[How to Approach SDGs] The Relationship Between Human Resources/Labor Management and SDGs. How to Incorporate Them into Company Systems Without Strain [My Work/Labor Management]

Over the past year or two, the term SDGs has been rapidly picked up by the media, and I believe its public recognition has become quite high.

Many companies are now appearing that say, "We are working on SDGs as a corporate responsibility," and in my own work, I have started receiving requests like "We want to incorporate SDGs into our company, can you help us?".

However, there are not many companies that properly understand the "content of the SDGs," and most of the requests I receive are vague, such as, "It's fine as long as we can just appeal that we are working on SDGs for now."

SDGs are referred to as the "17 Goals," and since there are almost no companies that are affected by all of them, I would like to first summarize the basics regarding the SDGs that involve human resources and labor management.

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Among the 17 SDGs goals mentioned above, I believe that four of them are applicable to general small and medium-sized enterprises (things that can be addressed as a company).

Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being.

Efforts to improve work environments that lead to "death from overwork" or "health impairments due to work."

Goal 5: Gender Equality.

Efforts to ensure that no disparity occurs with male employees by carrying out the "empowerment of all women."

Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth.

Promotion of humane employment that provides employees with "productive work" and "job satisfaction."

Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities.

Eliminating inequalities in the employment and labor management of each employee, such as people with disabilities, senior citizens, and global talent.

(In addition to this,
"Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities"
"Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions"
may also be relevant depending on the business content and philosophy of the target company.)

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As described above, the four goals of 3, 5, 8, and 10 can be considered as the SDGs goals that many small and medium-sized enterprises need to address (applicable goals).

And, while this is not limited to SDGs, in order to make something a new company initiative, you must not create a system that causes major disruptions to existing operations.

This is because,

1. New systems reduce the efficiency of routine operations.
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2. It negatively impacts company performance.
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3. It has an adverse effect on the physical and mental health of employees.
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4. Both the company and employees stop engaging properly with the new system.

If things follow this pattern, there is a high possibility that introducing the system will not only fail to benefit the company but will actually cause harm.

To prevent this, it is necessary to:

1. Understand the content of the SDGs necessary for your company.
2. Inventory routine operations and prepare the foundation for creating new systems.
3. Introduce new systems in stages.

This means following these three (basic) steps.

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For example, in the construction industry, if a parent company is working on SDGs and your company feels it needs to do so as well,

Regarding 1,
the content must not contradict or deviate from the parent company's initiatives, and

regarding 2,
if you try to force alignment with the parent company, small and medium-sized enterprises with limited personnel, funds, and time may find that their core business is hindered.

And regarding 3,
since new systems are almost always theoretical at first, it is necessary to review and rebuild the plan at a certain point.

By proceeding in this way, the possibility of negative impacts on your company, such as those described in 1 through 4 above, becomes significantly lower.

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In the human resources and labor department, we are in an era where labor management from new perspectives, such as the SDGs, is required almost every year.

If you only think about company operations, when various initiatives become necessary, you tend to think,
"There is no need to go out of your way to create a new system!"

However, instead of that,

"Let's incorporate the good points of new perspectives and transform the company!"

I believe that having this flexible and positive mindset is necessary for future company management.

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