The U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the set of 17 global goals adopted by 193 U.N. member states to end extreme poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and protect our planet, provide a common roadmap for organizations to measure impact. And in particular, the participation of companies and philanthropic organizations will be critical to achieving the SDGs. But with 17 goals and 232 indicators, it can seem overwhelming to know where to begin.

In this episode, you’ll hear from Tiffany Washington, Impact and Integration Lead at DTE Energy, and Alexis Fish, Senior Business Analyst at Blackbaud who helps advise customers on impact measurement. Recorded at bbcon 2019, Tiffany and Alexis talk with host Rachel Hutchisson about why aligning to the SDGs is important, the role that companies and philanthropic organizations will play in achieving the goals by 2030, and how to incorporate the SDGs into business and philanthropic frameworks. Tiffany also shares the process that DTE Energy took to align to the SDGs and how they brought their nonprofit partners along on their journey.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

• What the Sustainable Development Goals are and why they matter
• The role that companies and other social good organizations play with achieving the SDGs
• How philanthropic organizations can align their impact goals with the SDGs
• DTE Energy’s SDG journey 
• How funders and grantees can work together to align with the SDGs
• What resources companies and other organizations can look to when they want to incorporate the SDGs into their work 

Resources:

Alexis Fish

Tiffany Washington

The Future of Sustainable Business: Making the Global Goals Local Business

Educating on the SDGs

Quotes: 

“The SDGs, for one, it helps provide some benchmarking for common and best practices within the CSR industry.” –Tiffany Washington

“Communicate, communicate early and often.” –Tiffany Washington

“All of the UN SDG materials are free. They are an open resource.” – Alexis Fish