As 2025 begins, the urgency to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) becomes increasingly clear. With only 17% of the goals currently on track for 2030, businesses have a significant opportunity to contribute to bridging the gap.

This blog examines how the UN Global Compact’s Forward Faster initiative provides a clear framework for companies to create meaningful, measurable impacts in five critical areas: Gender Equality, Climate Action, Living Wage, Water Resilience, and Finance & Investment.

Driving Impact Through Forward Faster

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted in 2015 at the UN Sustainable Development Summit in New York, is a global blueprint to address critical challenges through 17 interconnected Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These goals aim to eradicate poverty and hunger, promote gender equality, combat climate change, and ensure sustainable economic growth, all while protecting human rights and the planet's natural resources. The SDGs highlight the importance of balancing economic, social, and environmental priorities while ensuring inclusivity and promoting equality and respect for all individuals. The year 2030 represents a collective deadline for achieving these ambitious goals, making this decade a pivotal period for action.

The UN Global Compact's Forward Faster initiative is a global platform designed to help companies that are UN Global Compact participants make impactful contributions to the SDGs by 2030. Launched on 18 September 2023, this seven-year initiative focuses on guiding business leaders to act in five key areas: Gender Equality, Climate Action, Living Wage, Water Resilience, and Finance & Investment. By setting clear targets, promoting accountability, and offering resources, the initiative aims to help organisations identify where they can make the biggest, fastest impacts.

Why Forward Faster Matters

The Forward Faster initiative addresses the critical challenge of global sustainability by guiding businesses on how to maximise their contributions to the SDGs. Publicly committing to these goals not only increases accountability but also enhances trust with key stakeholders such as customers and investors. The initiative’s requirement for annual progress reporting ensures transparency and measurable outcomes, allowing organisations to align their operations with global sustainability priorities while staying ahead of evolving regulations and market demands.

The Five Focus Areas

Gender Equality

Advancing gender equality upholds human rights, drives economic growth, strengthens communities, and enhances business performance. By closing the gender employment gap and promoting equal representation and pay, businesses can unlock significant value. For example, equal representation in management and leadership roles can improve business outcomes and contribute to long-term growth.

Targets:

• Equal representation, participation, and leadership across all management levels by 2030.
• Equal pay for work of equal value by 2030.

Climate Action

Halving global emissions by 2030 is essential to limit warming to 1.5°C. Businesses aligning their strategies with science-based net-zero targets can reduce costs, improve efficiency, and mitigate climate risks. In addition, addressing the social impacts of climate action through partnerships ensures a just transition to sustainability.

Targets:

• Set science-based net-zero emissions targets aligned with a 1.5°C pathway.
• Collaborate on actions addressing the social impacts of climate change.

Living Wage

Ensuring employees earn a living wage reduces inequalities and enhances productivity, retention, and motivation. Extending these efforts across supply chains builds resilience, fosters transparency, and demonstrates a commitment to human rights.

Targets:

• Provide a living wage to 100% of employees by 2030.
• Establish action plans with supply chain partners to achieve living wages.

Water Resilience

Addressing global water challenges supports ecosystems, biodiversity, and communities. Businesses that build water resilience mitigate risks and contribute to collective solutions, such as improving access to safe drinking water and preserving vulnerable water basins.

Target:

• Achieve positive water impact in at least 100 vulnerable water basins by 2030.

Finance & Investment

Aligning corporate investments with SDG strategies attracts capital, opens new market opportunities, and ensures long-term performance. Sustainability-focused financial strategies also appeal to environmentally and socially conscious stakeholders, including customers and top talent.

Targets:

• Align investments with SDG policies and report on progress.
• Link corporate financing strategies to SDG performance metrics.

Conclusion

The UN Global Compact's Forward Faster initiative is a global platform designed to help participants make impactful contributions to the SDGs by 2030. By focusing on actionable targets across gender equality, climate action, living wages, water resilience, and finance, companies can make meaningful contributions to the SDGs while strengthening their own resilience and competitiveness.

As 2025 begins, Forward Faster serves as a timely reminder that businesses have the potential to create transformative change, benefiting both their organisations and the world at large. Embracing these commitments not only drives progress but also builds a foundation for sustainable growth and shared success.

As the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative, the UN Global Compact has more than 20,000 corporate participants across 167 countries. Established in 2000 by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, it continues to provide a framework for businesses to align their strategies with global sustainability goals and foster meaningful change. If your organisation is not yet a participant in the UN Global Compact, you can learn more about the initiative here.

Resources

• The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (UN)
• Forward Faster (UN Global Compact)
• UN Global Compact (CourtHeath)

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A participant in the UN Global Compact, CourtHeath seeks to raise awareness about the sustainable development goals and the principles of the Global Compact with business and government organisations in Victoria.

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IMAGE: Used under licence from shutterstock.com