The statistical office of the European Union, Eurostat, has recently published the report entitled “Sustainable Development in the European Union - 2022” which informs on the progress towards the SDGs in an EU context. It provides a statistical summary of progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Union.
The data included in the report shows that the Union has made progress towards most of the goals over the past five years, in line with the Commission's priorities in key strategic areas such as the European Green Pact, the European Digital Strategy, and the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan. There have been faster progress towards some targets than others, but there has only been unfavorable development against the Development Goals in a few specific areas.
In the future, NextGenerationEU and the reforms and investments planned by the Member States in their recovery and resilience plans will contribute significantly to the achievement of the SDGs in the Union.
The management of the economic disruption caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine must not make us lose sight of our goal of transforming the Union's economic model. On the contrary, it should spur us to redouble our efforts to increase our resilience and the sustainability of our production processes and day-to-day activities. As part of this collective effort, the Sustainable Development Goals remain our compass and our measure of success.
The Report’s Findings
The data included in the report show that the Union has made progress towards most of the goals over the last five years, in line with the Commission's priorities in key strategic areas such as the European Green Pact, the European Digital Strategy, and the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan. There have been faster progress towards some targets than others, but there has only been unfavorable development against the Development Goals in a few specific areas.
The Sustainable Development Goals have long been at the heart of European policymaking, firmly rooted in the European Treaties and embedded in the Von der Leyen Commission's programs, sectoral policies, and key initiatives. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted by the United Nations in September 2015, have given new impetus to global efforts to achieve sustainable development.
The SDGs are a guide, a map that will enable companies to identify whether their social, economic, and environmental impact adds value to society, and consequently strengthen their reputation and their relationships with different stakeholders. CommonShare strives to help companies to reach their goals of achieving a sustainable, transparent, and resilient supply chain.
This is attained by enabling such companies to effectively communicate their commitment to sustainability, via the use of certifications such as Better Cotton Initiative, Standard 100 By OEKO-TEX®, B Corp, and many more, as well as displaying their products with the relevant information.