Last week, businesses, policymakers, civil society organizations and other changemakers gathered at the Route 2030 event at the Amsterdam OBA to discuss the key question: How do we accelerate our commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?  

The event was hosted after the 9th National SDG Report was published. The morning began with a reflection on this report by Bo Hoogerwerf (Programme Manager, CBS) and Anna Pot (National SDG Coordinator, SDG Nederland). The report shows an alarming truth: only 17% of the SDG goals are on track to be achieved by 2030. Especially the wellbeing for young people and future generations appears to be under pressure. Moreover, a new worrying finding is that the position of women is at risk on issues such as health, job satisfaction, trust in institutions and climate change impacts. And while the EU leads the way in many areas, this progress is stagnating. Finally, the spillover effects created in other countries must also be critically examined.  

After a keynote by Marleen Janssen Groesbeek (Professor Sustainable Finance & Accounting, Avans Hogeschool), several breakout sessions were organized. Together with Ylona Mak (General Board Member, SDG Nederland), Linda van Beek (Sr. Advisor Inclusion, Diversity and Equality, VNO-NCW) and Jenny Wassenaar (Chief Sustainability Officer, Trivium Packaging & Board Advisor UN Global Compact NL), we hosted a session focused on the role of business. One of the recommendations from the SDG report was to shorten supply chains and encourage sustainable procurement. This is considered a key challenge for businesses. With a diverse group of passionate people, we engaged in a conversation about the responsibilities different stakeholders bear. 

Our main calls to action: 

• Think outside the box. Break existing habits in procurement decisions. Involve Finance to identify financial risks. Put sustainability above short-term gains.  
• Work with local partners and businesses. One challenge is linking the various initiatives that are of value to each other. Large companies should be open to exploring partnerships with local SMEs or gaining insights from students. Networks such as the UN Global Compact and SDG Nederland can play a role in linking different initiatives.  
• Make circularity the norm. Shift from linear models to circular systems that re-use resources and minimize waste. The government also has an important exemplary role to play here.  

Huge thanks to all involved partners and co-authors for their contribution to the 9th National SDG Report and the Route 2030 Event. We are dedicated to accelerating progress in the upcoming year. 

📘 Read the full National SDG Report here.