If SDGs remain only in CSR reports, you are part of the problem

When the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted in 2015, they marked a major global agreement. The 17 goals were designed to balance economic growth, social inclusion, environmental care, and strong institutions. Governments supported them, companies included them in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) plans, boards approved sustainability reports, and development agencies changed their methods.

Nearly a decade later, progress remains uneven. UN reports indicate that more than half of the SDG targets are behind schedule or making little progress. Common reasons include funding shortages, political uncertainty, and global emergencies. These are real challenges, but not comprehensive.

The hard truth is that the SDGs are falling short mainly because leaders have not aligned their key decisions with the vision they publicly support.

One vision, many meanings

The SDGs struggle because people interpret them differently. Governments often treat them as checklists, focusing on compliance rather than real change. This leads companies to measure what is easy to report, missing the bigger impacts. NGOs might avoid challenging issues because they depend on support from governments, companies, or donors. Donors often prioritise reporting outputs over real results. This cycle keeps things the same and limits the SDGs' power to create change. Boards can help by understanding these patterns and connecting vision to action.

When people view a vision differently, alignment breaks down. It is like what happens in large organisations, where each department pursues its own goals while still aligning with the same mission. Everyone says they are aligned, but their actions show otherwise.

Bangladesh is a good example of this dilemma. The SDGs are part of national plans, and progress is often reported, yet contradictions persist. Despite climate commitments, CO2 emissions have increased by about 15 per cent over the past five years, showing our ongoing environmental challenges. About 80 per cent of jobs remain in the informal sector, indicating significant gaps in achieving a decent work environment. Governance-related goals also face ongoing challenges.

Still, there is a chance for growth in green jobs. If Bangladesh invests in renewable energy and improves its regulations, it could cut emissions and create thousands of sustainable jobs. This would help link economic growth to environmental stewardship.

The vision is there, but it does not guide our decisions.

Endorsement is not alignment

If the SDGs only appear in sustainability reports, CSR sections, or brand messages, alignment has already failed.

A vision only works if it changes behaviour. In organisations, this means it should guide strategy, how money is spent, incentives, and risk decisions. If the vision stays talk without real action or clear steps, people will stick to the old ways.

A vision only works if it changes behaviour. In organisations, this means it should guide strategy, how money is spent, incentives, and risk decisions. If the vision stays talk without real action or clear steps, people will stick to the old ways.

The SDGs are intended to guide decisions, not serve as slogans or sponsorship themes. They should shape growth plans, help manage tough decisions, define success, and ensure accountability.

Many companies align their activities with specific SDGs, such as education projects with SDG 4, financial inclusion with SDG 8, and tree plantations with SDG 13. These actions matter, but they lose impact if the core business continues to cause inequality, environmental damage, or weak governance. Simply counting trees does not achieve the broader goal of reducing carbon overall. This shows that businesses need to ensure their efforts deliver fundamental, measurable changes aligned with the SDGs.

A vision that does not inform trade-offs is merely symbolic.

The CSR comfort zone

CSR has become an easy and visible way to show support for the SDGs, but it is often separate from real decision-making. In many organisations, communications or sustainability teams handle the SDGs, not the people who decide where money goes or how risks are managed.

Companies may set up a cross-functional "SDG Risk Committee" that would include people from finance, operations, and strategy to make sure the SDGs are part of real business decisions. The committee should review strategic plans with the SDGs in mind, report directly to the board, and give clear advice that shapes company policies and investments.

To move beyond the "CSR comfort zone", leaders should encourage sustainability teams to collaborate with finance departments to develop investment criteria. This is a practical first step to embed sustainable practices across all functions and ensure SDG commitments shape real decisions.

Ask yourself whether the SDGs influence your major investment choices, how you select suppliers and partners, and what is discussed in board meetings beyond just compliance updates. If they do not, the SDGs are viewed as goodwill rather than a genuine strategy.

In Bangladesh, many organisations demonstrate their support for the SDGs by publishing reports, attending SDG conferences, and sharing progress through colourful videos. Still, significant challenges, including climate risks, informal work, weak governance, and environmental damage, persist – showing a lack of real integration, not a lack of good intentions.

When growth goals are prioritised over environmental rules, short-term profits take precedence over fair labour practices, or significant governance risks are ignored, the vision is off track. Organisations cannot claim alignment if they allow actions that undermine long-term progress.

Boards matter more than statements

For the SDGs to work, change must start in the boardroom. Boards decide what success looks like, approve incentives, and set risk appetites. To make the SDGs real, companies need a clear plan. This means adding SDG measures to risk statements, tying them to incentives, and making sustainable development a priority in board talks. For example, a company could incorporate SDG 13 (climate action) into its risk review by setting targets to reduce carbon emissions. Connecting these targets to executive bonuses can help keep leaders accountable and push progress on sustainability.

A report from MDPI explains how EDP Group, a Portuguese energy company, adapted its business to align with the SDGs. Initially, directors were hesitant due to financial concerns, but the long-term benefits led them to act. The key moment was when they began to see the SDGs as an opportunity to drive innovation and sustainability. This new way of thinking, focused on long-term value, made the change possible. In two years, the company cut its carbon footprint and grew its renewable projects, earning praise from stakeholders and industry peers.

This example shows that making the SDGs a core part of strategy drives real change. Teaching people about them is key. Just as everyone in a company needs to understand its vision and strategy, the SDGs must move from words to action. That is how we move from just hoping for change to making it happen.

A leadership question

The real question is not whether the SDGs are too ambitious, but whether leaders are prepared to follow through in practice. To build this into routine behaviour, suggest adding a regular "SDG alignment moment" to every board meeting. By making it a standard part of the agenda to evaluate how strategies align with the SDGs, leaders can show genuine commitment and turn alignment into a consistent practice, not just an idea.

Vision without alignment creates the illusion of progress while guaranteeing underperformance. If the SDGs remain confined to CSR reports, they will continue to fail.

But if the SDGs clearly guide strategy, incentives, and governance, they remain effective. As a leader, consider which SDG-related policy you will review this quarter. By choosing one area to examine and improve, you demonstrate a serious commitment to change and build accountability.

Vision only works when leaders are ready to align their actions with it.

Shafiq R Bhuiyan writes on how communication, culture, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) converge to shape a more conscious and compassionate society.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.