What exactly is this goal?: SDG 12 aims to ensure the welfare of people through access to water, energy and food, while reducing the excessive consumption of natural resources. The current models of production and consumption bring about a considerable waste of resources and damage to ecosystems globally. It is estimated that the global population will reach 9.6 billion by 2050; with this number of people the natural resources of three planets would be required to meet the needs of employment and consumption at global level. Natural resources need to be used efficiently and distributed equitably among the population, so that everybody has access to electricity, clean water and adequate food. Therefore, it is important to change the model of production as well as consumption habits. Through SDG 12 the United Nations aspire to change the current model of production and consumption in order to achieve an efficient management of natural resources, setting in motion, for example, processes for the elimination of food waste, the use of eco-sustainable chemical products and the reduction of waste in general. In the promotion of an efficient approach, responsible and sustainable natural resources, this SDG is aimed at companies (production processes), people (consumption and practices such as sustainable tourism), and governments (at the regulatory level, for example, disincentivizing the use of fossil fuels).

Corporate role: firms wishing to contribute to SDG 12 and gain a competitive edge can act in several different ways, especially those operating in the food, textile and consumer goods sectors. For example, companies could gradually withdraw products or services from the market that require an excessive consumption of energy and natural resources, progressively favoring the use of recyclable and biodegradable materials in their production processes. Further information

How to measure the corporate contribution: some indicators to evaluate corporate actions include: the reduction in energy consumption in the production and distribution of products and services; the type and number of sustainability certificates, quality and ethics; the percentage of recycled materials used; how much the environmental impacts of products and services are reduced; and the number and type of actions for the dissemination of responsible consumption practices.