The path to 2030:
Delivering asustainable future

Foreword
Today the world finds itself halfway through an ambitious journey to reach the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs) outlined by the United Nations in 2015. The 17 goals have provided a framework for all of
humanity to unite behind by bringing governments, organizations and companies together to deliver abetter, more sustainable future.
However, a lot has happened in the last seven years. The world has experienced an unprecedented
pandemic, supply chains have seen significant disruption, inflation has hit new highs, and geopoliticaltensions have escalated into armed conflict. Factors like these are creating a perfect storm that threatens
to derail the momentum that has been building. This cannot be allowed to happen. As the 2030 deadline
approaches, we must instead accelerate and scale our activities to ensure that the goals can be met.
Each of the 17 goals is crucial, but what is fundamental to all of them is Goal 17: Partnerships for theGoals. It is here where The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) can deliver the greatest impact, by leveraging
the capabilities of its 400 members across 70 countries to collaborate and collectively build solutions forthe systemic challenges we face.
By convening eight Coalitions of Action, the CGF is now working to mobilize its membership to deliver amaterial impact against 15 Sustainable Development Goals mapped to them. But there is scope to go evenfurther by sharing best practices, setting standards of measurement, and fostering cooperation between
members in a non-competitive environment. For its part, the global EY organization is also supporting
collaboration through its association with the S30 forum, launched by The Prince of Wales’s Sustainable
Markets Initiative to bring together over 30 leading Chief Sustainability Officers with the aim of supporting
business action on sustainability.
It is in the spirit of collaboration that this report came about. By developing insights from interviews withexecutive leaders of prominent CGF members, we can explore how they see the SDGs halfway throughtheir journey. What goals do they most strongly align with? Where do they see challenges within theframework? And, going forward, where do they see the most opportunity to have a material impact? Key
to delivering this impact will be the role that organizations like the CGF can play in using collaboration tobuild the scale and impact required.
Thank you for reading. We hope you find this report informative and illuminating, and remember, by acting
together today, we can collectively shape tomorrow.

Kristina Rogers
EY Global Consumer Leader

Wai-Chan ChanManaging Director,
The Consumer Goods ForumThe path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable future |BIntroduction: Imagining a sustainable future
The Sustainable Development Goals and The Consumer Goods Forum“The SDGs have galvanizedglobal action on some of themost important issues facing
the world today. In bringing
together governments, civilsociety, and the private sector
it has enabled alignment ofaction and resources towards
addressing those challenges.
Roy Bagattini
Group CEO of Woolworths Holdings

For those with sustainability anywhere on their corporate agenda
it is already difficult to imagine a world without the United Nations
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The 17 goals — underpinned by
169 targets — create a holistic framework that directs the sustainability
efforts of governments, NGOs and companies. In today’s world of net
zero and science-based targets, the absence of clear sustainability
goals appears alien.
But in the context of the long history of social and environmental
change, the SDGs are relatively new. It’s been two centuries since
French mathematician Jean-Baptiste Joseph Fourier proposed that
the Earth’s atmosphere could trap heat, and over a century since“the greenhouse effect” was first coined by Swedish meteorologist
Nils Gustaf Ekholm. It’s over 150 years since slavery was abolishedin the United States, and around 130 years since Otto von Bismarckestablished the first welfare state in a modern industrial society toaddress inequality and reduce poverty.
Unanimously adopted by UN Members in 2015 and launched at thestart of 2016, the SDGs are approaching the halfway point of a 15year journey that seeks to resolve issues that have come to light overdecades and centuries. Furthermore, as if the scale of the challenge
was not already enough, this journey has been disrupted by a global
pandemic, and significant economic and political disruption. In 2020,
US-based NGO the Social Progress Index estimated that the SDGs may
not be realized until 2082, with COVID-19 potentially setting themback to 2092.
However, far from derailing the delivery of SDGs, recent setbacks
present an opportunity to create new impetus. Collective action fromdifferent groups of stakeholders could galvanize efforts to accelerate
progress and build the scale needed for tangible change.
The SDGs have created a focal point that different parties canalign around, by building common frameworks, governance, andmeasurement tools. Applying the SDGs as a guiding principle withina collective effort enables stakeholders to benchmark progress, offer
support and share best practices.

01 | The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable future

The convening power of organizations like CGF will be
crucial in building the alliances between companies,
organizations, governments and ultimately consumers
necessary to meet the ambitious goals that have been
set. According to the May 2021 edition of the EY Future
Consumer Index, a regular global survey of almost 18,000
people, 54% of consumers see a need for themselves todrive better social and environmental outcomes. Still aneven higher proportion, 67%, see the need for companies
to take leadership, with 72% believing that governments
should bear this responsibility. As Noel Keeley, CEO of
Musgrave Group, puts it, “The next generation will vote with
their feet, they won’t do business with companies they don’t
feel are operating in a sustainable way.”

Source: Communications materials — United Nations Sustainable Development

About this report
This report was written by the EY Global Consumer practice in conjunction with The Consumer Goods Forum toassess the progress that’s been made in achieving the SDGs today, at the halfway point in the journey to 2030.
The report investigates companies’ strategies to achieve the goals and which goals they align with the most. It also
looks at the role that organizations like the CGF can play in helping to accelerate collaboration and change throughits coalitions of action and other initiatives.
The EY Global Consumer practice and the CGF conducted interviews with 13 leaders of CGF member companies
representing a cross-section of the total CGF membership. The interviews explored CEOs’ perceptions of the SDGs
in the context of their business and the context of other initiatives and activities. We gained deep insights into how
consumer companies align their sustainability/ESG strategies within the SDG framework, the progress made toachieve the goals, and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
The qualitative interviews formed a foundational set of insights, which were augmented by additional research into
the sustainability activities of the CGF and its members, other perspectives in the wider market, and proprietary
EY research into sustainability and the SDGs (through programs such as the Future Consumer Index). This multitiered approach creates a broad perspective on how the consumer companies value the SDG framework and how
the CGF can play a part in helping to deliver them. It provides examples of best practices and current strategic
priorities. It also provides recommendations for the industry to collectively drive the positive change required toturn the goals of 2030 into reality.

The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable future | 02

A short history of the SDGs“

Business clearly has arole in helping deliver the
SDGs. At P&G, we havemapped our Corporate
Citizenship efforts vs. theSDGs and found that weare contributing to 16 of
the 17 SDGs. Successful
delivery of the SDGs is in
the best interests of ourconsumers, customers,
employees, shareowners
and society.
Jon Moeller
President and CEO of
Procter & Gamble

03 | The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable future

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are part of a 30year evolution in the UN’s actions on global sustainability. In 1992, 178
governments at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, adopted theAgenda 21 plan of action themed around five pillars: people, planet,prosperity, peace, and partnership. It provided recommendations andproposed actions that “should” be taken. Although some progress was made,it was challenging to define or achieve tangible collective goals.
In 2000, the UN launched eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs),
designed specifically for developing countries. The MDGs followed a 15year timeline that — considering lessons learned from Agenda 21 — set
specific targets at local, country, and global levels. Not all countries had thecapability to report on the MDG metrics, so progress could not be monitoredcomprehensively, although reporting improved significantly.
By 2012, a new vision was taking shape: “Realizing the Future We Want forAll.” The UN sought to ensure that globalization became a positive force
rooted in human rights, equality, and sustainability. This report recommended
that the next set of goals should be cautious of three dangers: overloading,being either too prescriptive or too vague, and donor-centrism. Another key
recommendation was the power of partnership, especially in addressing therole that the private sector plays in creating jobs, trade, wealth, sustainable
processes, and equality in the workforce.
Consequently, when the SDGs were being developed, the UN expanded its
perspectives beyond the member states. It also produced a tightened set ofquantitative, time-bound targets, with the capability to track the commitments
across all 17 goals.
Launched in 2015, the SDGs were not the only international policy put into
action. The Paris Agreement on Climate Change, the Sendai Framework for
Disaster Risk Reduction, and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing forDevelopment were all launched at around the same time as interdependent
programs. In combination, these policies strengthen the holistic and ambitious
framework of the SDGs, which are intended to be all-encompassing, engaging
all stakeholders globally, and evolving as the world does.

