Supply chain strategies for the UN sustainable development goal (UN SDG) 14: Life below water

The United Nations drafted 17 Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries – developed and developing – in a global partnership. This agenda for sustainable development has been adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, providing a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests. At country level the UN SDGs are turned into regulations, impacting industries and their supply chains.

How to integrate the UN SDGs into supply chain management practices and to develop supply chain strategies that are meeting the 17 UN SDGs? These UN SDGs go beyond environmental sustainability and also try to close the inequality gap between developing and developed nations.

UN SDG 14: Life below water

The goal of UN SDG 14 is to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

Supply chain strategies:
1. Procurement specifications for the purchase of marine resources to be based on sustainable fishing practices and implement science-based management plans in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible. This needs to be audited.
2. To have procurement preferences or targets to source from small-scale artisanal fishers against possible additional costs
3. Procurement specifications for suppliers and logistics service providers in terms of water– and sanitation activities and programmes, including water harvesting, desalination, water efficiency, wastewater treatments, recycling and reuse technologies. This needs to be audited.
4. Move a significant part of the less time sensitive medium and long-distance transport to fully wind and/or solar powered water transport initiatives against possible higher costs.

For more information on the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in your supply chain and greening your supply chain, please contact our supply chain analysts at info@lbbinternational.com.