There is no such thing as a week that lasts three weeks! Is it?

The European Week for Sustainable Development (EWSD) takes place from the 18th of September to the 8th of October. Its goal? To raise awareness and mobilise as many people as possible around sustainable development challenges

Governments, universities, local authorities, citizens, companies… Everyone is involved! Companies have a key role to play in achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). But how can you make these global objectives a reality within your company?

SDGs in a nutshell

Only 9% of French people declare being familiar with the “Sustainable Development Goals”. And yet we all are concerned!

In 2015, the 193 member countries of the UN defined 17 Sustainable Development Goals and committed collectively to achieving them by 2030. These SDGs are organised around 5 major cross-cutting issues: the planet, population, prosperity, peace and partnerships.

The SDGs are the global horizon the UN has set to build a sustainable and harmonious world. The world’s largest team effort.

It’s an ambitious agenda! We know this table, but we can’t help but look at it with some disbelief. As social and environmental crises seem to be multiplying more than anything else, these objectives often seem too abstract, unattainable, beyond our field of action.

The ESDW is an opportunity to bring these goals to life. To make the SDGs everyone’s business. And to understand that no action is too small.

What about companies? A company is first and foremost a community. And a community is an opportunity. An opportunity to change the world at your own scale.

Of course, 3 weeks won’t necessarily change the game. But the seeds of commitment you will plant over the ESDW (and the rest of the year) will! Here are some ideas to bring the SDGs to life for your employees in the coming days!

The idea box 💡

SDG 1 · No Poverty

💻 Organise a collection of electronic devices within your company. Would you be able to find a job today without a computer, internet or a mobile phone? Give a second life to the devices your teams no longer use to promote the professional integration of people living a long way from job opportunities.

SDG 2 · Zero Hunger

🥫 Organise a food collection. Contact your local food bank to understand local needs and organise your collection: communication, collection point in your office, sorting, duration etc. Why not add flour or pasta to your lunchtime shopping?

SDG 3 · Good Health and Well-Being

🩸 Organise a blood drive. 1 blood donation can save 3 lives! Call on the competent organisations to come up to your office or organise a team outing to the nearest blood collection point. Doing it as a team is motivating! Offer a yummy reward to your brave soldiers!

💓 Set up a first-aid training. These are crucial skills to have and a good team-building exercise!

SDG 8 · Decent Work and Economic Growth

👏 Get your teams involved as mentors for people living a long way from job opportunities. Share your experience, give advice, practice interviews, create a CV on Canva, write a cover letter, share your network… Give your teams the opportunity and the tools to support unemployed people. Find pre-selected mentoring opportunities on NooS. You can join the efforts of organisations such as Gribouilli or UniR. 

SGD 12 · Responsible Consumption and Production

🥩 Set up Meatless Monday at the office. Encourage your teams to reduce their meat consumption one day at a time. Create a list of restaurants that serve meatless menus. Organise meatless recipe competitions. Share a meatless recipe every Friday. Create a communication channel to share tips, recipes, restaurant recommendations.

♻️ Zero-Waste brainstorming. What could you do to reduce your waste and promote responsible consumption in the office? Set up a compost bin? Turn off all electronic devices at the end of the day? Adjust the temperature? Set aside a space in the fridge for sharing? Create posters to be clear about sorting rules? Print less? Ask your teams and implement their ideas! 

SDG 13 · Climate Action

World Clean Up Day is on the 17th of September. Organise a waste collection in your city or a digital clean-up for those who are working remotely. Measure your actions! How many kilograms of waste can your teams collect? Invite your customers or business partners to join you.

A "fits-them-all" idea

🚀 Support projects that act for the good of the planet and society. On NooS, all our listed projects contribute to one or more SDGs. Not all your employees have the same sensitivities. Given them the opportunity to be agents of the change most important to them. Involve them in the choice of the causes you will support. Reforestation, marine protection, professional integration, health… Boost the efforts of actors on the ground. Contact us to organise your participatory donation!

With good communication and dynamic ambassadors for good, these actions can make a great difference. Mobilise your community around SDGs. Fill your employees’ day to day with meaning.

Cover picture: European Commission