Aligning for a sustainable future
A broad framework needs a targeted approach“

We see the United Nations SDGs as providing a globally accepted
overarching roadmap for holistically addressing key global challenges.
Beneath this, we see a role for other more specific frameworks that canhelp to advance action in one or more areas relevant to the SDGs.
Edmond Scanlon
CEO of Kerry GroupThe SDGs are broad, comprehensive, and ambitious. They
provide a framework on which everyone can take action —from governments and NGOs to companies and consumers.
The 17 holistic goals are couched in terms that everyone
understands. From the first “No Poverty” to the last“Partnerships for the Goals,” the aim of each goal is clear.
However, there are challenges. The SDGs arecomprehensive, but given the scope of issues they cover,they are also amorphous. Their objectives are well defined,
but they are also highly ambitious. In just 15 years, the17 goals seem intent on resolving every problem that has
emerged in the history of humanity. This task is daunting
for anyone and raises the question of what consumer
companies can materially act on. As Noel Keeley points
out, “The challenge with so many objectives and goals is,
ensuring there is sufficient focus to make progress on allof them.”

Underpinning the SDGs are 169 individual targets. Eachtarget is supported by indicators that can be used tomeasure progress. The targets provide clarity, but theyalso increase complexity. For example, a third of the targets
lack clear metrics against which to measure progress.
Additionally, many indicators are defined at a country level,
not at a level that companies can influence.
This means that the CGF and its members are taking amore targeted approach to SDG alignment. While all 17
goals are viable objectives for all consumer companies
to consider, some create the opportunity to generate amore tangible and measurable impact than others. The
CGF aligns its Coalitions of Action with 15 SDGs. These
coalitions map to broader CGF initiatives focused on Healthand Wellness, Food Safety, Sustainable Supply Chains,
Environmental Sustainability, and Social Sustainability. One
SDG is central to all others: “Partnerships for the Goals.”
The CGF recognizes it is crucial to bring companies
together on collective programs and initiatives that canmake a real difference.

The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable future | 04

Collaboration for Healthier Lives

Product Data

Forest Positive

Human Rights — Working to End
Forced Labour

The Consumer Goods Forum’s
Coalitions of Action
Sustainable Supply Chain Initiative

Global Food Safety Initiative

Food Waste

Plastic Waste

05 | The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable future

The approach taken by consumer companies toward theSDGs is varied. Some companies adopt a wide range ofgoals while others focus on where they can deliver mosteffectively. Procter & Gamble, for example, contributes
to 16 of the 17 SDGs, and has identified eight that are
particularly relevant to map to its business. Conversely, theAjinomoto Group focuses on just two goals but has built aframework that tracks activities against all the SDGs.
How consumer companies approach the SDGs — in thecontext of their business — is polarized. The SDGs provide a
direction for sustainability strategies to support all or mostgoals. However, the difficulty in achieving these — especiallytargets that are set at a country level — often pushes
companies to explore where their impact can be greatest
and not commit to unachievable targets. This is illustrated
by the approach Kerry Group takes, which considers all
SDGs in areas of strategic planning but emphasize focus on
three goals: Zero Hunger, Good Health and Well-being, andResponsible Consumption and Production.
For many, the SDGs are synonymous with environmental
sustainability, reflecting the rising prioritization of climatechange among consumers. This is reflected in the findingsof the EY Future Consumer Index, which mapped consumer
perceptions of sustainability issues to specific SDGs.

The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable future | 06

Environmental issues are top of mind for consumers“

Reducing plastic waste, living wages across ourvalue-chain and net-zero are the biggest — mostchallenging and most inspiring — commitments that
we have. They all rely on systemic changes that theSDGs help to deliver.
Alan Jope
CEO of Unilever

For many, the SDGs are synonymous with environmental
sustainability, reflecting the rising prioritization of climatechange among consumers. This is reflected in the findingsof the EY Future Consumer Index, which mapped consumer
perceptions of sustainability issues to specific SDGs.
Clearly, environmental issues are top of mind, withbiodiversity and climate change the top priorities. Similarly,
when asked what issues they were personally concerned
about, consumers focused again on environmental issues.
For example, 73% of consumers are concerned about plastic
pollution, and 69% are concerned about climate change.
Lower proportions are concerned about wealth inequality(61%) or modern-day slavery (57%).

07 | The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable future

Despite this perception, only a minority of the SDGs
specifically cover climate change and the environment(Affordable and Clean Energy, Responsible Consumption
and Production, Climate Action, Life Below Water, andLife on Land). In part, this is because of increasing
environmental concern since the SDGs were developed.
High-profile media coverage of environmental challenges— dubbed “The Attenborough Effect,” after Sir David
Attenborough drew attention to key issues — have
sharpened consumers’ focus in areas like plastic waste andbiodiversity. The discovery of a plastic bag at the bottom of
the Mariana Trench in 2019 may represent a landmark inchanging consumer perceptions and accelerating concerns
ahead of 2030.

Sustainable Development Goals that consumers most commonly align withEY Future Consumer Index May 2021

29%
29%
26%
25%
23%
23%
22%
21%
15%
13%
13%
13%
11%
10%
8%
6%

Promoting sustainable use of ecosystems
and preserving biodiversity
Combating climate change and its impacts
Affordable and clean energy
Clean water and sanitation
Good health and well-being of citizens
Responsible production andconsumption of goods and services
Ocean conservation andprotection of marine life
Ending hunger and achieving
sustainable agriculture
Ending poverty
Quality education for all
Decent work and economic growth
Creating sustainable
cities and communities
Global standards of justice,
and a commitment to peace
Investment in industry,
innovation and infrastructure
Reduced inequalities
Gender equality
The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable future | 08

09 | The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable future

However, the low number of environmental goals is
also a consequence of the holistic approach taken by
the UN. The SDGs recognize the relationship between
delivering social and economic progress with the ability
to improve environmental impact. After all, the poorest
communities are the most vulnerable to the negative
impacts of environmental degradation. When combined,
healthy economies, healthy societies, and healthypeople become the building blocks for a healthy planet.
These interdependencies were expressed strongly by Ian
McLeod, Group CEO of DFI Retail Group, when considering
the tension in priorities between selling eggs from caged
chickens and free-range eggs: “A significant proportionof our customers are living at or below the poverty line;
therefore, we continue to sell caged eggs because our
responsibility is to bring them the best food that we can ataffordable prices … but I’m investing in cage-free eggs inorder to try and reduce the price premium to try and makesure that it’s less costly for the customer to make that
more responsible choice.”
Many consumer companies consider theseinterdependencies when prioritizing their alignment to the
SDGs. While climate action is a priority for everyone, thereis scope to have a material impact in other areas of thebusiness. For example, food companies and grocery retailers
can have a significant impact on Zero Hunger. Carlos
Mario Giraldo Moreno, CEO of Grupo Éxito, believes it isimperative to deliver nutrition as a tangible national goal: “In
Colombia, we have 10% malnutrition in first infants. We want
to be down to zero in 2030 in coherence with SDG 2 (Zero
Hunger). It’s a national purpose which Éxito has imposedwith the government, but we are also involving our suppliers,
customers, employees; and it’s impressive because every
year, through our suppliers and our own resources, we are
getting to more than 70,000 children.”Setting an SDG strategy is a holistic activity in which
environmental gains must go hand in hand with socialand economic gains. They must also embrace the distinct
geographic differences in consumer priorities. For example,
the EY Future Consumer Index found that many European
consumers are focused on climate issues. In North America,
social issues are relatively high on the consumer agenda,
while in many Asian countries, health and economic issues
have a higher priority.
Ian McLeod highlights the need to prioritize different goals
in different places: “Consumers in Asia are inclined to regard
sustainability issues as a priority. In emerging markets, thetop priority is more around putting food on the table forfamilies than it is about saving the planet. When we’ve done
research on that and looked at where people’s main concerns
were across our markets, the main concerns they had werethe economy, their health and their job security.”
Takaaki Nishii, President and CEO of the Ajinomoto Groupsummarizes this more succinctly, “Economics is important; itwould be problematic if a sustainable development goal madepoor people poorer.”Business Avengers
In order to promote the need to accelerate progressagainst specifically aligned goals some consumer
companies have become “Business Avengers.”
Business Avengers are companies that act as private
sector advocates for a single SDG. Each of the SDGs
has a corporate champion in the form of a Business
Avenger, and CGF members are well represented
among this group. Reckitt champions Good Health andWell-being, with a focus on protecting people from HIV
in Africa. Unilever champions Reduced Inequalities byworking with the UK government to reach one billion
people with hygiene products, infrastructure andeducation. Mars, Incorporated champions Life Below
Water through its coral restoration work.

