10 October 2018: A series of documentary films showcases ways in which global businesses and organizations are embedding sustainability principles into their operations. The films, created by Reuters in collaboration with The Business Debate and the UN, explore why sustainable business is better for companies and society at large, and how economic development and prosperity can be achieved in a socially just and environmentally sustainable manner, in alignment with the SDGs.
To date, 13 films have been released, representing a range of sectors and technologies, including engineering, finance and banking, energy, plastics, cosmetics, transportation and education. The films often relate to more than one SDG, as indicated on the film series website. For example:
- Airbus, a UN Global Compact signatory since 2003, has committed to eight SDGs that are directly relevant to its business, including SDG 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure);
- Monash University, through its Net Zero initiative, will become the first Australian university powered by 100% renewable energy with net-zero carbon emissions by 2030;
- Falcon Coffees aims to support sustainability in coffee supply chains, help create a blueprint for sustainable smallholder agriculture, and contribute to addressing the challenge of global food security;
- Carlsberg beer has introduced a series of packaging innovations, Together Towards ZERO, as part of its sustainability programme to support the SDGs; and
- Lundin Petroleum aims to satisfy future energy demands in alignment with the goals of the Paris Agreement on climate change.
The first films were released on 10 October, and will be released each month until September 2019, along with 17 introductions (one for each Goal), featuring UN representatives, ambassadors and activists. Four such introductions are currently available, with messages from UN Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator Achim Steiner on SDG 10 (reduced inequalities), UNFCCC Executive Director Patricia Espinosa on SDG 13 (climate action), actor Forest Whitaker on SDG 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions) and Jo Bourne, UN Children’s Fund’s (UNICEF), speaking about SDG 4 (quality education). [UN blog post] [Film series website]