For the past few years, the Victoria Foundation has increasingly aligned our work and our mission with the United Nation鈥檚 Sustainable Development Goals.
From our Vital Signs report to our Vital Conversation events, our recent Community Foundations of sa国际传媒 conference to our granting decisions, the SDGs now permeate all that we do here.
The Sustainable Development Goals were adopted in 2015 by the 193 countries of the UN General Assembly as a set of measurable targets for the year 2030 to enable the global community to achieve a sustainable, equitable future for all.
Basically, they are a roadmap to help us to get where we need to go to survive and thrive as a civilization. As the UN itself states, once achieved, they will help us collectively 鈥渆nd poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.鈥�
This is important stuff, but it can also feel daunting and sometimes a little overwhelming. Talking about ending poverty and solving all the world鈥檚 ills sounds good, but what does it actually mean and what can we really do to achieve it? How does the average person contribute to accomplishing the SDGs?
One of the best things I鈥檝e read online lately is the UN鈥檚 鈥淟azy Person鈥檚 Guide to Saving the World,鈥� which is a list of actions we can all take to help achieve the SDGs, whether it be from your couch, in your home, outside in your community or at work.
A great 鈥渇rom the couch鈥� idea is simply 鈥淪peak up!鈥� This step encourages us all to engage with our local governments and organizations and ask them to do better. Another recommends you stay informed, keeping up with the news and following the progression of the SDGs. Also, simply turning off lights, switching to online banking and unplugging appliances when not in use are easy ways to save electricity, paper and, best of all, money.
For those wanting to make a change at work, one of the best pieces of advice the list gives is to start conversations about diversity and pay inequality in your place of business. Do what you can to influence hiring practices and look into whether every employee has the same access to healthcare. Voice your support for equal pay and speak out if you see any type of discrimination. I know it can be scary to rock the boat at work, but the benefits are worth the discomfort.
The point is that there is literally no excuse to not be contributing to achieving these goals in some way, whether it鈥檚 as a business, a government, a charity or as an individual, even a lazy one. I would encourage everyone to contribute in whatever way they can. We鈥檙e all in this together.
Sandra Richardson is CEO of the Victoria Foundation.