The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable future | 10

A focus on material issues will deliver greatest impact

Most consumer goods companies and retailers focus on
issues that match their core business activities: health andwell-being; climate action; human and workplace rights;
diversity, equity and inclusion; plastic and food waste;
and the impact their products and supply chains have on
biodiversity on land and in water.
To achieve this, many consumer companies chart theirmaterial issues, disclosing them in annual sustainability
reports and, increasingly, in annual 10-K reports, todemonstrate their growing importance and provide
transparency for investors, stakeholders and consumers.
Alignment with frameworks like the Global Reporting
Initiative (GRI) and Sustainability Accounting Standards
Board (SASB) provides sectoral guidance on the mostfinancially-material sustainability information. Theseframeworks and the material issues that consumer
companies act on are often relevant to specific SDGs,
although they are not always formally mapped to them.
Good Health and Well-being is a material issue for all
consumer companies and impacts consumers, employees,
and people in the supply chain. Many business leadersrecognize that a healthy community is critical to theirorganization’s health. Ensuring human and workplace rights
is particularly important to global organizations, as anotherfacet of health and well-being and inclusivity, to reflect thediversity of the many communities that companies serve.
Another shared imperative is Climate Action. Consumer
companies must baseline, monitor, and reduce energy
consumption and emissions from an organization’s
operations and throughout their supply chains. Manyorganizations have set science-based net-zero goals andare engaging with their suppliers to reduce Scope 3
carbon emissions.
Consumer concerns regarding plastic and food waste are
driving progress towards new business models that support
a circular economy. Although achieving circularity, likethe SDGs, is an ambitious objective, it has seen a rapid
acceleration in interest since the SDGs were launched.
Circular models can eliminate waste through responsible
consumption and production, but can also contribute to
the Zero Hunger SDG, by supplying food to those in need.
Cutting plastic waste will also improve Life Below Water,which is a mounting priority, with ocean plastic pollution
expected to quadruple by 2050, according to a recent
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) study.
11 | The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable future

Protecting biodiversity has also grown in prominence,focusing the industry on sustainable land and water use,
supply chain impact, animal welfare, and deforestation.
Biodiversity has interdependencies with a number of SDGs,
including Clean Water and Sanitation and Life on Land.
Linking these impacts across the supply chain, particularly
Scope 3 emissions, has become an area of focus, and apain point for most consumer companies. It is no longer
enough for companies to meet their own carbon reduction
goals; their suppliers must also make similar commitments
to achieve industry-wide goals. This makes collective action
imperative because what’s material to each company is alsomaterial to the ecosystem they operate in and the wider
communities they serve.

“

There should be more effort to embedthe UN SDGs in existing non-financial
frameworks like TCFD or ESG metrics.
Today, this mapping is left to eachcompany, and often they just pick andchoose one or two SDGs as their key
focus, rather than being more holistic.
From a CGF perspective, we should also
see more quantitative targets developed
and delivered by companies [that] aremembers of specific CGF coalitions. Let’s
be bolder.
Malina Ngai
CEO of A.S. Watson

The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable future | 12

Navigating to a sustainable future
The pace of change will never be this slow again

Time is of the essence, and the 2030 SDG deadline is
rapidly approaching. However, only piecemeal progresshas so far been made in turning the global SDGs into
reality. This is understandable, given the different levels ofinvestment, and the uneven maturity of different countries,
organizations, and companies. The lack of a legally binding
framework and conflicting priorities undermine theinvestment required. Another challenge, certainly up to
the start of this decade, was what former Governor of the
Bank of England, Mark Carney, called the “tragedy of thehorizons:” it is particularly difficult to meet targets with atimeline that spans decades rather than months or years.
In 2019, Vanessa Fajans-Turner, then managing director for
SDG Financing, pointed to the need for planning ahead by
estimating that US$5 trillion‑$7 trillion of global investment
was needed each year to achieve the SDGs, with actual
spending undershooting this by US$2 trillion‑$4 trillion.
These estimates clearly predate the global impact of
COVID-19 and the subsequent challenges of global trade,
inflation and the cost of living, geopolitical disruption, andwar. In 2020, the OECD estimated that the SDG financing
gap could widen by 50%‑70% in developing countries. The
United Nations Financing for Sustainable Development
Report of 2021 presented a stark perspective by stating:“COVID-19 has dramatically set back SDG progress andaffected all aspects of financing for development: theglobal economy has experienced the worst recession in
90 years, with the most vulnerable segments of societies
disproportionately affected; around 120 million people
have fallen back into extreme poverty; 114 million jobs havebeen lost; tax revenues, foreign direct investment, tradeand remittances have decreased; and debt vulnerabilities
increased along with the rise in debt levels.
However, if the glass is half empty, it is also half full. anddespite these dramatic setbacks, there is much cause for
optimism. BlackRock’s Sustainable Investing: Integrating
the UN SDGs in Investments report discussed the economic
benefits the SDGs can bring. The report estimates that
opportunities missed through inaction on SDG challenges
equate to 80% of global GDP. It also cites US$12 trillion ofopportunities — identified by the Business and Sustainable
Development Commission — that meeting the SDGs willbring to the global economy.
But achieving these goals requires a shift in gears. Progressover the last seven years was spent experimenting, piloting
and measuring activities. The next seven years require
acceleration, scale and measurement of impact.
A comfortable majority of respondents saw their activities
as “accelerating,” shifting mindsets from sustainability

The CGF members interviewed were asked to categorize theircurrent level of maturity in their SDG-related activities:
Initial: Mapped ESG toSDGs, not set quantifiabletargets/goals around them.

Managed: Identified links between
ESG and SDGs, set targets/goals,
have made progress and are on
target to achieving many.

Optimized: Identified links between
ESG and SDGs, set targets/goals, havemade progress and on target to meet or
exceed all our SDG-related ESG goals.

Level ofSDG maturity
Defined: Identified links between
ESG and SDGs and set targets/goals,
no progress to report.

13 | The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable future

Accelerating: Identified links between ESG and
SDGs, set targets/goals, have made progress on
many and scaling investment for the remaining.

goals that are “nice to have” to being integral to success.
Frans Müller, president and CEO of Ahold Delhaize,
highlights the breadth of activities his company isundertaking:“We have targets on Scope 1 and 2, we have targets on
Scope 3, we have targets to address plastic waste andpollution at its source with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
We work on packaging. We work on food waste. We workon human rights. We work on the healthy sales of our own
brand products. We identify with the SDGs; we set targets
along those lines. We schedule progress, and we also haveour variable short-term and long-term targets for incentives
with links to sustainability goals.”
Like many others, Ahold Delhaize has changed quickly overa short period. In 2015, when the SDGs were first agreed,
Ahold’s annual report (before it merged with Delhaize in2016) did not mention plastic. In 2021, the Ahold Delhaize
annual report made 86 references to plastic. This highlights
how values have iteratively changed in a relatively shortperiod and how quickly companies are beginning toaccelerate their progress.
For Daniel Zhang, chairman and CEO of Alibaba Group,
the opportunity to accelerate and scale is not just a focus
for his own company but an opportunity for them toenable acceleration in others: “We are neither a consumer
goods manufacturer nor a retailer, but we have a close
collaborative relationship with them all. They are sellersof goods or providers of services on our platform. Ours

was a new type of relationship that emerged from thetransformation of commerce through the application ofdigital technology. There are many new platform companies
around the world in addition to Alibaba. We want to explore
innovative partnerships with these companies to jointly
advance environmental protection, social responsibility, andthe United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.“
The key to accelerating progress does not lie with one
group of stakeholders but in the critical mass they candrive together, enabled by advances in technology andinnovation. Consumer awareness and scrutiny are growing.
Shareholders are incorporating ESG into their investment
choices. Companies are integrating sustainable goals withfinancial targets. Governments are intensifying regulation
through taxes, incentives and reporting requirements.
Organizations are developing networks to drive and sharebetter practices. All of these groups are pushing together tosupport change at scale.
As James Quincey, chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola
Company puts it: “I don’t think corporations are on theirown. You can’t tackle the problem of what progresscompanies need, what progress the society needs and what
progress the government needs. It’s intertwined.”
Technology is enabling this by making sustainablemeasurement and progress more viable and affordable.
In turn, this can accelerate the progress companies maketoward the SDGs and support new frameworks and metrics
that can track and improve impact.

