UN SDGs provide blueprint for construction’s sustainability efforts

With progress on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) falling behind, we’ve been considering how the built environment industry can step up and be part of the solution.

With five years remaining, progress against the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) falls far short of what is required. Without massive investment and scaled up action, the achievement of the SDGs — the global blueprint for a more resilient and prosperous world — will remain elusive.

This was according to a report last year, which revealed only 17% of the SDG targets were currently on track, with nearly half showing minimal or moderate progress, and one-third stalled or regressing. The lingering impacts of the pandemic, escalating conflicts, geopolitical tensions and growing climate chaos have hindered progress.

Industry roundtables 

As readers will know, CIOB President Professor Mike Kagioglou chose the SDGs and the built environment as his presidential theme for 2024/25. During this time, we have been working with a group of construction leaders through a series of roundtables to discuss how we can use the SDGs as a framework to help the industry become more innovative and sustainable.

It is important that our industry recognises its role in contributing to the SDGs and the benefits this can deliver both for organisations and wider society. The built environment created by construction directly impacts the achievement of many SDGs across various areas like health, housing, and infrastructure development.

Construction has a significant impact on the environment and social well-being through its building practices, and by adopting sustainable methods, it can play a crucial role in achieving goals like climate action, sustainable cities, clean energy, and responsible resource consumption. 

At our second SDGs roundtable meeting in January, we heard from three leaders from ACO Technologies, Ward Williams, and Wates Construction, on how they are embedding action on the SDGs into their businesses, which provided for lots of inspiration and discussion. It also underlined the importance of bringing the topic to life with tangible examples. 

From setting science-based targets and reducing carbon emissions, delivering biodiversity net gain, or turning waste into resources, to working with social enterprises, employing ex-offenders, and supporting early careers; we heard how companies in the built environment support a number of the goals.

Introducing sustainable language 

We also heard from others in the group, that the SDGS had not necessarily been part of their vocabulary, but they now realised that they are contributing across several goals and are discussing whether this should be more embedded in their company lexicon.

The group recognised that Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) may need more help understanding how they can contribute with more limited resources, and that guidance on using the SDGs in construction is needed, along with case studies and recommended approaches that are appropriate to a wide range of organisations of different scales and levels of maturity. We will seek to address this feedback in the coming months, and I welcome case study submissions from CIOB members. 

I was delighted to hear from a member of the group after the session who had been inspired to pull together and share lists of practical ideas for the construction industry to implement SDG’s and funding ideas to support them. We have shared some of these below. Many thanks to Mark Coleman of demolition specialists Colemans for sharing these.

Sustainability at the centre 

Earlier this month, I was delighted to visit another SME that is putting sustainability right at the heart of how they do business, demonstrating the art of the possible. 

Denton is a national office design and fit out company based in London and Manchester, that has taken a leadership role in influencing clients, engaging the supply chain, and managing their own GHG emissions, supported by their Sustainable Code of Conduct, Good Practice Guidance and Responsible Procurement Policy.

It was inspiring to see the thought that has gone into developing their strategy, as well as the evolution it's been through since they achieved ISO14001 back in 2009. Their aim to be a force for change in everything they do resonates with much of CIOB’s own work and they certainly walk the talk with their beautiful Ska Gold certified London offices.

Sustainability knowledge

One of the foundations for all this is sustainability knowledge and green skills, and one way organisations of all shapes and sizes can support the SDGs is by developing sustainability knowledge in their teams. 

In 2024, sustainability was a key theme in CIOB knowledge development activities. This included a total of 46 CPD sessions and events which contributed to the sustainability theme across our regions in the UK and internationally. You can read more about what we delivered last year in the CIOBs Annual Sustainability Report, which can be found on the Sustainability pages of the CIOB website.

You can expect to see more CIOB opportunities to develop sustainability knowledge and green skills in the coming months, including a fantastic Built Environment Strategies for a Water-Scarce World Webinar on 8 April and an in-person event covering Social Value: CSR, ESG & Beyond - Cutting Through the Noise on 25 March. We’re also planning a webinar for company members on how SMEs can contribute to the UNSDGs. Watch this space!

If you need some inspiration on how your business can support the SDGs, one of these sessions would be a great place to start!