Title: The sustainable development goals and retailing

Authors: Peter Jones; Daphne Comfort; David Hillier

Addresses: The Business School, University of Gloucestershire, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 2RH, UK ' The Business School, University of Gloucestershire, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 2RH, UK ' The Centre for Police Sciences, University of South Wales Pontypridd, Glamorgan CF37 1DL, UK

Abstract: The sustainable development goals (SDGs) agreed at a United Nations General Assembly in 2015 embrace an ambitious and wide ranging set of global environmental, social and economic issues designed to effect a transition to a more sustainable future. The United Nations called on all governments to pursue these ambitious goals but also acknowledged the important role of the business community in addressing the SDGs. This paper provides an outline of the SDGs and offers a commentary on the challenges leading retailers seem likely to face if they are to make a significant contribution to the SDGs. The commentary suggests that while retailers will need to identify and measure their contributions to the SDGs, to integrate their achievements into their sustainability reporting processes and to commission more comprehensive external assurance, fundamental concerns remain about the tensions between sustainability and continuing economic growth.

Keywords: sustainable development goals; SDGs; retailing; economic growth; business engagement.

DOI: 10.1504/WREMSD.2018.094335

World Review of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development, 2018 Vol.14 No.5, pp.608 - 618

Received: 05 Sep 2016
Accepted: 09 Sep 2016
Published online: 30 Aug 2018 *

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