“

There isn’t much of a grace period left
until 2030, the deadline is approaching.
Yoshinori Isozaki
President and CEO of Kirin

The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable future | 14

“The goals provide an excellent pathway andframework for all stakeholders to coalesceon, however, targeted actions, measurement
structures and clear indicators of progressare critical to success. Underpinning
the SDGs, this we see a role for specificframeworks that help to accelerate action inareas relevant to the SDGs.
Edmond Scanlon

15 | The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable future

Using the SDGs with other frameworks

There are a variety of additional frameworks — in place orin development — which align to and support specific SDGs.
These frameworks provide companies, cities, states andcountries a standardized process to measure, manage, andreport transparently.
For example, additional frameworks and disclosure
standards have benefitted Climate Action. In 2001, the first
corporate standard of the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol
was published. It is the international standard to which
various additional frameworks and disclosure standardsalign. These include the CDP (formerly known as the Carbon
Disclosure Project), the Task Force on Climate-Related
Financial Disclosures (TCFD), Climate Disclosure Standards
Board (CDSB), Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), The
Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), and theInternational Organization for Standardization (ISO).
With so many disclosure standards supporting different
stakeholders, The Better Alignment Project was created
to standardize and streamline organizational reporting on
key standards. These efforts were enhanced by the Science

Based Target initiative (SBTi), which focused on aligning
efforts to the Paris Climate Agreement.
Monitoring human capital and culture — which spans
multiple SDGs, including Gender Equality, Decent Work andEconomic Growth, and Reduced Inequalities — is supported
by additional frameworks that include the GRI, SASB,
ISO30414:2018, the Embankment Project for Inclusive
Capital, and the US SEC’s Human Capital Disclosure.
The Responsible Consumption and Production SDG is frontof mind for most companies and consumers. Over the last
few years, new frameworks have emerged, with circular
economy networks providing guidance and frameworks
for companies, countries, and regions. The Plastics
Pact Network is a collaboration of the Ellen MacArthur
Foundation (EMF) and various organizations around theworld. It helps provide much needed guidance on reuse andrecycling infrastructure capabilities by geography. Broader
consumer platforms help guide informed buying decisions,
including nutritional standards such as Nutri-Score, Guiding
Stars, and HowGood.

“We look at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s circular economy.
We work with Nutri-Score standards. Guiding Stars we work with.
HowGood in the US, a sustainability standard there. So, we have more
standards we use. The SDGs are not giving us the operational detail yet,
we go a few levels down, but we use the SDG framing as an anchor tobase our systems on.
Frans Müller
President and CEO of Ahold Delhaize

The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable future | 16

Mapping other frameworks to relevant SDGs
ISO 45001
Nutri-Score
Guiding Stars
SEC Human Capital Disclosure
GRI
SASB
ISO 30414:2018
Embankment Project for Inclusive Capital
CDP Water
ISO 14046
CDP
RE100
CDP Cities
HowGood
Ellen MacArthur Foundation
Plastics Pact
SBTi
TCFD
ISO 50001
CDP Forest
TNFD
SBTN

17 | The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable futureSignificant challenges to overcome

It would be impossible to deploy and explore a framework ascomprehensive as the SDGs without encountering significant
challenges. The extensive scale and scope is one reason for
the numerous reporting mechanisms and frameworks thathave emerged since the SDGs’ inception.
The SDGs are a compass for organizations and governments
to collectively set a direction; they don’t always provide
a clear roadmap to achieve them or a means to measureprogress. Most companies support the principles of theSDGs but achieving them is difficult, whether you are acompany, government, or international organization. The
enormity of the undertaking is further compounded by theremaining timeframe.

“

All of the SDGs are still relevant,and you can make a case for thesignificance of every single one.
There is a question for me around
prioritization: should we identify
the three or four that are criticalto affecting real and meaningfulchange, rather than try to work
across them all?
Noel Keeley
CEO of Musgrave GroupThe path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable future | 18

Five key business challenges must be
addressed if the industry is to achieve thescale and scope required
1. Measurement and standardization

2. Regional and national differences

Performance indicators are vital to monitor progress andset meaningful targets. However, many companies do
not meaningfully apply these measures. A dizzying
proliferation of SDG standards has created friction andinconsistency, complicating the task further.

The standardization and measurement challenge isfurther complicated when interpreting them between
countries with different levels of development. For
example, in food and drink, malnutrition and obesity
sit in different parts of a nutritional spectrum, andboth must be prioritized according to countries’
different needs.

The International Financial Reporting Standards Foundationof the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB)
has started an initiative to create an internationallystandardized framework for sustainability reporting forinvestors. However, it is nascent and not integrated with
the SDGs. The European Union is working toward regional
consistency and has created a classification system forsustainable activities through the EU Taxonomy. However,standards bodies risk creating further complexity if they
do not integrate SDGs into these frameworks in a way thatcompanies can understand and measure.
Edmond Scanlon of CEO of Kerry Group pointed outthat measurement requirements should also extend tomeasuring impact, both as a means of assessing progress
and as an opportunity to push for scale: “We know that, if
we deploy more technologies into the solutions that we’re
providing, then we’re having a positive impact on nutrition.
But how do we measure that and use it to encouragecompanies to go on the front foot and have a bigger andmore positive impact?”“

The SDGs are relatively centered on theWest, yet Japan has the spirit of not being
wasteful and has long had a mindset very
close to the spirit of the SDGs.
Takaaki Nishii
President and CEO of the Ajinomoto Group
19 | The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable future

A global framework must also enable the tailoring ofactivities that respect the nuances of different cultures.
Takaaki Nishii discussed the differences between Eastand West in nutritional profiling: “A good approach totake for the health of the people of a given country or
region, would also have to respect their food culture andI think there is a need to create a regional model.” Thiswas echoed by Frans Müller in setting standards: “We
all talk about global standards, but I think regionally wecan be more effective. If we have a standard in the US
and a standard in Europe, I would already be very happy.
Then, later on, you also always can bring the regions
together, if you talk about deforestation in Latin America
or human rights in Asia or carbon in Europe. They are
different topics with different priority levels.”“

The big CPG companies in the world
don’t have malnutrition as a main focus
because it’s not such a big problem inEurope or the US, but I have insisted thatthat’s not the reality of the world. That’s areality of a small part of the world, and if
we want to address the planet’s problems,
we have to go beyond that. When we
speak about balanced food consumption,
the focus of many companies is obesity.
Obesity is a problem, but in emerging
countries, you have the combination of
malnutrition and obesity, which is a very
nasty combination.
Carlos Mario Giraldo Moreno
CEO of Grupo Éxito

3. Countries, not companies

4. Lack of accountability

The SDGs create a broad umbrella designed to incentivize
everybody toward a common set of objectives. But manyof the measurable indicators in the 169 targets that sit
beneath the goals are national indicators, placing theonus of progress on countries. This presents consumer
companies with a quandary. Clearly, most companiesalign with the SDGs and want to see progress against
them. While companies can help deliver the SDGs, there
is a significant grey area regarding how they align to the
SDGs and report on progress, especially if development
differs between company and country. This threatens to
disintermediate the impact that companies can have.

