Working Together Towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a blueprint for the future we want. They holistically address the prevalent and emerging challenges we are collectively facing, from the impacts of climate change to the unsustainability of consumption practices and economic development.

A Globally Recognised Pathway to Peace and Prosperity

The role of finance in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals is widely acknowledged. During our 'Coffee and Learn' session last year – hosted by Jenny Foster, Project Lead of the Global Goals Centre and attended by Shared Interest volunteers and colleagues – we reflected on an SDG progress report which states that:

‘A comprehensive transformation of the international financial and debt architecture will be required’ to accomplish the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, ‘to avoid a two-track recovery, with developing countries left behind’.

SDG 1: No Poverty

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has a crucial aim to eliminate global extreme poverty by 2030. Although progress has been made, the United Nations estimates that more than 700 million people continue to grapple with extreme poverty.

This report underscores Shared Interest’s achievements in improving the livelihoods of people in remote and disadvantaged communities by helping them trade their way out of poverty. 

We estimate that the businesses we supported this year collectively earned £982m, with 109 customers recording a profit. Significantly, 86 of these businesses saw an increase in profits, reflecting the resilience of the producer groups.

SDG 5: Gender Equality

Gender equality is a fundamental human right. Advancing gender equality is critical to all areas of a healthy society, from reducing poverty to improving the health, education, protection and wellbeing of girls and boys. Despite this, large gender gaps remain across the world, and research shows that these have been intensified by the pandemic.

Yet, within the organisations we support, we are seeing growing examples of women in leadership, management and governance roles, as well as engaging in career development opportunities and income generating activities.

In Ivory Coast, cocoa co-operative CAYAT has established a radio station which celebrates female role models in business and community development. 

Meanwhile, in Nicaragua, women have the smallest area of production and coffee co-op PRODECOOP has responded by extending its Land Fund Programme to enable women to pursue economic ventures to diversify their income, and by training women directly in the coffee value chain and in topics such as finance, credit management and land legislation.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

This goal regards the attainment of sustainable and inclusive economic growth which can drive progress, improve living standards and create decent work for all. This underpins a vital purpose of our work. The finance we provide enables organisations to create decent jobs within their communities, to equip young people with key skills, to invest in education and training services and to give the most vulnerable individuals access to social protection.

COOPARM, a Peruvian coffee producer we support with finance, has provided stable incomes, career development opportunities and training (such as waste treatment and farm management) to local farmers. 

General Manager, Ramiro, said: “Because of the co-op, these farmers’ children have been able to go to university. And a lot of those children have come back to coffee, to growing coffee, and now see it as a good thing to farm. Agriculture is a good thing.”

SDG 13: Climate Action

Climate change is affecting every country in the world. It is disrupting national economies and affecting lives and livelihoods, especially for the most vulnerable. Already, we are seeing how climate change can exacerbate weather events and threaten us with food and water scarcity, which can lead to conflict.

Despite this challenge, we do have an opportunity to take actions that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build climate resilience whilst creating more jobs, greater prosperity and better lives for all. To achieve this goal, the world must transform its energy, industry, transport, food, agriculture and forestry systems.

Our work aims to support producer organisations across the globe to implement climate mitigation and adaptation measures such as reforestation, plantation renewal and agroforestry, enabling them to build their resilience to the increased risk of extreme heat, floods, pests and diseases.

Our sister charity, Shared Interest Foundation, also supports smallholder farmers to build their climate resilience and protect their environment by distributing seedlings, delivering technical assistance and promoting solutions such as innovative biopesticides.

SDG 17: Partnership for the Goals

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) require ‘an unprecedented level of cooperation and collaboration among civil society, business, government, NGOs, foundations and others for their achievement.’ SDG17 demonstrates the importance of partnerships, referencing them as ‘the glue for SDG implementation…essential to making the Agenda a reality’

Shared Interest’s ability to achieve our mission, as well as our ability to contribute towards the achievement of the SDGs, relies on cooperation and collaboration with others.  We take care to nurture and develop partnerships with organisations with whom we believe we are stronger together. This year, we have strengthened and formed relationships with a community of 33 organisations.

These connections support our work along our key strategic themes, such as gender equality and technical assistance, as well as the core work of Shared Interest, including lending and project activity.

Supporting our work means supporting our global goals

Find out more about our work and the Sustainable Development Goals:

https://www.shared-interest.com/en/impact/social-accounts

Invest with us, transform lives and support the SDGs:

www.shared-interest.com/invest