A new study entitled The Sustainable Development Goals: The Value for Europe shares that while the Sustainable Development Goals are already being accepted by many business leaders throughout the region. Unfortunately, middle-management remains disconnected from this narrative. Even though progress is being made, collaborative efforts must be increased in order to meet the UN 2030 Agenda. Not only do the SDGs provide a common language for the private and public sectors to communicate, they also offer Europe the chance to foster inclusive growth and secure trust among neighboring countries.
This will be accomplished in a number of different ways. First, the SDGs policy framework and current priorities must continue to assess where the EU currently stands and identify the most relevant sustainability concerns. This strengthens the commitment to mainstreaming the SDGs into EU policies and initiatives. This will provide regular reporting of all progress made and promote sustainable development globally in cooperation with external partners.
Secondly, all stakeholders will launch reflection work on developing a longer term vision and the focus of sectoral policies. The current EU budget reflect contributions to making sure the achievement of these long-term objectives is possible. By adopting such a comprehensive approach, the EU seeks to mainstream the SDGs into the everyday work of all member nations.
A key factor in achieving these common objectives is for the EU to act united. The EU and all member states must commit to working together better. Greater coherence is required between the states and EU institutions. This will result in greater legitimacy, accountability, added value, and a positive impact on the world. Political dialogue is an important way to advance these sustainable development principles. In addition, a focus has been made to integrate the respect of human rights, democracy, and gender equality.