Accountability is a significant issue for companies,
including those strongly committed to delivering the SDGs.
The absence of company-specific measurement indicators,
the onus on national — not corporate — initiatives, and thelack of any legally binding incentives all make it difficult
for companies to define their own roles.

A number of the leaders interviewed talked about the lackof clarity in the role that companies can play in delivering
the SDGs with so many indicators set at a national level.
Some saw the focus for delivery as the responsibilityof governments, with companies only providing a
supporting role.

There are stark national differences, too. Although theSDGs were unanimously adopted by all 193 Member
States of the United Nations, the appetite to deliver isuneven. While some governments support their SDG
commitments with targeted legislation, others do not.
This has led to a spectrum of corporate responses.
On one end, companies simply pay lip-service to the
SDGs (this greenwashing risks undermining consumers’
trust in the SDGs’ viability). For example, a company
could argue that it is contributing to Zero Hunger
simply by selling food products. That is a far cry from
Grupo Éxito’s programmatic commitment to eliminate
malnutrition in Colombia by 2030. They are at the otherend of the spectrum, where companies create their own
accountability by diligently tracking and mapping theiractivities — as evidenced by the approaches taken at
Ajinomoto Group.

“

Milestones are set in place for various jobs relating to
the themes of the SDGs, and then we start working in
new phases towards achieving the milestones. We haveestablished a committee similar to an executive committeethat sits under the management committee, which acts as amatrix across functions for cross‑departmental business.
Takaaki Nishii

The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable future | 20

5. Evolving priorities
The process by which companies, governments and consumers
prioritize sustainability issues has evolved significantly
over the last seven years. Consequently, while the SDGs’
overarching goals remain important, their prioritization andmeasurement have moved on.
For example, plastic waste is now a high priority for virtually
all consumer companies, and a key concern of consumers
and regulators. However, in 2015 when the SDGs were set,plastic waste was given relatively low visibility as a subindicator for Life Below Water (14.1 By 2025, prevent andsignificantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particularfrom land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient
pollution) and as a linked indicator to Responsible Production
and Consumption (12.5 By 2030, substantially reduce waste
generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse).
Similarly, eliminating food waste is a key issue for
manufacturers and retailers and is a clear opportunity todeliver Zero Hunger. But instead, food waste goals sit in
Responsible Consumption and Production. The targets for Zero
Hunger are more focused on subsidies and productivity gains.
These shifting priorities present both a challenge and an
opportunity for consumer companies. A change in emphasison the targets beneath the 17 SDGs makes it harder to map
meaningful impact. The difficulty is compounded by consumer
companies’ lack of clarity in measuring progress.
However, companies can demonstrate agility by developing
better targets, forms of measurement, and ambitious
initiatives that are matched to their own ability to drive impact.

“

At Alibaba, we have proposed
the concept of “Scope 3+.”
There are many stakeholders
on our platform, including
consumers, merchants,
partners, and service providers
who are not upstream or
downstream in our supply
chain in the traditional sense.
Our relationship with thesestakeholders is a relatively newcooperation model. How do wework with them to leverage theadvantages of a platform forreducing carbon emissions? We
decided to put forward the goalof reducing 1.5 billion tons ofcarbon emissions by 2035. At
the same time, we can see thatour goal highly dovetails with
the United Nations Sustainable
Development Goals.
Daniel Zhang
Chairman and CEO of Alibaba Group21 | The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable futureCollaborating for a sustainable future
Prioritizing for optimal impact

The SDGs cannot and will not be achieved in a silo.
Consequently, all brands and retailers have prioritized
partnerships to make the SDGs a reality: with each otherthrough organizations like the CGF, with the communities they
serve, with NGOs, and with governments. Additionally, a few
SDGs continue to be top priorities: Climate Action, Good Healthand Well-being (of employees, supply chain, consumers, and thecommunity), and Responsible Consumption and Production.
Companies are working hard to provide a level of transparency
to the consumer. Platforms like HowGood, Guiding Stars andNutri-Score share additional nutritional or sustainability factors
to each item on the shelf, enabling better-educated selection at
the point of purchase. Transparency and education are criticalfor brands and retailers to make progress toward Responsible
Consumption and Production, as Frans Müller reflects,“Engaging consumers, by sharing with them how they can makehealthier choices, from a calorie intake or from a carbon intake.”
Good Health and Well-being is prioritized by most companies,
not just for their employees — or their suppliers’ employees,
but also the communities they serve by providing transparent
information on the products being consumed: “Getting
engagement from employees is key today. They are our firstline,” states Carlos Mario Giraldo Moreno. There is a unique
opportunity, especially for retailers, for employees to educate
consumers on healthier, more sustainable options — anapproach common among brands and retailers alike. Consumer
CEOs can make climate action relatable to the consumer andhelp them understand what actions can lead to positive change
by reducing waste food, plastic, energy or water intensity.

“

To make a bigger positive impact
on the planet, sustained andconcerted efforts from different
parties are essential. So, we’vebeen working relentlessly withour business partners and NGOs
to build a better and sustainable
world together by supporting ourcommunity, creating a great place
to work, promoting a responsible
upstream value chain, acting
on climate change, promoting acircular economy and offering moresustainable product choices.
Malina Ngai“

We want to promote responsible
consumption and production.
We want to help manufacturers
engage in responsible consumer
product manufacturing andencourage consumers to makeresponsible purchasing decisions.
We believe this can be realized
through the broad [market]
penetration, [information]
visibility, and transparency offered
by a digital platform.
Daniel Zhang

The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable future | 22

23 | The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable futureMoving from aspiration to integration

We previously discussed how, if the SDGs are to bedelivered in seven years’ time, we need acceleration,
scale, and measurement of impact. One key transition
required to accelerate progress is the shift fromsustainability as a strategic aspiration to sustainability as
an operational activity.
This process is more difficult than it sounds. It forcescompanies to change their entire mindset. Elements ofchange can happen organically, almost without leaders
noticing. Decisions that were previously made using old
metrics of scale, scope, and efficiency, now consider
progression towards the SDGs. Edmond Scanlon describes
this process as an almost unconscious journey for the KerryGroup. “Six years ago, looking at acquisitions through asustainability lens and recognizing that we have mapped
our sustainability ambition to the SDGs wasn’t a key
consideration. Whereas today, the starting point is, ‘Does
this get us closer or further away to what we want to try andachieve from a sustainability standpoint?’ And then, as thathas evolved, it has infiltrated each capital allocation decision
we’ve made throughout the organization. That went on to
our innovation investments and our operational investment
allocation decisions. Today within Kerry, the financial andthe ESG metrics, are intertwined. To me, that’s progress. I’m
proud of that.”
However, embedding SDGs into operational decisionmaking cannot just be a top-down exercise. Instead, it
requires consolidated effort throughout the enterprise.
Malina Ngai told us that at A.S. Watson, the changes thatwill operationalize sustainability are led at a local level:“Sustainability is all about change, for companies as wellas individuals. But changing our habits is not easy; wetend to be in the comfort zone. One way we addressed
this was through the creation of local working groups
and committees within each business unit so that local
discussion happens, and ownership of change becomes the
new habit.”
Ian McLeod focused efforts on bringing together teams
from different functions and levels of seniority to drive
progress: “We’ve set up what we call positive action groups.

