What are the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda?
Background: Millennium Development Goals (2000-2015)
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were created as a roadmap for implementing the Millennium Declaration agreed on in 2000 by the Member States of the United Nations.
The MDGs were 8 international development goals that have served as a global framework for collective action, both by governments and associations and by the population in general. These goals urged developed countries to adopt measures to reduce hunger and poverty, promote improvements in health, education and living conditions, as well as environmental sustainability and gender equality.
2030 Agenda: Sustainable Development Goals (2015 – 2030)
Once the MDG deadline had expired, the Member States agreed on a new development agenda: The 2030 Agenda. This new Agenda proposed a change in the social, economic and environmental paradigm through 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that are specified in 169 targets for achieving the sustainable development of people and society, while protecting the planet and the climate.
The approval of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 169 targets set by the 2030 Agenda is an opportunity to unite countries and people around the world to embark on a new path into the future. These Goals seek to eradicate poverty, foster the prosperity and well-being of people, protect the environment and tackle global climate change.
The SDGs of the 2030 Agenda and its targets are demanding. This is because they have the ability to transform society and mobilise people and countries for change. The 17 SDGs integrate the unfinished business of the Millennium Development Goals and take things even further. They address inequalities and new challenges such as climate change, sustainable growth and inclusiveness. They deal with structural issues such as peace, security and accountable and effective institutions. And, in addition, they take the necessary approach to achieve gender equality. In short, they present a balanced way of how to address the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development.
What are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals?
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals and their 169 targets are inclusive and indivisible, global in scope and universally applicable. They take into account the different realities, capacities and levels of development of each country and respect their national policies and priorities.
- Goal 1: End poverty in all its forms everywhere
- Goal 2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
- Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
- Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
- Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
- Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
- Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
- Goal 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
- Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
- Goal 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries
- Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
- Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
- Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
- Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
- Goal 15: 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: 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: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development
What is Aratubo’s commitment to the 2030 Agenda?
In order to align our business strategy with the Sustainable Development Goals set out in the United Nations 2030 Agenda, we have developed the Living Sustainability project encompassed within our Corporate Social Responsibility. Under this umbrella, we are committed to carrying out actions to achieve, in a balanced way, economic growth, social progress and environmental protection; fundamental pillars of sustainable development.
We firmly believe in an ecological transformation that restores the balance of the planet, as well as in a social conversion that improves the quality of life of the people around us. That is why we focus our efforts on transitioning Aratubo towards becoming a sustainable company from the inside out. Our goal is to design specific actions that allow us to integrate this sustainable perspective into the company’s operations and, in addition, raise awareness among our staff to become ambassadors in our environment.
Working from the inside to take care of the outside
Our commitment is to carry out transformation initiatives within the framework of the 2030 Agenda. To do so, we have defined 3 lines of action designed to make the most of our ability to meet the Goals effectively and efficiently. Within these 3 lines of action, we include our present and future actions in the area of sustainability:
Social Commitment
We believe in an equal society with equal opportunities, regardless of gender, ethnicity or ideology. Therefore, as part of our commitment to society, we launch initiatives that help address the most urgent social challenges and, in this way, contribute to collective well-being and promote social balance.
Environmental Responsibility
Respecting, caring for and valuing the environment through the rational and conscious use of natural resources. Putting into practice sustainable measures that guarantee the ecological balance, such as the acquisition of responsible materials, the selection of efficient techniques, recycling, the development of production processes using renewable energy and the use of sustainable resources.
Corporate Well-Being
Aratubo is a family-owned company and, as such, we want to continue keeping that spirit alive. We foster internal programmes that contribute to improving the quality of life of our workforce, both inside and outside the company.
Each of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations are essential for protecting the legacy that we leave behind for future generations, and each of them has a place within our 3 lines of action. However, there are 6 that have become crucial for Aratubo. They represent our values and are aligned with our philosophy.
However, we will also carry out specific actions related to the rest of the SDGs to our greatest ability, with the intention of covering the broadest sustainable spectrum possible set out by the 2030 Agenda.
At Aratubo, we understand that the commitment to the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs must be shared by all of society and, above all, must be promoted by entities, private companies and institutions. For this reason, we view this as an opportunity to guide our philosophy along the path of sustainable development.
Likewise, we are open to establishing partnerships and collaborating with different agents to intensify the scope of our actions. We believe that with a collaborative model we will achieve these goals more effectively and with a greater social, economic and environmental impact.
