Image : Captured from the UN SDG https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2015/12/sustainable-development-goals-kick-off-with-start-of-new-year/

The UN SDG (Sustainable Development Goals), in Korean the 지속가능발전목표, was announced in 2015, for elimination of poverty, and contribution in enhancing peace and human rights in the world. Following with the 17 SDG goals, the 169 targets guides the actions to reach the goals.

However, what comes to your mind when you are asked the relation between the private sectors and the SDGs? It may be unclear whether the private sectors have any relations with the achievement of the UN SDG goals. It is more commonly accepted that the sectors under the public should take more responsibility in such goals. However, unless there are no contributions of the private sectors to SDGs achievements, the holistic progress may be hindered by facing its limitations.

The incident where South Korea exported trash to the Philippine were not only reusables but with tons of hazardous materials, was an international shame and a clear violation of the Basel Convention. The convention aims to prevent the cross-border movements of the hazardous wastes, and both countries were the signatories of the convection. In the images of the exported trash, the brand names were written in various plastic packages, prompting me to question the role of corporations in such incidents. Should we allow their responsibility to end after they successfully selling their products?

This incident underscores why private sector should take a more radical approach in SDG achievements. They should expand their responsibility from responsible sourcing to developing their own sustainable ways in treating wastes. In this case, the government’s role to act as an auditor for corporations sincere devotion to ESG managements, not greenwashing.

It’s more widely used of European and American corporations to use SDG goals as their guidelines in addressing corporations’ ESG initiatives. Although it’s hard to find connections with the SDG targets and their actions, such approaches could be a way in expressing their values to contribute to the world’s good. I look forward more corporations’ adoption of the SDG goals and targets in the near future.

[Yeon Kim’s SDGs, ESG, CSR] [2023]. All rights reserved.

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