda to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. 2019-2020 Progress on Impact Report – Highlights (PDF) Managing McDonald’s Impact. https://corporate.mcdonalds.com/content/dam/gwscorp/assets/reports/55854_McDonalds_Progress-Highlights_ADA_FINAL.pdf
#10 Disney (Brand value: $41B; Industry: Entertainment)
Mission: The mission of The Walt Disney Company is to entertain, inform and inspire people around the globe through the power of unparalleled storytelling, reflecting the iconic brands, creative minds and innovative technologies that make ours the world’s premier entertainment company.
Mission and Purpose Analysis: The link between the mission and purpose/impact looks weak. The more purpose oriented part of the mission statement is “the ambition to inspire people around the globe”. No clear link to the SDGs.
SDGs Awareness: Disney defined a set of sustainable development goals the company is focused. Disney sustainable goals are fairly aligned with selected UN SDGs. https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/app/uploads/2020/12/disneyenvironmentwhitepaper.pdf
#15 Nike (Brand value: $34B; Industry: Footwear & Accessories)
Mission: Bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete*. * If you have a body, you are an athlete.
Mission and Purpose Analysis: The link between the mission and purpose/impact looks weak. The more purpose oriented part of the mission statement is around the ambition to inspire every athlete. No clear link to the SDGs.
SDGs Awareness: The SDGs set out a positive vision for the future, but it will need collective action to get there. It is in the interest of business, government and civil society alike to accelerate progress towards this vision.
We have identified the areas where Nike has the biggest potential to contribute to the SDGs, given the nature and scale of our business.
SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing
SDG 5: Gender Equality
SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
SDG 13: Climate Action
SDG 17: Partnerships For the Goals
We will look to collaborate and drive progress on these six areas of impact. https://purpose.nike.com/sustainable-development-goals-sdgs
#19 Instagram (Brand value: $26B; Industry: Technology)
Mission: Bringing you closer to the people and things you love.
Mission and Purpose Analysis: The link between the mission and purpose/impact looks weak. The more purpose oriented part of the mission statement is around the ambition to bring people closer. No clear link to the SDGs.
SDGs Awareness: while there is no SDG page defined by Instagram itself, there is a variety of content the Instagram community shares around the SDGs.
#21 Chanel (Brand value: $21B; Industry: Luxury)
Mission: To be the Ultimate House of Luxury, defining style and creating desire, now and forever.
Mission and Purpose Analysis: The mission is very focused on Chanel’s customers experience. No purpose defined and no clear link to the SDGs.
SDGs Awareness: While we have achieved a number of positive social, economic, and environmental outcomes, we still have work to do to be certain all our raw-material sourcing achieves positive impacts in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. We are convinced of the potential that regenerative agriculture holds for transformative change toward reaching our objectives. Promoting regenerative agriculture is a key part of our strategy going forward.
https://services.chanel.com/i18n/en_US/pdf/Chanel_CSR_0305_Proof_180620_for_web.pdf
Report to Society, “Chanel’s Climate Strategy”. In March 2020, CHANEL launched Mission 1.5° — our commitment to tackle climate change in line with the targets of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. Climate Report – https://www.chanel.com/us/climate-report/
#22 J.P. Morgan (Brand value: $20B; Industry: Financial Services)
Mission: J.P. Business Principles: exceptional client service; a commitment to integrity; fairness and responsibility (we help strengthen the communities in which we live and work); a great team and winning culture.
Mission and Purpose Analysis: The business principle are very focused on stakeholders. The more purpose oriented part of the business principles is around J.P. Morgan commitment to help strengthen the communities in which we live and work. No clear link to the SDGs.
SDGs Awareness: J.P. Morgan is leveraging its expertise in the financial markets to promote sustainable business practices and help our clients raise the capital they need to invest in projects and initiatives intended to achieve positive environmental and social outcomes. The firm aims to facilitate $200 billion in financing in 2020 to drive action on climate change and advance the objectives of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In 2020, the firm commits to facilitate $200 billion for efforts focused on the following objectives: Green; Supporting climate action, clean water and waste; management; Social; Increasing access to housing, education and health care; Economic Development
Advancing infrastructure, innovation and growth.
https://www.jpmorganchase.com/impact/sustainability
#23 UPS (Brand value: $19B; Industry: Logistic)
Mission: Grow our global business by serving the logistics needs of customers, offering excellence and value in all that we do. Maintain a financially strong company—with broad employee ownership—that provides a long-term competitive return to our shareowners.