Cross-functional groups bringing together senior managers,
senior leaders, and middle leaders into positions where they
can influence the outcome of what we’re trying to achieve.
Those teams meet and report back every two or three weeks
to review progress and update on where we’ve got to. That
keeps the pot boiling. It also identifies barriers to progressor trade-offs that need to be made.”
Changes in culture and ways of working are essential tothis process. Consumer companies are increasingly seeking
ways to include employees on this journey. At Kirin, forexample, President and CEO Yoshinori Isozaki encourages
Creating Shared Value (CSV) through a combination ofawards and training: “We’ve established ‘awards’, whereby
we look for and evaluate examples of good CSV practices
that our employees have done in their day-to-day work, andby running various ‘CSV experience’ programs to promote
an understanding of CSV amongst our employees. Eachindividual employee can then connect CSV to their personal
work and strategies, so that CSV makes a connection thatties together their views and practices.”
Daniel Zhang has introduced a bonus scheme at Alibaba
Group that rewards efforts to inculcate sustainability into
everyday employee behaviors: “We call it ‘Huandou,’ whichtranslates to ‘Joyful Seeds.’ When our employees undertake
environmentally friendly actions, such as minimizing carbon
footprint on their business trips through smart planning,they will earn ‘Joyful Seeds’ that can be redeemed for goods
such as a beverage from Starbucks or special souvenirs.”
The endgame of these operational efforts is crucial.
Companies that create sustainability strategies with targets
that map to SDGs may be lucky enough to achieve them.
But the companies that take a root-and-branch approach
to integrating sustainability into their everyday activities
are more likely to make tangible progress. This approachbrings other benefits by improving workforce engagement,
attracting talent, and helping to drive operational efficiency.
Evidence that purpose-driven companies outperform theirpeers is overwhelming, but the transition must start at the
top and ultimately permeate every aspect of the business.

The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable future | 24

Collaborating to enable speed and scaleCompanies’ ability to materially impact the 17 SDGs
varies based on their size, presence and business activity.
However, one goal is common to all: Partnerships for theGoals. And its importance is rising, given the increased
focus on Scope 3 emissions, modern slavery, and waste.
Increasing scrutiny, especially through an Extended
Producer Responsibility (EPR) lens, and technology‑enabledtransparency means that companies are not justaccountable for their own activities, but all activities acrosstheir value chain. Consequently, companies are looking
at their ecosystem of partners, suppliers, customers,
regulators, and peers as an interdependent network thatmust mobilize to achieve mutually beneficial goals.
James Quincey observes: “Everything’s connected, and it’s
about setting up the internal system to be able to operate
locally but act within a global framework and connect withan ecosystem of lots of different partners ... there’s no waythat companies can make the sorts of progress requiredby the SDGs without there being action by government, byregulators, by society, by NGOs.”
The formation of SDG-focused alliances and partnerships
has accelerated over the last few years and continues
to grow rapidly. In many ways, this is a good thing,demonstrating that companies increasingly recognize
the need to partner and cooperate in areas of collective
need. However, one challenge is that the proliferation ofpartnerships makes it difficult to delineate between actionoriented alliances and talking shops which risk accusationsof greenwashing. As companies map activities to themost material SDGs, they must identify the partners andorganizations that will help deliver positive change.

“

We are clear that we cannot walk
this path alone. We know thatsetting ambitious goals not only
stretches and challenges our own
business to do more, but it also
inspires others to collaborate withus, and join this cause for good.
Roy Bagattini“

If you look at the total supply chain
for retailers and food manufacturers,
there is commonality in segments
where you can prioritize. My
peers at Carrefour, Rewe andWalmart are also likely focused onrefrigerants, energy conservationand transportation, and I think the
Unilevers, Nestlés and Campbellsof the world can share in this. If
you can get a few things done inyour sector and make that precompetitive, that could be very
powerful. This can be communicatedto consumers so that they
understand what we are doing.
Frans Müller

25 | The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable future

The CGF has a key part to play here. As a convening bodyfor the consumer goods industry, it can bring members
together to create collective solutions to systemic problems.
All of the CGF’s Coalitions of Action can be mapped to SDGs
and all eight map to Goal 17: Partnership for the Goals.
The CGF recognizes the power of partnerships in achieving
other goals, as do our interviewees. Malina Ngai discussed
the benefits the CGF brings. “Being a CGF member
definitely helps accelerate our progress towards the SDGs.
We appreciate the efforts from CGF to encourage morepartnerships for positive impact through their coalitions on
Food Waste, Plastic Waste, and Healthier Lives.”
In addition to the CGF, there are many other influential
organizations with which consumer companies will
partner, as part of their collective drive for change. Ourinterviewees mentioned the Ellen MacArthur Foundationand the World Wildlife Fund and a plethora of reporting
standards frameworks on emissions, nutrition, plastic
pollution and waste.
Another key element to collaboration is the power ofthese companies to engage with their own ecosystems.
Daniel Zhang pointed to the ability of its own business toassemble a network of partners for collective improvement:“On our platform, we are forming a green brand alliancewith brand partners, working together to promote theresearch, development and production of new green
products for consumers.”

One important benefit that organizations such as the CGF
bring is the sharing and learning of best practices among
peers — as Carlos Mario Giraldo Moreno observes, “I think
the most important thing, and I insist on this a lot, isbenchmarking against best practices and sharing the bestpractices that retailers have in the UK, France or in Canada
with us.”Not only does this convening power enable collaborationand sharing, but it also provides a support network to
improve progress, especially for smaller parties. Yoshinori
Isozaki of Kirin discusses the intangible values thiscollaboration brings: “Participating in the CGF initiative
has stimulated and taught us in various ways. It is difficult
to demonstrate the usefulness quantitatively, but thestimulation and new ideas have been useful towardachieving the SDGs. In particular, case studies of initiatives
by CGF members have been very helpful.”
Most crucially, these organizations enable scale in theprivate sector to help meet the SDGs. While the onus is on
governments to deliver national targets, the collective force
of CGF’s membership has the potential to drive internationalchange. Its 400 members have the ability to mobilize 10
million direct employees in 70 countries, with collective
sales of almost US$5 trillion.

“

The CGF creates a platform where the industry can get together ina non-competitive way [and] collaborate to meaningfully advance awhole set of actions. We’ve set ourselves, very clearly, the objectiveof having impact at scale. This is not about just talking about it or
having pilot schemes. This is about actually making a scaled impact.
James Quincey
Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company

The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable future | 26

Accelerating to a sustainable future
Where we stand today“

The SDGs are critical to ensure a sustainable world
for us to live in. They are extremely relevant to us asa business to frame our sustainability strategy andthe work that we do.
Roy Bagattini

Our interviewees believe that seven years after their launch,
the SDGs remain relevant to their business. Arguably, they are
more influential than ever, given the imperative to accelerate
progress and the increasing desire to integrate them into
other frameworks. Their role in helping to shape national
policies, international agreements, and company strategies isdifficult to dispute. In establishing a direction of travel for theworld, the SDGs provide a clear set of objectives to help guidecountries and companies.
The SDGs have permeated the mindsets of policymakers
and industry leaders, helping to shape their perspectives.
During our interviews, CEOs often refer to the SDGs by their
numbers (Goal 1: Ending Poverty, Goal 2: Zero Hunger, etc.),
an unwitting demonstration of how all 17 are indelibly stamped
into their thinking. This means that even if a sustainability
strategy is developed in isolation, it will ultimately find targets
that map back to the SDGs.
But if the SDGs are to support accelerated efforts in the future,
we must overcome the issues of measurement, relevance tocompanies, and the proliferation of other initiatives. This isespecially true as consumer companies face a growing numberof ESG requirements which, while being supportive of thegoals, could dilute corporate focus.

“

The SDGs are crucial.
They are a framework androadmap for the planet.
Alan Jope

27 | The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable future“

There’s the SDG goals, but thenyou have ESG metrics that are
emerging, and within the financial
world or investment world, theESG metrics are becoming far
more talked about. It’s setting off
a trend of people saying, ‘Well,
which ESG metrics are going to beimportant to us and which boxes
do we need to tick in order to get agood ESG score?’
Ian McLeod
Group CEO of DFI Retail GroupHow we can shape tomorrow“For us, the SDGs are not a final goal, and while
they need to be in front of us in order for us tomove forward towards them, in a sense, it isbetter to see them as milestones.
Takaaki Nishii

Although SDGs are highly relevant for today’s business,
our interviewees were less certain about whether all 17 of
the goals will be achieved by 2030. There is optimism that
progress can accelerate and that, through collaboration, somegoals are within reach. However they doubt that all goals will
be met, and question whether some businesses, governments,and organizations have the appetite to prioritize the SDGs overother considerations, especially in the light of the disruptionthat the world has seen.
Deeper integration between the SDGs and other frameworks isvital if the goals are to be achieved, especially frameworks thatprovide the measurability that businesses crave. Companies
would have much clearer targets to work toward. This is clearlyan area where the CGF can help set standards.

