What are Sustainable Development Goals (“SDGs”)?

The Sustainable Development Goals, or “SDGs” are a set of 17 goals introduced in 2015 by the United Nations. They are designed to make the world a better and more sustainable place and should be achieved by 2030.

The SDGs have a comprehensive focus, from fighting poverty to reducing inequalities, tackling climate change and other environmental challenges. The comprehensiveness of the 17 UN SDGs makes them a powerful tool for investors who wish to understand the impact of their investments. Similarly, a growing number of companies use the SDGs to communicate on their actions around sustainability.

Here’s what each of the 17 SDGs stands for, and which ETFs let you invest accordingly:

SDG 1: No Poverty

This goal aims to end all forms of poverty in the world by redistributing resources among humans more fairly through the world bank or the UN Development Program and ensuring social protection for everyone.

See all ETFs that are aligned with the No Poverty goal.

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

This goal aims to end hunger and starvation by maintaining global food trading, pressing governments to fulfill the immediate food requirements of their most vulnerable citizens, and encourage small-scale producers.

See all ETFs that are aligned with the Zero Hunger goal.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well Being

This goal aims to ensure a healthy lifestyle and promote well-being by providing an access to healthcare for everyone.

See all ETFs that are aligned with the Good Health and Wellbeing goal.

SDG 4: Quality Education

This goal aims to provide quality education for all by taking actions such as building schools and increasing the access to education for girls.

See all ETFs that are aligned with the Quality Education goal.

SDG 5: Gender Equality

This goal aims to end gender inequality by enabling girls to access education, prohibiting practices like early marriage, and promoting women representation in positions of leadership.

See all ETFs that are aligned with the Gender Equality goal.

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

This goal aims to ensure access to water and sanitation for all by taking actions aiming to improve water use efficiency and transboundary water cooperation.

See all ETFs that are aligned with the Clean Water and Sanitation goal.

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

This goal aims to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all by improving energy use efficiency and raise awareness on the importance of clean energy.

See all ETFs that are aligned with the Affordable and Clean Energy goal.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

This goal aims to ensure decent work for all and promote realistic, sustainable economic growth by ensuring basic social protection for workers and decreasing informal work.

See all ETFs that are aligned with the Decent Work and Economic Growth goal.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

This goal aims to build solid infrastructures, sustainable industry, and promote innovation by taking actions that enable production efficiency and implementing cordial relationships between dominant economies.

See all ETFs that are aligned with the Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure goal.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

This goal aims to fight against all forms of inequalities in the world by taking actions that reduce income inequality within countries or reducing the cost of remittances.   

See all ETFs that are aligned with the Reduced Inequalities goal.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

This goal aims to promote the development of sustainable cities and inclusive communities by taking actions that improve public transportation and general living conditions in cities.

See all ETFs that are aligned with the Sustainable Cities and Communities goal.

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

This goal aims to implement sustainable consumption and production patterns by reducing waste and carbon footprint.

See all ETFs that are aligned with the Responsible Consumption and Production goal.

SDG 13: Climate Action

This goal aims to tackle climate change by taking any action that contributes to the combat such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions

See all ETFs that are aligned with the Climate Action goal.

SDG 14: Life Below Water

This goal aims to help to preserve life below water by taking actions that protect the underwater ecosystem such as supporting small-scale fishers rather than large-scale fishers or helping to reduce marine pollution.

See all ETFs that are aligned with the Life Below Water goal.

SDG 15: Life on Land

This goal aims to preserve biodiversity and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems by increasing protection of species threatened with extinction, key biodiversity areas, and controlling alien invading species.

See all ETFs that are aligned with the Life on Land goal.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

This goal aims to provide an access to justice for all and work towards peace and strong peaceful and inclusive societies by taking actions such as fighting against child labor and establishing independent national human rights institutions in compliance with international standards.

See all ETFs that are aligned with the Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions goal.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

This goal aims to promote global partnerships for sustainable development.

See all ETFs that are aligned with Partnerships for the Goals.

Interested by impact investing? Browse our ESG Investing platform and discover over 300 ESG ETFs that invest accordingly to one or more SDGs. 

Read more on the SDGs on the United Nations’ website.