Tokyo, July 14, 2022: UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner announced today the global launch of the SDG Impact Standards Training Course in Japan. The SDG Impact Standards are independent, global management standards that integrate sustainability, the SDGs and managing for impact at the core of business and investment decisions. They have been established as part of SDG Impact, a flagship initiative of UNDP working to accelerate private sector contributions towards sustainability and the achievement of the SDGs.
The highly anticipated training course is aimed at individuals in the private sector, seeking to improve their management practices within their organizations by integrating sustainability and the SDGs into their operations. The SDG Impact Standards Training Course was developed by UNDP in partnership with Social Value International (SVI), a global network for social value and impact management. Mizuho Financial Group and Mizuho Bank are leading the charge as the first organizations to enroll their employees in the new training course and will be trained by representatives of Social Impact Management Initiative (SIMI) and Social Value Japan (SVJ) who are now accredited by SVI to deliver the SDG Impact Standards Training Course.
Four sets of SDG Impact Standards have been developed for Enterprises, Private Equity, Bond Issuers and Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) and their donors under the OECD-UNDP Impact Standards for Financing Sustainable Development. The SDG Impact Standards provide a universal framework and management approach that can guide businesses to move their intention to contribute to the SDGs, to action. Training on the SDG Impact Standards will give businesses and investors the confidence to adopt them. Japan was chosen as the first country in the world to implement the training course due to the high demand from its enterprise community.
Achim Steiner, Administrator, UNDP commented, “With the triple threats of COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing war in Ukraine, and the climate crisis, our world is facing its most severe cost-of-living crisis in a generation. The private sector has a vital role to play in addressing these global challenges. Launching the first training course on the innovative SDG Impact Standards here in Japan is appropriate where the private sector is continuously breaking new ground on ways to contribute to the SDGs.”
Fabienne Michaux, Director, SDG Impact added, “We are excited to launch our new SDG Impact Standards Training Course starting with Japan. This is a market where we have seen a huge amount of interest from the private sector. Its appetite to lead with sustainability at the core of operations, using the SDGs as its north star, is commendable and we look forward to rolling out the training course in earnest.”
About UNDP
UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet.
About SDG Impact
SDG Impact is a UNDP flagship initiative, working to accelerate private sector contributions towards sustainability and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. Its aim is to make it easier for organizations to place sustainability, the SDGs and managing for impact at the core of business and investment purpose, how value is created, and how capital is allocated. Good for people and planet. Good for business.
To achieve these aims, SDG Impact is developing concrete, implementable solutions that address underlying long-term systemic issues and gives markets what they are looking for now. This includes internal management standards, assurance, education, training and advisory services to enable organizations to translate their positive sustainability and impact intentions and commitments into decisions, actions and results, setting the gold standard for impact management practice with the SDG Impact Seal. It is also generating country-level data and insights about SDG-enabling investment opportunity areas and business models to make it easier for organizations to identify sectors, themes, business models with the highest impact potential and direct capital to where it’s needed most – closing the SDG financing gap and achieving the SDGs.
Press Contact
For more information, please contact UNDP Tokyo Representation Office at event.japan@undp.org and UNDP SDG Impact at sdgimpact.standards@undp.org
Sustainable Development Goals © 2022 SDG Impact Terms and Conditions