Integrating Sustainable Development Goals in Everyday Work
Purpose
Public servants at all levels play a critical role in implementing and advancing the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Public servants should incorporate the principles of the 2030 Agenda and consider the SDGs in their everyday work.
Opportunities to integrate the SDGs into everyday work
Public servants can support the 2030 Agenda by incorporating the SDGs into various stages of policy, program, and service development:
- Policy, Program, or Service Development
- When designing initiatives—such as strategies for Cabinet decisions—policy leads are encouraged to assess how proposals impact the SDGs. Early integration of SDG considerations helps identify gaps, co-benefits, synergies, and trade-offs, promoting coherent and effective policy development.
- Funding Programs
- When developing funding programs, where possible, link program objectives and expected outcomes to the relevant SDGs to highlight how federal investments advance sustainable development and align with Canada's commitment to the 2030 Agenda.
- Performance Indicators
- When exploring performance indicators, analysts are encouraged to use relevant indicators from the Canadian Indicator Framework to measure outcomes, when appropriate.
- Reporting on Results
- The Government of Canada Policy on Results requires departments to plan and report on their performance. Some of this reporting is specific to SDGs. For example, Vertical and Horizontal leads are required to explain how their departmental programming supports the SDGs in their Departmental Plans, and Departmental Results Report.
- Showcase SDG alignment in periodic or public reports on your policy and program.
- Public-Facing or Vision Documents
- To visibly demonstrate SDG alignment:
- Include SDG icons in documents or websites. Use the sample text (see below) to explain how your initiative supports specific SDGs.
- Public Awareness and Stakeholder Engagement
- All departments are encouraged to raise awareness, foster dialogue and engaged stakeholders on the SDG(s).
- This can be done by:
- Highlighting SDG alignment in vision documents, media lines, and public events.
- Including official SDG icons and SDG taglines in communication products.
- SDG taglines in communication products. Leveraging existing messaging and using the SDG Communications Toolkit (internal Government of Canada link)
Dialogue box to explain SDG alignment
Sustainable Development Goals and [Name of the initiative]
This initiative supports Canada's commitment to the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By proposing to [address/implement/support] the [name project, policy, program] and by proposing to [define objective of policy, project, program], this initiative contributes to [name SDG and highlight synergies/impacts]. Furthermore, by targeting [Indigenous populations or groups in vulnerable situations], this initiative aligns with the 2030 Agenda objective of [Leaving no one behind or Reconciliation with Indigenous People as we move toward the SDGs].
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