Guest blog By Matt Bogoshian, Executive Director of American Manufacturing Communities Collaborative
As systems leaders in networks everywhere who are working to “make things better”, it’s important that we direct our work toward achieving identifiable goals within a framework we can work with to navigate our complex society. The good news is that we now have a U.S. endorsed framework, adopted by most nations around the world, called “The Sustainable Development Goals” (SDGs). In order to localize that framework, network leaders in every state can check out the newly released United States Sustainable Development Report 2021 that provides one take on what America can do to establish and reach sustainable development targets. We all need to read and consider the opportunities presented for collaboration and collective impact on the SDGs.
Every one of us, within whatever professional silo we operate in - from non-profit organizations, government, emerging for-benefit enterprises, and companies of all sizes - will benefit ourselves and our organizations by adopting the integrated decision making methods of sustainable development to produce better economic, equitable and environmental outcomes.
For example, in the legal profession, there have been recent calls to enlist more of America’s 1.3 million lawyers in becoming systems leaders by utilizing integrating decision making principles of sustainable development in their work to provide counsel to Americans in all sectors and institutions, in order to achieve more sustainable triple value outcomes. Many MBA students and businesses in America are adopting Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) tools as another means to manifest sustainable development and accelerate progress toward a sustainable America.
As a cornerstone of the American economy, the manufacturing sector is in a unique position to adopt integrated decision making for sustainable development and lead America’s transition toward a thriving 21st century. It is true that we have a long way to go in creating a cleaner energy and manufacturing economy with good paying jobs for a diverse workforce, in critical production areas such as defense, food, transportation, energy, information and health. And yet, by adopting the sustainable development framework, we have a good chance for meaningful progress.
Please join me in reading SDSN USA’s latest report and advancing opportunities to accelerate our path to a far more sustainable society.