Spain – SDG

II. Antecedents and Context [page 8]

Within the framework of the United Nations, it is necessary to mention the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development approved by Resolution 70/1 of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 25, 2015. This Resolution, of universal nature, marks the objectives of social, economic, and environmental nature in order to achieve 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) with its 169 associated targets by the year 2030. Specifically, its paragraph 67 includes an explicit mention, within the framework of the promotion of a dynamic and efficient business sector, to the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, a concept that is reinforced in the Resolution 70/224 of December 22, 2015 on global partnerships. On the other hand, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, approved by Resolution 69/313 of the UNGA on July 27, 2015, which is incorporated into the 2030 Agenda itself as means of implementation, also includes in its paragraph 37 mention of the Guiding Principles. The 2030 Agenda invites companies to align their corporate business strategy with the development goals to seek the added value these goals can bring in developing countries, therefore the SDGs are a perfect framework. Companies understand that, in parallel to obtaining benefits, they must respond to the demands of society and build trust as a development actor. Through the local networks of the Global Compact, a development agenda can be built in the business environment. From Spanish cooperation (SC), progress can be made in the mainstreaming of development objectives in business agendas to achieve impacts in sustainable development. On the other hand, the Madrid Declaration “The social economy, a business model for the future of Europe”, signed by representatives of 11 EU member States on May 23, 2017, reaffirms the commitment of the signatories to the SDGs.