6 December 2017: A new guide is expected to help business leaders understand the SDGs and the role that businesses can play in achieving them. The report, published by the Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SVCF), is based on the premise that since the SDGs are relatively new, many business leaders are still trying to figure out what the SDGs mean for their companies.

The publication titled, ‘The UN SDGs: A Why, When and How Guide for Business,’ aims to increase discussions among businesses about the SDGs and help companies implement plans that contribute to the SDGs. The report details why the SDGs matter to the private sector, and how both startups and large businesses can get involved with the sustainable development agenda. The report recommends that companies: define priorities; seek feedback and input from a range of stakeholders about the SDGs; turn priorities into actionable and time-bound goals aligned with the SDGs; incorporate the SDGs into non-financial reporting using an analysis from the UN Global Compact and the Global Reporting Initiative; and build on partnerships, unify sectors and engage employees to further goals, and craft corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes.

SVCF works with companies to help them align CSR programming with the SDGs, and provides businesses with customized services to fit their needs. Over the past decade, SVCF has helped more than 100 companies leverage philanthropy to address local and global challenges. [SVCF Press Release] [The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: A Why, When and How Guide for Business] [SVCF Website]