What are the SDGs and What Do They Have to Do with DEI?
20-minute Trend Talk
Day 2
Session Code: TT-2AWhen: March 9, 2021
Level: Intermediate
Track: Social Responsibility
Presenter: Dr. Liziwe Masoga, Massmart Holdings
Description
The 17 SDGs — Sustainable Development Goals — created by the United Nations have been adopted by 193 countries. The ambitious achievement date is 2030. The SDGs are the world’s shared plan to end extreme poverty, reduce inequality, and protect the planet by 2030. Many organizations are on board to make it happen. They were created by, as the UN says, “the most inclusive and comprehensive negotiations” in UN history. And many — some say all — relate directly to DEI.
Yet some DEI practitioners haven’t heard of the SDGs, much less incorporated them into their DEI strategy or developed specific targets for their organization to meet them.
In a clever dialogue, two executives from South Africa (where the SDGs are well known and organizations actively work to achieve them) will describe the 17 SDGs and give examples of how DEI practitioners can align their DEI efforts with sustainability efforts to grab the attention of the organization’s leaders and add stature to the organization’s DEI work.
Learning Outcomes
• Understand the 17 United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals
• Gain ideas to align your organization’s DEI goals, activities, and desired results with the SDGs
• Learn how to engage your organization leadership in aligning DEI with the SDGs