Client Undisclosed | 2019
In 2019, Sustainia performed a strategic SDG mapping project for a large telecommunications company (name undisclosed due to privacy restrictions), outlining best practices before analysing which existing company initiatives address which Sustainable Development Goals and where the company’s strategic focus should lie in terms of specific SDG targets. We also helped visualise and communicate their SDG focus within their 2018 sustainability report.
The challenge
Many companies have by now starting to realise the existing synergies between some of their operations and the Sustainable Development Goals. However, many struggle with understanding how to work with them more strategically, make the greatest difference possible, and unlock the value within the Goals. They can also be especially difficult to communicate – whether that is to employees, customers, or board members.
The solution
The first step towards a valuable SDG strategy is to understand what you are already doing compared to the rest of the market, also known as SDG mapping. By collecting and analysing best practices of SDG communication, we got a better understanding of where the client was in relation to the rest of their competitors. We then mapped out all of the client’s projects were touching on the Sustainable Development Goals in order to understand which ones they were impacting the most.
By evaluating the hundreds of projects, we got a better understanding of where the company was making the greatest impact and made sure that this was reflected fairly and in a visually pleasing way, for an SDG chapter in their annual sustainability report. Additionally, based on our findings, we came up with a recommendation for a holistic SDG communication plan that could be implemented across the company’s brand, and strategic advice for further developing their Sustainable Development Goal strategy.