Inspire our people and business partners to do their best, offering opportunities for personal development and success. Lead by example as a responsible, caring, and sustainable company making a difference in the communities we serve.
Mission and Purpose Analysis: The mission is very focused on stakeholders but the last bullet point where UPS commits itself to drive by example responsible caring and sustainability in the community UPS serves. No clear link to the SDGs.
SDGs Awareness: UPS defined in 2016 its 10 Sustainability Goals to address environmental impacts, advance industry-leading safety programs, and strengthen the communities where we all live and work.
UPS sustainability goals are partially inspired by the UN SDGs. https://sustainability.ups.com/progress-report/goals-and-progress/UPS
#24 American Express (Brand value: $19B; Industry: Financial Services)
Mission: Become essential to our customers by providing differentiated products and services to help them achieve their aspirations.
Mission and Purpose Analysis: The mission is very focused on its stakeholders. No Purpose focus and no clear link to the SDGs.
SDGs Awareness: The American Express sustainability goal is focused on a Low-Carbon Future (SDG #13 climate action). American Express is publishing the 2019-2020 ESG (Environment Sustainability Goal) Report to summarize the achievements of American Express toward the Low-Carbon Future goal. https://s1.q4cdn.com/692158879/files/doc_downloads/2020/American-Express-2019-2020-ESG-Report.pdf
#25 IKEA (Brand value: $19B; Industry: Retail)
Mission: We have a passion for life at home. Our culture is built upon enthusiasm, togetherness and a “get-it-done” attitude. We’re optimists, constantly looking for new and better ways to do things, from how to design a rocking chair that fits into a flat-pack, to creating LED light bulbs that are affordable to everyone. Our vision is to create a better everyday life for the many people – for customers, but also for our co-workers and the people who work at our suppliers.
Mission and Purpose Analysis: The mission is very focused on IKEA’s customers experience and IKEA’s stakeholders. No purpose defined and no clear link to the SDGs.
SDGs Awareness: IKEA set its set of sustainable goals (Healthy and sustainable living; Circular and climate positive; Fair and equal) to be achieve by 2030. IKEA’s sustainable goals are inspired by the UN SDGs. IKEA Sustainability report FY20 https://gbl-sc9u2-prd-cdn.azureedge.net/-/media/aboutikea/pdfs/ikea-sustainability-reports/ikea_sustainability-report_fy20_.pdf
#34 Pampers (Brand value: $15B; Industry: Consumers Packaged Goods)
Mission: At Pampers, our responsibility and passion is simple: to serve families and their little ones. We remain committed to ensure that babies have the brightest beginnings.
Mission and Purpose Analysis: Pamper purpose is all about families and their little ones.
SDGs Awareness: Pampers is driven by the view of “Caring for Babies Means Caring for the Planet They Grow Up In” https://www.pampers.com/en-us/about-us/sustainability/article/caring-for-babies-and-the-planet-they-grow-up-in
The view is translated in prioritizing sustainability in:
Devotion to quality, safety, hygiene and health uncompromising. Innovating with new sustainable materials, to more sustainable production and leading sustainable solutions. Those drivers for Pampers can be linked to the SDGs.
#37 Nescafe’ (Brand value: $14B; Industry: Food & Beverage)
Mission: Nestlé is… …the world’s leading nutrition, health and wellness company. Our mission of “Good Food, Good Life” is to provide consumers with the best tasting, most nutritious choices in a wide range of food and beverage categories and eating occasions, from morning to night.
Mission and Purpose Analysis: The mission is very focused on stakeholders. The more purpose oriented part of the mission is around Nescafe commitment to achieve Good Life with Good Food. No direct link to the SDGs.
SDGs Awareness: Nestle is supporting the 17 UN SDGs. In particolar: SDG 3 Good health and well-being; SDG 6 Clean water and sanitation; SDG 8 Decent work and economic growth; and collaborating with the UNGC Action Platform for Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
https://www.nestle.com/csv/what-is-csv/contribution-global-goals
#40 Tesla (Brand value: $14B; Industry: Energy)
Mission: Tesla’s mission is to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.
Mission and Purpose Analysis: Tesla missionis all about purpose (unsurprisingly as we recognize that Tesla is not only a digital born company but it is a sustainable born company) to transitioning to sustainable energy. No direct link to the SDGs.
SDGs Awareness: There is not mention of the UN SDGs in Tesla public website. That said Tesla is seen as a leader in the alternative source of energy development and adoption. Tesla mission does link strongly to the SDG #13 Climate Action.
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