“

In the developing world, there are multiple
challenges ahead that actually are more criticalafter the effects of COVID-19. I am personallyconcerned about the still unknown effects
that COVID-19 has left. It is time to push theagenda forward faster than ever.

“This is where, as an industry
we need to cooperate more;collaboration is key to unlocking
the collective power of businesses,
government and society, tobenefit the planet. There areprograms of work that weshould be cooperating on, that
we should agree standards on.
It will be much more efficient, it
will cost a lot less, and it won’t
impact our ability to competewith each other. It’s the rightthing to do. And it’s something
we have to do. Climate change
will be the defining challenge ofour generation; there has neverbeen a time in human history
where our collective effort will
matter more than in dealing withthis issue; if it’s not addressed
then arguably the goals become
irrelevant because we won’t havean environment or planet on
which to live. If ever there was acase for prioritization this is it.
Noel Keeley

Carlos Mario Giraldo Moreno

The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable future | 28

The priorities and measurements within each goal must evolve
to make the SDGs more achievable. While the 17 goals are thebenchmark for a sustainable future, the targets beneath themand the indicators that measure them are predominantly asnapshot of metrics that were developed in 2017 to provide
further clarity on the goals. As we have discussed, social,economic, environmental, and technological changes haveradically altered the landscape. Despite some adaptation anditeration over the years, the indicators have not kept pace withthe rate of change. The new challenges, setbacks and priorities
need new metrics. New approaches must be developed that
support the overarching goals while providing clarity and fresh
impetus. New solutions, innovations, frameworks, and alliances
are emerging that can build towards the goals, but integratingthem will be crucial.
Collaboration is the most important factor if companies are
to deliver the SDGs. All stakeholders must demonstrate acommitment to work together to accelerate change. When
the UN launched its “Decade of Action” campaign, it stressed
how companies, organizations and governments must
accelerate the integration of the SDGs into all their activities.
Consumer companies must work in tandem with governments,organizations, and their peers to embed SDGs into theirbusiness cultures. However, the industry can go a stepfurther, by bringing consumers into the group of stakeholders.
While the interviews conducted focus on how companies,
government, and organizations like the CGF can work together
as the agents of change, consumer companies occupy a
privileged position: they can help shape better consumption.
For example, Ahold Delhaize’s NutriPlus scheme actively
rewards consumers for good nutritional behavior. By including
consumers, responsibility for achieving the goals is placed into
the hands of all. This should be the rallying call for greatercollaboration and proactivity across the board.

29 | The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable future“

The SDGs are pretty allencompassing, and as we’ve goneon the journey, we’ve learned
new things such as sciencebased targets. When you elevateyourself to the level of the SDGs,
they’re all still relevant and we’refocused. We’ve made much
more of a contribution and havemore levers to pull in certain
SDGs than others. We’re making
progress against them, and we’relearning a lot as we go. That’s
causing people to adapt andchange on the road to 2030.
James Quincey

Conclusion: Building a sustainable future“

I feel the period from 2015 to 2022 has been
about managing a change in direction for
the group to head towards these goals. The
result is that we are now accelerating toward
the milestones and aiming to achieve thegoals. That’s how I think you’d describe oursituation right now.
Takaaki Nishii
The scale and scope of the commitment required to achieve
the goals is daunting, but not insurmountable. To achievethem, the pilots, experiments, and innovations of the last
seven years must be scaled and accelerated across a broad
stakeholder network. Consequently, while all 17 goals areof huge importance, Partnerships for the Goals is the mostimportant.
All the CEOs we interviewed — and, in all likelihood, every
member of the CGF — is acutely aware of the need tocollaborate with governments, organizations and eachother. Industry bodies like the CGF will play a vital role inenabling collaboration, holding stakeholders accountable,
advocating for better outcomes, and setting measurement
standards. The challenge for all stakeholders is to embed
these priorities into the way they conduct themselves daily.
This is compounded by an operating environment thatremains vulnerable to disruption and volatility. There isa risk that a single black swan event could significantly
deprioritize sustainability efforts.

“

If you can make the philosophical leap tomake this an intrinsic part of your businessand understand where it’s got to move to,that’s going to get you a long way there.
If you still consider it a cost center or amarketing program, or worse, you won’t
make as much progress as you’re going toneed to.
James Quincey
The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable future | 30

Our research identified five takeaways
for CGF members to consider:
1. Support all the goals but focus ondelivering material impact
Every goal is important. In most cases, every goal
applies to the way that a company, country, ororganization operates. But the ability to deliver material
impact requires focus. Whether it is malnutrition,
sanitation or waste, a company can make a greater
contribution to some SDGs than others. Setting material
targets will make a tangible difference.

2. Measure for progress and impact
There is a clear need to integrate the SDGs with otherframeworks and for consistent international or regional
standards, especially for companies mapping theirprogress to the SDG indicators that follow national
aggregates. The growing number of frameworks makes
measurement an arduous task. But convening bodies
such as the CGF have the power to consult and advocate
for consistent standards that account for local nuances.

3. Embed sustainability into yourcompany DNA
In most organizations, change starts at the top.
However, this is only the beginning of the journey.
Companies must align their workforce and businessculture to a common set of goals to improve theirchances of success. Companies that embed the SDGs
into their working culture — potentially through rewards
and incentives — are far more likely to achieve them.

4. Partner for successNo country, organization, company or individual
person can singlehandedly drive the SDGs to a
successful conclusion. The proliferation of partnerships
and alliances points to an acceptance of this basic fact.
The focus of these partnerships must be on action
and delivering impact at scale. Profitability andrevenue competition are part of a healthy economy
but solving sustainability’s systemic challenges
requires collaboration.

31 | The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable future

5. Bring the consumer on the journey
The SDGs may be synonymous with sustainability inthe corporate world, but most consumers have little
awareness of the goals, only the challenges they address.
Consumer companies occupy a privileged position that
confers great power — and great responsibility — inshaping consumption. As a result, they can incentivize
better consumer behaviors and raise awareness of theSDGs in ways that other stakeholders cannot.
For some detractors, the SDGs are a utopian ideal. It
is difficult today to imagine a world where poverty is
eradicated, hunger is ended, gender equality is achieved,
and universal access is given to education and sanitation.
It is even harder to imagine this, given that we are
halfway through the 15-year timeframe. That thesegoals will also systematically address concerns overclimate, biodiversity, and inequality may push them into
fantasy. However, none of them present an unreasonable
expectation in any modern society. For many, the goals
are basic expectations, and few people would not want toachieve them.
It is only by setting goals that progress can be made,and it is only by aligning everyone behind common
goals that they can be achieved. Successes of thiskind are not without precedent. In 1967, the World
Health Organization began a concerted program that
eradicated smallpox in a little over 10 years. Concerted
efforts over the last two decades to eradicate malaria
continue to show tangible results. More recently, theglobal mobilization of companies, governments andorganizations to combat the global COVID-19 pandemic
point to the speed with which change can be delivered.
With a similar effort the SDGs can be achieved, within
the timeframe. Even if they are not met by 2030, any
progress made will leave the world in a better place than
if we had not tried.

“

Climate change is a holistic issue that requires
global connections. With global initiatives such as
the CGF, it will likely continue to be important for
us to work cooperatively together while leveraging
the strengths of each member company.
Yoshinori Isozaki

The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable future | 32How CGF members are supporting
the delivery of the SDGs
Contributing company:

Ahold Delhaize

Most relevant SDGs:
Example program:

The SuperPlus program was launched in October 2020 as a loyalty scheme that offers
discounts on 5,000 healthy products (based on achieving an A or B with Nutri-Score). It
effectively rewards customers to promote healthier eating habits. Not only does this drive
better consumption but the concept also has the future potential to be used in other areas ofsustainability such as discounting environmentally friendly purchases.

