SDG Action Days: partnering for progress
Published on 2022-09-26 14:55:19Sustainability

SDG Action Days: partnering for progress

Blog

Amsterdam, 26 September 2022 – The SDG Action Days (23-27 September) are an opportunity to highlight sustainable progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which goals call for urgent action and is an opportunity to look for ways in which we can collaboratively take extra steps towards achieving the SDGs.

This week, IDA Foundation raised the SDG flag at our office, in support of the SDGs. Integrated in IDA’s strategic goals, we identified the five SDGs where we feel we can best leverage our unique capacity as a global supplier of health products: SDG 3 (Good health and wellbeing), SDG5 (Gender Equality), SDG8 (Decent work and economic growth), SDG12 (Responsible production and consumption), SDG17 (partnerships for the goals).

What are we currently working on?

Recent activities in IDA’s sustainability journey have focused on partnerships (SDG17), through participation in SDG networks and collaborations focusing on specific SDGs. Two examples are highlighted below.

Targeting gender equality (SDG5)

Related to SDG5 – Gender Equality – IDA recently strengthened our commitment and progress to gender equality, by joining the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs). This is a shared initiative between UN Women and UN Global Compact, offering guidance to organisations on how to promote gender equality and female representation in the workplace, marketplace and community.

To emphasise this commitment, and to roll out actions to support gender equality within IDA and its network, two of our colleagues joined the six-month Target Gender Equality (TGE) programme. The first steps of this programme are currently underway. By using the WEPs Gender Gap Analysis Tool we can benchmark IDA against other (similar) organisations participating in the programme, allowing us to gain insights on where next steps should be taken, and follow up with action!

Greening medical supplies (SDG12)

With a focus on SDG12 (and SDG3), we have worked on greening procurement in collaboration with our partner Solvoz. IDA procures many health products, with the mission of bridging the gap in access to medicines, but we want to ensure that the products we deliver, do not create an environmental (waste) burden when they reach their end user. Our partnership with Solvoz researched current waste management practices in low- and middle-income countries, and explored potentially more sustainable products. We recently shared our initial outcomes.

Partnership opportunities:

Would you like to discuss your thoughts or exchange ideas on sustainability/the SDGs with IDA? Mail us at sustainability@idafoundation.org

We look forward to hearing from you!