SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Business Sustainability and ESG Blended Intensive Programme 10th April, 2025 Pavel Adámek, Ing., Ph.D. adámek@opf.slu.cz Department of Business Economics and Management Corporate Social Responsibility Specialist Guarantor of the master's course Corporate Social Responsibility The Future of our planet…? • • • • • • In a thousand years (deepai.org) • • • • In a thousand years (Copilot) • • • • In 10 000 years (Copilot) AI promt „Design a picture of the earth in a thousand/10 000 years“. Content 1. Meaning of Sustainable Development 1. 2. Introduction of the global risks 3. The planetary boundaries concept 1. 4. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 5. Measurability of SDGs goals 1. 6. SDGs Good Practices 1. 1. 1. • • • • • Source: Copilot (2024), AI promt "Design an image for Corporate Social Responsibility" 1. Introduction of the global risks WHY? •For enterprises, CSR provide important benefits in terms of risk management, cost savings, access to capital, customer relationships, HR management, sustainability of operations, ability to innovate and be profitable. •For the economy, CSR make companies more sustainable and innovative, which contributes to a more sustainable economy. •For society, CSR offer a set of values on which we can build a more cohesive society and on which we can base the transition to a sustainable economic system. • • The overall goal of sustainable development (SD) is the long-term stability of the economy and environment; this is only achievable through the integration and acknowledgement of economic, environmental, and social concerns throughout the decision making process. 1. Meaning of Sustainable Development •But what is sustainability? The definition of sustainability may be taken further and it is widely accepted that to achieve sustainability we must balance economic, environmental and social factors in equal harmony. •Taking these three pillars of sustainability further if we only achieve two out of three pillars then we end up with: Social + Economic Sustainability = Equitable Social + Environmental Sustainability = Bearable Economic + Environmental Sustainability = Viable •Only through balancing Economic + Social + Environmental can we achieve true Sustainability. Fifty Years of Progress on Sustainable Development Video: https://youtu.be/mlnzIwX2fjE • • • • • • [USEMAP] 2. Introduction of the global risks The 20th edition of the Global Risks Report 2025 reveals an increasingly fractured global landscape, where escalating geopolitical, environmental, societal and technological challenges threaten stability and progress. • Global Risks Report 2025 https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-risks-report-2025/ 2. Introduction of the global risks • 2. Introduction of the global risks • Because… •Natural Resource Depletion •Microplastic Pollution •Ambient (outdoor) Air Pollution •Generating Unsustainable Waste (The impact of textile production and waste on the environment) • and more… Why should we be interested in sustainable development? 3. The planetary boundaries concept The evolution of the planetary boundaries framework • • • • • • Source: Azote for Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University. Based on Richardson et al. 2023, Steffen et al. 2015, and Rockström et al. 2009) Projected global warming under alternative policy scenarios • • • • • • The interconnected environmental, social, and health challenges can be characterized as a planetary health crisis, caused by human activities such as industrialization, urbanization, deforestation, and the burning of fossil fuels. The consequences of inaction in the face of this crisis are significant and far-reaching, affecting both the natural systems that sustain life on Earth and the wellbeing of human societies. 3. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Do you know all 17 SDGs? The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests. https://sdgs.un.org/goals Source: https://sdgs.un.org/goals Examples of SDGs 4 and 9, Source: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2023/08/what-is-sustainable-development/ Examples of SDGs 12 and 14, Source: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2023/08/what-is-sustainable-development/ 5. Measurability of SDGs goals Discover…. From this report you can: •View Rankings & Scores • •Explore Interactive Maps • •Analyse Country Profiles • •Try the Data Explorer • •Download Report and Materials Methodology of this report https://dashboards.sdgindex.org/chapters/methodology#a-3-methodology-overview Source: https://dashboards.sdgindex.org/ https://dashboards.sdgindex.org/map [USEMAP] Sustainable Development – Dashboard Rankings Source: https://dashboards.sdgindex.org/rankings • • • • • • Countries are ranked by their overall score. The overall score measures the total progress towards achieving all 17 SDGs. The score can be interpreted as a percentage of SDG achievement. A score of 100 indicates that all SDGs have been achieved. WORLD – Overall Performance SDGs • • • Source: SDSN,(2023) https://s3.amazonaws.com/sustainabledevelopment.report/2023/sustainable-development-report-2023.pdf 6. SDGs Good Practices Discover…. • • • Source: https://sdgs.un.org/sdg-good-practices SDGs Good Practices EU External Investment Plan (EIP), including the European Fund for Sustainable Development •Implemented by the European Commission to help generate jobs, growth and prosperity in countries neighbouring the EU and in Africa. This investment helps to bridge the gap between Available financing and the financing needed to create jobs, to boost growth, and to meet the other SDGs. •The European Fund for Sustainable Development has allocated €3.5 billion through the Plan for grants for blending projects, financing 181 in total. This should bring in about €32.6 billion in overall investment. Partnership for Action on Green Economy •PAGE is a global partnership which unites five United Nations agencies, namely UNEP, the ILO, UNDP, UNIDO and UNITAR. Total contributions US $87m. •The partnership provides integrated and holistic support to countries on eradicating poverty; increasing jobs and social equity; strengthening livelihoods and environmental stewardship and sustaining growth; ensuring coherence; and avoiding duplication of efforts …And more….visit https://sdgs.un.org/sites/default/files/2022-03/SDGs%20Good%20Practices%20-%20second%20edition%20-% 20FINAL%20FEB092022.pdf • • • • • Source: SDGS UN, https://sdgs.un.org/sdg-good-practices SDGs Good Practices - examplex Source: https://sdgs.un.org/sdg-good-practices Key Takeaways • • The World Economic Forum´ s Sustainable Development Impact Meetings… Visit: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2022/09/key-takeaways-sustainable-development-impact-meetings/ What are you taking away from the lecture? • • • • • • • Homework… Use the infographic and visualize today's lecture! • • • • • Explore publications… • https://stateofgreen.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Forside.png [USEMAP] Transparency in ESG and the Circular Economy Thank you for your attention Pavel Adámek, Ing., Ph.D. adamek@opf.slu.cz