Act further: Sustainable development for businesses

About This Course

On 25 September 2015, a historic UN Summit took place in New York, as a result of which the “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. resolution was adopted by world leaders. The document identified new landmarks for the development of the world that will contribute the economic growth, environmental management and response to various social needs. These benchmarks are reflected in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Moreover, it is crucial for business per se to stick to sustainable development agenda.

Ukraine has also joined the global process. In September 2017, the national baseline report “Sustainable Development Goals: Ukraine”, was presented. On 30 September 2019, given the issued Decree “On Sustainable Development Goals of Ukraine for the period until 2030” by the President of Ukraine, sustainable development was defined as the only possible means for the development of the national economy and public institutions that would ensure an increase in the level and quality of life of the population, and respect for constitutional and human rights.

t is time for businesses to make tangible steps toward sustainable development. These steps could start at the online course called “Act further: Sustainable development for businesses.”.

Key topics:

What is sustainable development, and how does it affect business? Global trends and experience.
What are the benefits of a circular economy?
How to measure the ecological footprint of the enterprise, products and services?
How to integrate Sustainable Development Goals into business processes?
How to build functional partnerships with all stakeholders?

The experts reveal these and other issues throughout the course. Entrepreneurs will learn how by working for the benefit of the planet and humanity, they can benefit their businesses too.

Who is the target audience of the course?

The course is aimed at small and medium business owners who are interested in:

• further business development;
• creation of long-term values;
• positive social and environmental impact;
• building functional partnerships with all stakeholders: employees, consumers, communities, etc.

Course structure

The course consists of four modules. Each module provides experts’ comments, practical advice, examples from the European small and medium-sized businesses’ experience of implementing the Sustainable Development Goals. 

Module 1. Sustainable development is a new Business DNA. Global trends and the consumer crisis. Sustainable development in Eastern Europe: UN challenges and priorities for small and medium-sized businesses. Business and the state: bilateral cooperation. The World and European Practice of the SDGs Introduction for Small and Medium-Sized Business (SMB).

Module 2 Sustainable business – what and how? The Power of Innovations is in the Introduction of the SDGs. Sustainable Business-Models: How to build one’s model? Circular vs Linear economy. Value chain – how to analyse and integrate SDGs at each stage of the chain? How to measure the ecological footprint of the enterprise, products and services? Sustainable leadership as a way to implementing the Sustainable Development Goals.

Module 3. Sustainable development – common value. Stakeholders – modern perception. Sustainable business and community interest. Impact investments and social entrepreneurship in terms of community development. The Export Promotion Office’s support to small and medium-sized business.

Module 4. Partnership in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Vertical and horizontal interaction to achieve SDGs. Building sustainable partnerships and finding reliable partners. Public-private partnership and its role in achieving SDGs. Business and the state – setting up a dialogue. The role of business in the partner triangle “state - business - community”.

Working group

The course is a part of the educational product developed by the United Nations Development Programme in Ukraine with financial support from the German Government through the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. The educational product also includes courses for civil servants and local government officials and business representatives.

Sustainable development experts, representatives of small and medium-sized businesses, and educational institutions worked on creating training modules. During the preparation process, special attention was paid to answering the question: “How to act #further?”. In particular, experts gave examples of integrating the principles of sustainable development into companies' business strategies.

What the course foresees?

• Best experts share real-life cases and business practices throughout the applied education.
• Awareness of the causal links between the economic, environmental, and social components of civic life, and with them the responsibility of business for the impact caused by the latter on all three components above.
• Understanding of how to set goals and objectives for the sustainable development of the business; involve stakeholders for partnership integrate them into ones’ activities and, eventually, contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals.

The course is a part of the educational product developed by the United Nations Development Programme in Ukraine with financial support from the German Government through the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. The educational product also includes courses for civil servants and local government officials, and business representatives.

ACCESS TO MATERIALS

Video lectures, tests, a forum and the opportunity to get a certificate are available all the time.