New tool helps small businesses connect with the SDGs

Developing and testing a new SDG-tool as part of her thesis in sustainable design engineering, Josefine Lange Strandgaard made the goals more tangible for participating companies. And she nearly won a tech award.

20.06.2019

Eva Harpøth Skjoldborg og Josefine Lange Strandgaard, CSR.dk

A need for further support
As part of a master’s thesis in Design and Innovation at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Josefine Lange Strandgaard recently developed and tested an SDG Assessment Tool.

En glad Josefine Lange Strandgaard med sit færdige speciale i hånden, flankeret af fødselshjælperne Stine Kirstein Junge fra SDG Accelerator-programmet i UNDP og Søren Schou fra Monitor Deloitte Nordic. .

This was done in collaboration with United Nations Development Program Nordic (UNDP) and Monitor Deloitte in connection with the SDG Accelerator project, where participating companies tested the tool.

The tool is designed to support SMEs in understanding and prioritising their actions in implementing the SDGs into strategy. The key is to make the SDGs relevant for businesses, in a more simple and straightforward way.

The test shows that the small firms generally find it complex for the business to assess and have an overview of the SDGs relevant for business. When using this new tool, however, the understanding and decision-making was made more intuitive and tangible.

Make it relevant for business
Learnings from the SDG Accelerator has shown that when involving SMEs in SDG implementation, the focus should not be on risk and compliance, but on the business opportunity the SDGs can provide and suggest that implementation will take place through an innovation journey.

To make the SDGs relevant for these companies, the tool developed aims to support the company in the process of assessing the SDGs that will potentially have the highest impact, both in terms of achieving the SDGs and sustainable business opportunity. The tool uses generic filters and questions, as well as a language better suited to a business environment. For example,  instead of using the 169 SDG targets, the tool applies 43 “Impact areas” which cover the SDG areas in relation to business.

How it works

This SDG Assessment Tool is an online assessment in a survey-based format, where the user is guided through the assessment one question at a time.

The tool supports the first step in an innovation journey: the scan and selection of future innovation opportunities. The immediate next step is the ideation and goal setting, before moving into project development.

The scope of this tool, however, is the identification of potential opportunities for a company. At this point in time, the tool is still in a early development phase. Currently in progress of building partnerships for further development and implementation.

If you are interested in learning more about and perhaps testing the tool where you work, please do not hesitate to reach out.

With this focus on business language and mind-set, the emphasis is on the companies drive for innovation and business opportunities. Adding a sustainability mindset can open new doors for the company’s ability to innovate and set businesses off on a new innovation journey.

Læs også: FN's Verdensmål bliver til vækstprogram for små og mellemstore virksomheder

When doing that, however, choosing the right project into which you put your energy is essential for the impact outcome. To open this understanding of challenges and opportunities, there is a need for a structured understanding of how the firm can interact with the SDGs.

Working to build a future for the tool
At this point in time, the tool is still in an early development phase and exists as a prototype only. Josefine Lange Strandgaard is currently in the process of building partnerships for further development and implementation.

To the extent that publicity and awareness raising helps such endeavours, Josefine Lange Strandgaard was recently helped by a nomination and place in the finals at the SDG Tech Awards in the category “Research”. She was, however, overtaken on the home stretch by Århus University’s autonomous mini-ship equipped for collecting data for climate research.

If you are interested in learning more about and perhaps testing the tool at your workplace, please do not hesitate to reach out to Josefine Lange Strandgaard. (josefinestrandgaard@gmail.com)

Vestforbrænding

Sponseret

Vi går i dybden med CO2

CSR.dk

Jobopslag: Fagmedie eller jobportal – hvad virker bedst?

Relateret indhold

30.06.2025CSR.dk

Ny rapport: EU risikerer at bremse bæredygtigheden med for lave krav

30.06.2025TANIA ELLIS - The Social Business Company

Sponseret

Deltag i ESG Sommerskole: Få viden og værktøjer i din sommerferie

27.06.2025CSR.dk

Hvordan vil EU bekæmpe greenwashing uden regulering?

26.06.2025TANIA ELLIS - The Social Business Company

Sponseret

Bæredygtige karriereveje: nyt initiativ sætter fokus på kompetencer, karriereskift og ESG-roller

26.06.2025CSR.dk

Apple kritiserer EU-krav: iPads får bundkarakter i energimærkning

25.06.2025CSR.dk

Færre krav, færre hænder: ESG-ansatte skubbes ud af omnibus

25.06.2025CSR.dk

Mængderabat sender maden direkte i skraldespanden

24.06.2025Valified

Sponseret

Analyse: Grønne indsatser løfter bundlinjen - når de forankres

Jobmarked

Se alle

Hold dig opdateret med CSR.dk

Tilmeld dig nyhedsbrevet og følg med i alt som rører sig indenfor ESG og bæredygtig udvikling Nyhedsbrevet kommer kun to gange ugentligt. Herudover sender vi dig relevante temaer og spændede events.

Se flere temaer

Events

Se alle
DTU
Webinar
Master in Sustainable Leadership Information Session

Discover how you can elevate your career and bring significant value to your company with a Master in Sustainable Leadership.

Dato

03.07.2025

Tid

09:00

Sted

Online

TANIA ELLIS - The Social Business Company
Webinar
ESG Summer School - Live Webinar - Learn to speak ESG

Want to work with ESG and sustainable business? Even experienced professionals can get lost in the terminology. Gain a clear overview and insight into the key terms and abbreviations, so you can understand and discuss how companies can create value for both society and the bottom line.

Dato

03.07.2025

Tid

14:00

Sted

Zoom

TANIA ELLIS - The Social Business Company
Webinar
ESG Sommerskole - Live Webinar - Lær at tale ESG

Ønsker du at arbejde med ESG og bæredygtig business? Selv erfarne fagfolk roder rundt i begreberne. Få overblik og indblik i de centrale nøgleord og bogstavsforkortelser. Så du kan forstå og tale med om, hvordan virksomheder kan skabe værdi for både samfund og bundlinje.

Dato

04.07.2025

Tid

09:00

Sted

Zoom

TANIA ELLIS - The Social Business Company
Webinar
Q&A webinar 8. august: Sustainable Business Change Manager

Overvejer du at tage en uddannelse inden for ESG og bæredygtighed, kan Sustainable Business Change Manager være rigtig for dig. Er du interesseret, men har spørgsmål eller brug for fif til, hvordan du kan sælge uddannelsen ind internt? Deltag i et uforpligtende webinar om uddannelsen.

Dato

04.08.2025

Tid

12:30

Sted

Zoom

TANIA ELLIS - The Social Business Company
Webinar
Q&A webinar August 5, 2025: Sustainable Business Change Manager (Intl/Online)

Are you considering an education in ESG and sustainability? The Sustainable Business Change Manager programme might be the perfect fit for you. If you’re interested but have questions or need tips on how to present the programme’s value internally, join our Q&A webinar to learn more.

Dato

05.08.2025

Tid

14:00

Sted

Zoom

Dansk Standard
Kursus
ISO 14001 kursus: Diplomkursus i miljøledelse

På to dage præsenteres du for det grundlæggende indhold i ledelsesstandarden ISO 14001:2015 Miljøledelse, og lærer hvordan de enkelte krav efterleves i praksis. Der vil undervejs i kurset være praktiske øvelser, der kan inspirere dig til at arbejdet til i din egen organisation efterfølgende. Som afslutning følger en multiple choice eksamen, som måler på dine erhvervede viden og færdigheder.

Dato

18.08.2025

Tid

08:00

Sted

Dansk Standard, Nordhavn