Contributing company:

Grupo Éxito

Most relevant SDGs:
Example program:

The Fundación Éxito is a nonprofit entity created in 1982. In 2013, the Foundation embarked
on a mission to achieve zero chronic malnutrition in children under the age of 5 in Colombia.
The foundation works with NGOs, private companies, and the government to deliver programs
that promote breastfeeding and deliver nutritional care for pregnant mothers and children up
to the age of 5.

Contributing company:

Kerry Group

Most relevant SDGs:
Example program:

Beyond the Horizon was launched in October 2020 with the aim of enhancing Kerry Group’s
nutritional solutions portfolio to create better, healthier and more nutritious products with
its customers and industry partners and reach two billion people with sustainable nutrition
solutions by 2030.

Contributing company:

Kirin

Most relevant SDGs:
Example program:

Action Plan for the Sustainable Use of Biological Resources: Since 2013, Kirin has iteratively
reviewed, revised, and improved its use of raw materials to ensure they meet sustainable
certifications and set targets to improve its use of sustainable materials. The action plan isregularly updated and was updated in July 2021 with targets and guidelines for Black Tea,
Coffee, Palm Oil, Soybeans, and Paper and Printed Materials.

Contributing company:

Alibaba Group

Most relevant SDGs:
Example program:

Alibaba Cloud for Scope 3+: Alibaba Group has set a goal of reducing 1.5 billion tons ofcarbon emissions by 2035. The development of the Alibaba Cloud is intended as a profitablebusiness venture as well as how it can bring together all the platform’s stakeholders to achievecarbon neutrality in all three scopes.

Contributing company:

The Coca-Cola Company

Most relevant SDGs:
Example program:

The Coca-Cola Company’s World Without Waste program was launched in 2018 with the aims
of making Coca Cola’s packaging 100% recyclable by 2025, using 50% recycled material inbottles and cans by 2030 and collecting and recycling bottles and cans — regardless of where itcomes from — for each one sold by 2030.

33 | The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable future

Contributing company:

A.S. Watson

Most relevant SDGs:
Example program:

The Greener Stores Framework is a program to accelerate the transformation of retail toward
lower-environmental impact stores by inspiring a sustainable culture in their day-to-day
operations. It seeks to encourage customers to make more sustainable product and lifestylechoices as well as accelerate energy efficiency and renewable energy through the use of
responsible materials and waste diversion.

Contributing company:

DFI Retail Group

Most relevant SDGs:
Example program:

Refrigerant leakage reduction: DFI Retail Group has set a target of reducing greenhouseemissions by 50% by 2030, with a stretch goal of net zero by 2050. A key element driving thiswithin their operations is the reduction of refrigerant emissions by updating the refrigeration
systems in stores.

Contributing company:

Procter & Gamble

Most relevant SDGs:
Example program:

Corporate Citizenship Program: P&G’s corporate Citizenship efforts cover a broad set of
initiatives that align with most of the SDGs. Initi-atives are grouped under four pillars —Community Impact, Equality and Inclusion, Environmental Sustainability, and Ethics andCorporate Responsibility.

Contributing company:

Unilever

Most relevant SDGs:
Example program:

Unilever’s TRANSFORM initiative partners with Commonwealth & Development Office(FCDO) and the global EY organization to promote innovation and investment in a range ofactivities, including increasing access to basic amenities in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
The initiative aligns with Unilever’s role as a “Business Avenger,” to promote the Reduced
Inequality SDG.

Contributing company:

Woolworths Holdings

Most relevant SDGs:
Example program:Vision 25+ — Good Business Journey: Woolworths recently launched Vision 2025+, its new
Good Business Journey sustainability strategy. The strategy sets bold and ambitious scienceor context-based targets, where possible, for the next five years and beyond. Goals are alignedwith global collective sustainability initiatives and commitments, including the UN Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs).

Contributing company:

Ajinomoto Group

Most relevant SDGs:
Example program:

Ajinomoto Group’s “Nutrition without compromise” program seeks to deliver nutrition acrossthree pillars: Nutrition without compromising taste; Nutrition without compromising access;Nutrition without compromising the local way of life.

Contributing company:

Musgrave Group

Most relevant SDGs:
Example program:

Irish Sustainable Development Champion: Musgrave Group was the first retailer globallyto sign up to UN SDGs and is one of 12 SDG Champions in Ireland. Its sustainability strategy
is focused on climate action, circular economy, sustainable sourcing and communities.
Local programs include the TidyTowns anti-litter initiative and establishing a €25 million
sustainability fund to support its retail partners.

The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable future | 34

About The Consumer Goods ForumThe Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) is a global,
parity‑based industry network that is driven byits members to encourage the global adoption ofpractices and standards that serves the consumer
goods industry worldwide. It brings together
the CEOs and senior management of some 400
retailers, manufacturers, service providers and otherstakeholders across 70 countries, and it reflects thediversity of the industry in geography, size, productcategory and format. Its member companies havecombined sales of EUR 4.6 trillion and directly employ
nearly 10 million people, with a further 90 million
related jobs estimated along the value chain. It isgoverned by its Board of Directors, which comprises
more than 55 manufacturer and retailer CEOs.
For more information, please visit:
www.theconsumergoodsforum.com.

35 | The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable futureAcknowledgments
The Consumer Goods Forum and the EY Global Consumer practice would like to thank the following individuals fortheir participation in executive interviews and the insights into their sustainability programs for this report.

Roy Bagattini
Group CEO, Woolworths Holdings

Ian McLeod
Group CEO, DFI Retail Group

Carlos Mario Giraldo Moreno
CEO, Grupo Éxito

Jon Moeller
President and CEO, Procter & Gamble

Yoshinori Isozaki
President and CEO, Kirin Holdings
Company Ltd.

Frans Müller
President and CEO, Ahold Delhaize

Alan Jope
CEO, Unilever
Noel Keeley
CEO, Musgrave Group

Malina Ngai
CEO, A.S. Watson GroupJames Quincey
Chairman and CEO and CGF Board
Co‑Chair, The Coca-Cola Company
Edmond Scanlon
CEO, Kerry Group
Daniel Zhang
Chairman and CEO and CGF Board
Co‑Chair, Alibaba Group

Takaaki Nishii
President and CEO, Ajinomoto GroupWe also wish to acknowledge the extensive contributions of Flavia Ballve, Senior Manager, Marketing and Communications,
The Consumer Goods Forum; Lourdes Canizares-Bidwa, Associate Director, Global Consumer Products, EY LLP;Jon Copestake, Global Consumer Senior Lead Analyst, EY UK; Lee Green, Director, Marketing and Communications,
The Consumer Goods Forum; and Nicole Ray, Senior Manager, Climate Change and Sustainability Services, EY LLP.

Contacts
Kristina Rogers
EY Global Consumer Leader, EY LLP US
kristina.rogers1@ey.com
Jim Doucette
Global Consumer Sustainability Leader,
EY LLP US
jim.doucette@parthenon.ey.com
Silvia Rindone
UK&I Head of Retail, EY UK
silvia.rindone@ey.com
Nobuko Kobayashi
EY Asia-Pacific Strategy Execution
Leader, EY Japan -­ EYAS
nobuko.kobayashi@parthenon.ey.com

Monica Dimitracopoulos
EY Global Long-Term Value Leader,
EY LLP US
monica.dimitracopoulos@ey.com
Matthew BellEY Global Climate Change andSustainability Services Leader, EY UK
matthew.bell@ey.com

The Consumer Goods Forum
Flavia Ballve
Senior Manager, Marketing andCommunications
f.ballve@theconsumergoodsforum.com
Lee Green
Director, Communications
l.green@theconsumergoodsforum.com

Jon Copestake
EY Global Consumer Senior Analyst,
EY UK
jon.copestake@ey.com
Nicole Ray
Senior Manager, Climate Change andSustainability Services, EY LLP US
nicole.ray@ey.com

The path to 2030: Delivering a sustainable future | 36

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