The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) has launched a report exploring how governments could leverage voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) to report on progress towards the SDGs. The report argues countries could use VSS content criteria and information about their practical implementation on the ground to support the preparation of their Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) presented to the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF).

Titled, ‘Standards and the Sustainable Development Goals: Leveraging Sustainability Standards for Reporting on SDG Progress,’ the report highlights VSSs as partners in SDG implementation, “as many of their respective objectives and targets are aligned.” It argues that through data from their content criteria and “best practice” case studies, VSSs can contribute to government reporting to the HLPF.

Focusing on selected targets of SDG 2 (zero hunger), SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation), SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth), SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production), and SDG 15 (life on land), the report elaborates three “reporting examples” for India, Tanzania, and Uganda that show how VSS content criteria and results of VSSs’ in-country application can be incorporated in a VNR to report on SDG progress.

The report also offers a set of guidelines other countries could use to improve coordination with VSSs, build synergies, and support each other in advancing the SDGs. It recommends that countries follow the following five steps:

• Identify processes for stakeholder engagement in the preparation of a VNR;
• Identify institutional arrangements and approaches for SDG implementation that can facilitate information gathering for reporting progress;
• Identify relevant VSS content criteria and gather evidence;
• Describe how VSSs engage with local actors and help address data availability challenges; and
• Select and elaborate case studies to report on SDG progress target-by-target.

Some of the key takeaways include:

• There is greater progress towards the SDGs when VSSs have mandatory, timebound commitments toward sustainability issues.
• VSSs often have mechanisms to monitor and evaluate their impacts, so they can help governments fill data gaps.
• VSSs have the potential to deliver benefits beyond the areas their criteria cover, highlighting the integrated nature of the Goals and the critical role of synergistic approaches.
• VSSs can play a role in supporting sustainable development beyond 2030.

To facilitate government engagement with sustainability standards, the report also provides a list of resources and contact details for selected standards.

IISD launched the report on 9 May 2023. [Publication: Standards and the Sustainable Development Goals: Leveraging Sustainability Standards for Reporting on SDG Progress] [Policy Brief] [Publication Landing Page]