With just seven years left to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 underlying targets, it’s clear that business must step up if they are to have the positive impact on society which the Goals ultimately exist for.  So, how can businesses mobilise global efforts and accelerate action?   

Hosted during edie’s special Sustainable Development Goals Week of digital content and events, the Sustainable Development Action Sessions offer up an afternoon of live, interactive webinar presentations and discussions – all dedicated to giving businesses the tools, insights and knowledge to maximise their contribution to the Global Goals.

This online event will see a selection of business leaders and sustainable development experts share their learnings and discuss some of the biggest drivers, challenges and opportunities when it comes to accelerating momentum to achieve the SDGs by 2030, both in the UK and globally. The sessions will also exclusively reveal the findings of edie’s recent SDG Survey of business and sustainability leaders. 

We are delighted to welcome speakers from UN Global Compact, SailGP, Velux Group, Kontoor Brands, Oxford Nanopore Technologies and WSH. We are also pleased to be hosting these Sessions in partnership with phs Group and IES. 

The sessions will run from 12.30pm BST to 3.45pm BST on Thursday 21 September. A full agenda is below.

— CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THIS ONLINE EVENT —

Achieving the Global Goals: The Sustainable Development Action Sessions

12:30-12:45
Keynote: The race to 2030: Identifying which Goals require the most focus 

Steve Kenzie, Executive Director, UN Global Compact

12:45-13:30
7 years left: 7 case studies to accelerate business action on the Global Goals (Part 1)
Climate, equality and partnerships

Discussion points:

• The race to 2030: Identifying which Goals require the most focus  
• Spearheading the Just Transition within your business, and bringing stakeholders on the journey 
• How can businesses achieve systemic change through collective and collaborative action?  
• Understanding the most effective standards, systems and frameworks to measure progress  

Speakers:

• Fiona Morgan, Chief Purpose Officer, Sail GP
• Rosie Festus, Brand Manager – Magnum, Unilever
• Brett Fleming-Jones, Group Marketing Director, phs Group

13:45-14:45
7 years left: 7 case studies to accelerate business action on the Global Goals (Part 2)
Energy, cities, industry and innovation

Discussion points:

• Choosing which Goals and targets are most relevant to your business  
• Integrating Goals and sub-targets with existing corporate strategies to accelerate action 
• Addressing inequality and embedding social sustainability throughout your supply chain  
• Understanding social data and using it to drive change inside and outside of your business  

Speakers:

• Baishakhi Sengupta, ESG & Risk Manager, Procurement, Oxford Nanopore Technologies
• Dhruv Agarwal, Vice-President of Sustainability, Innovation & Development, Kontoor Brands (Lee & Wrangler)
  
• Jamie Rusby, Sustainability Group Director, VELUX Group
  
• Ian Pyburn, Business Development Manager, IES

45-minute Masterclass: How to report and communicate progress against the SDGS (15:00-15:45) 

Discussion points:

• Exploring the recent changes to sustainability reporting frameworks through the lens of the Global Goals 
• The most effective tools for measuring and reporting your impacts against the SDGs
  
• How to take an integrated ESG and SDG reporting approach 
• Communicating the Goals in ways which are meaningful and drive change to all stakeholders
  

Speakers:

• Mike Hanson, Director of Sustainable Business, WSH

— CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THIS ONLINE EVENT —