STRATEGY IN FOCUS
Find out what the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are and the corporate benefits
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) represent a global UN response to contemporary challenges, succeeding the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Launched in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda, the 17 SDGs cover critical areas for sustainable development, such as eradicating poverty, environmental protection, promoting quality education, gender equality and climate action. These goals aim to guarantee global peace, prosperity and well-being by 2030. The relevance of the SDGs transcends governments, encompassing companies, organizations and individuals, providing clear guidance for the implementation of sustainable and integrated actions globally. SDGs in the Corporate Context In the corporate context, the integration of the SDGs into business strategies is essential to face current challenges. Companies that adopt international frameworks, such as the SDGs, are able to align their initiatives with global demands, promoting transparency and comparability. Additionally, the SDGs serve as a guide for organizations looking to maximize their positive impact but don't yet know where to start. Incorporating them into strategic planning strengthens the brand's positioning and helps attract and retain talent. This integration also: Improves corporate reputation; Opens new market opportunities; Ensures long-term sustainability; Responds to the needs and expectations of key stakeholders. Linking the SDGs to ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) programs allows companies to address critical issues with a direct impact on the SDGs. This ensures operations and strategies that significantly contribute to sustainable and inclusive development. The relationship between the SDGs and ESG programs is direct, as both share the promotion of sustainable and responsible business practices. The adoption of a well-structured ESG program allows companies to address critical issues related to their operations, with an impact on the SDGs. SDG and ESG in Softplan Na Softplan, our ESG program in the structuring process is based on three pillars: Innovative Solutions, Transformative Relationships and Reliable Operations. All of them are directly correlated to the SDGs and were structured based on international guidelines and methodologies, such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the UN Global Compact and national guidelines such as the Ethos Institute and the B3 Corporate Sustainability Index. The fundamental objective of this process is to define the organization's material themes, that is, the areas or themes that generate the most significant impacts (positive or negative) that the company causes (or can or could cause) on its most relevant stakeholders. Based on the material themes that emerged from our listening and engagement process with stakeholders, we identified the impacted SDGs, which led to positioning in the strategic pillars: Innovative Solutions: we use technology to accelerate business efficiency and propose solutions that promote innovation and positive impacts for customers, society and the environment (SDGs 9, 10, 11, 13 and 16); Transformative Relationships: we believe in the transformative power of knowledge, which is why we foster an ecosystem that promotes the development and inclusion of employees and communities (SDGs 3, 4, 5 and 8); Reliable Operations: we continually focus on the accurate, safe and ethical execution of all activities, ensuring reliability and consistency in each process (SDG 16). How to measure and account for We are committed to measuring and accounting for our impacts, recognizing the importance of indicators and criteria that make sense for the Softplan and our stakeholders. This process is essential to ensure transparency and maximize the positive impact of our actions. Through continuous engagement with customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders, we seek to constantly improve our evaluation methods, ensuring that our initiatives effectively and genuinely contribute to the SDGs. A Softplan is in a privileged situation in terms of its potential to generate positive impacts. In the public sector, we have 9 Digital Transformation solutions that work directly to expand and qualify the provision of public services to society. In other words, greater efficiency and quality translate into greater well-being and social justice. In civil construction, we have an ecosystem that currently has 7 solutions. This sector, due to its nature of activity, is a large emitter of greenhouse gases. This means that reduced waste and greater efficiency can mean less pollution. Civil construction is also a sector that induces economic growth. According to ABRAINC, the civil construction chain involves 62 economic activities, which together represent 8% of GDP, that is, double the direct impact. According to data from IBGE, in the Contínua PNAD, in 2023 7,244 million people worked in civil construction. Of these, 2,748 million formally. In other words, there is potential to formalize 4,5 million workers. How we do it Measuring this impact appropriately is the first step to starting the virtuous cycle of continuous improvement. In the case of our public sector solutions, with the Customer stakeholder in mind, we created the ESG Indicator Center. It is a tool that directly contributes to the accountability of the results obtained to society and customers in a clear and transparent way. Another advantage is promoting continuous strategic discussion with stakeholders about how our solutions can maximize their positive impacts and eventually avoid, minimize, mitigate or remedy negative ones. Thinking about our solutions for the Public Sector, more specifically for Courts of Justice, we have the SAJ (Justice Automation System). The digital judicial process, which eliminates the need for paper consumption, resulted in savings of 2023 thousand tons of greenhouse gases in 68 (this is equivalent to a fleet of almost 60 thousand vehicles traveling on the streets in one year), which is directly related to SDG 13 - Action against global climate change. The question remains (and consequently the objective and action plans): for 2024, how can we further reduce this volume of emissions? Another example. Still in 2023, the Departments of Roads and Highways and State Infrastructure Secretariats, which use the Sider, it took an average of 23 hours to approve contract measurements, which represents a gain of 45% compared to 2022. Faster measurement contributes to greater agility in construction processes and inspection of public works, which in turn facilitate directly with SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure. Still, for 2024, how can we support our customers to further reduce the approval period? SDG 16, for example, which deals with Peace, Justice and Effective Institutions, is practically the reason for the entire SAJ suite of solutions, serving the Courts of Justice, Public Ministries, Public Defenders and Prosecutors' Offices. Our work in civil construction also has an organic and direct impact. A recent article by the Brazilian Association of Real Estate Developers correlated the construction chain with 9 different SDGs. A study by the Green Building Council from 2019 is even more educational in presenting the relationship between the SDGs and the construction chain: The SDGs represent a milestone in the search for a fairer, more equitable and sustainable future. Through the 2030 Agenda, the UN not only offers a comprehensive plan of action to address the biggest global challenges, but also provides a universal framework that can be adopted by governments, businesses and individuals. At the corporate level, the integration of the SDGs into business strategies is a matter of social responsibility and an opportunity for innovation and sustainable growth. The relationship between the SDGs and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) programs highlights the importance of responsible business practices that directly impact global goals. Adopting well-structured ESG principles allows companies to meaningfully contribute to the SDGs by addressing critical issues related to the environment, society and governance. At Softplan, the commitment to sustainability is reflected in our three pillars: Innovative Solutions, Transformative Relationships and Trustworthy Operations, each related to the specific purposes of the SDGs. Measurement and accountability are essential to ensure transparency and maximize the positive impact of our actions. When developing solutions for the public sector and civil construction, we also seek to promote social well-being and reduce environmental impacts. Tools such as the ESG Indicator Center and initiatives such as SAJ (Justice Automation System) exemplify our commitment to sustainability and innovation.