All about the Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, countries all over the world agreed to 17 shared goals, called the UN Sustainable Development Goals (or ‘SDGs’). These are promises to make things better for people AND the planet. Let’s find out more about the UN SDGs…

If you could improve anything at your school, what would you do? Maybe you’d wish for a huge tub of felt-tip pens that never dry out, so everyone can have the colours they need, or longer playtime so you can spend more time outside with your friends. Perhaps you’re even making these things happen on your school council!

The UN Sustainable Development Goals are striving to improve things for everyone, too – but on a much larger scale. They’re guidelines for countries around the world, working to reduce poverty, improve health and education, tackle climate change and protect wildlife by 2030. Pretty good, eh?

You, your family, and businesses like Creature & Co., the publishers of National Geographic Kids magazine in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand (and creators of this website!) can all use the Goals to help improve things too. Find out how, below.

Why were the UN Sustainable Development Goals created?

Everyone on Earth is connected. We all rely on the planet’s natural resources to survive, and depend on one another to share these between us. But the way we’re living right now isn’t sustainable. From burning fuels that pollute the air and warm our climate, to people who lack food and water, and industry that damages animals’ homes, there’s a lot we need to work on.

But if we take care of our planet, and each other, and share what we produce fairly, we can make a change. That’s why world leaders got together to come up with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. By sticking to these promises, we can all protect the world and make it safer and fairer for everyone.

Who created them?  

The Sustainable Development Goals were created by the United Nations, known as – you guessed it! – the ‘UN’. This worldwide organisation strives to improve life for everyone, by bringing together 193 countries who agree on shared commitments. The UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand are all part of the United Nations!

As well as giving guidelines for what countries should be working on, the Sustainable Development Goals serve as a call to action – helping people all over the world develop solutions that meet the needs of everyone on Earth.

The UN Sustainable Development Goals

Each of these huge goals is broken down into lots of smaller targets, events, and actions – over 7,000 of them in total! So, we’ve created a very short summary of each one. Much more information can be found on the Global Goals website.

We’ll also explain how Creature & Co. are tackling each goal, and how you can help, too!

1: No Poverty

Goal: End poverty in all its forms everywhere. This means stopping extreme poverty, where people live on less than $1.25 per day, and ensuring that everyone has equal rights and access to basic services.

What Creature & Co. are doing: We pay the Real Living Wage at minimum to all our employees, freelancers, contractors and interns, which means everyone has enough money to live on.

What you can do:  Donate any unwanted toys, books and clothes to charity shops, so other kids in your community can use them. You could also raise money for charities that help people living in poverty, like Save the Children.

2: Zero Hunger

Goal: Make sure that everyone, particularly people in vulnerable situations, can access enough safe and healthy food all year round. It also includes other targets like producing more food from small-scale farms and developing more sustainable growing systems that can withstand climate change.

Find out more about sustainability in our article all about the circular economy.

What Creature & Co. are doing: Where relevant, we talk about sustainable farming in National Geographic Kids magazine, teaching kids about the global problem and sharing possible solutions.

What you can do: Ask your family if you can donate some shopping to a food bank, or even volunteer your time to help at one.

3: Good Health and Wellbeing

Goal: Prevent many avoidable deaths, especially of newborns, children and mothers, and end epidemics of diseases like malaria and tuberculosis. Also, improve access to healthcare for all and support the research and development of vaccines, medicines and other treatment that can help keep people healthy.

What Creature & Co. are doing: We offer our employees enhanced parental and sick leave, as well as access to a private healthcare plan including mental health support.

What you can do: Look after your body and brain by eating fruit and veg, regularly washing your hands, brushing your teeth, getting lots of exercise and spending time outdoors.

4: Quality Education

Goal: Children of all genders will complete free and high-quality primary and secondary school classes. All children, and a substantial number of adults, will be able to read, write and do maths. Everyone will have access to affordable education options after school, like university or technical learning.

What Creature & Co. are doing: It’s our mission to inform, inspire and empower people, especially kids! We provide free teaching resources on our website, donate 1,000 copies of each magazine issue to the NHS, and write about topics relevant to the UN SDGs in National Geographic Kids and Little Kids magazines.

What you can do: Donate your used books to charities like the Children’s Book Project, secondhand book stalls and community libraries. That way other kids will be able to enjoy them too!

5: Gender Equality

Goal: End discrimination against all women and girls everywhere. This includes protecting them from violence, ending harmful practises like forced marriage and giving them equal opportunity to become leaders.

Discrimination is when one person, or a group of people, are treated unfairly because of a trait like their gender, disability, faith or race.

What Creature & Co. are doing: We have an enhanced maternity and paternity policy for parents. Giving dads more time off helps them take a more active role in childcare, which later supports women in returning to work.

What you can do: Be kind and respectful to others and listen to their experiences. Do your best to support others around you and avoid judging them.

6: Clean Water and Sanitation

Goal: Make sure that everyone has access to safe and affordable drinking water, sanitation and hygiene. This also includes reducing water pollution, protecting water-related ecosystems like wetlands, rivers and lakes, and making global water use more sustainable.

What Creature & Co. are doing: We track water use in our office and fitted a cold-water filter tap so no one buys bottled water any more. We are also members of the Surfers Against Sewage Ocean Network, helping to support the UK’s coast.

What you can do: Avoid wasting water by showering quickly and turning off the tap when you brush your teeth. You could join in a litter pick or beach clean to help your local waterways pollution-free! Plus, support a charity like WaterAid, that works to provide clean water and good hygiene to people around the world.

7: Affordable and Clean Energy

Goal: Give everyone access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services, and increase the amount of renewable energy that is used across the world. That means more electricity made by solar, wind and wave power, and less made from fossil fuels!

What Creature & Co. are doing: Our Customer Service office has switched to a renewable energy supplier, and we’re looking to cut down our carbon footprint in other areas too.

What you can do: Use energy responsibly by switching off lights and devices at the plug when you’re not using them.

8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

Goal: Make sure there is productive and decent work available for people of all genders, including young and disabled people. People will also be paid equally, according to the work they’re doing, and work in a safe environment.

What Creature & Co. are doing: We have an open and supportive company culture and provide a safe and secure working environment. We use an annual survey to measure employee happiness, inclusion and diversity, and each employee has an opportunity to set personal development goals.

What you can do: Think about where the things you own, like clothes and toys, come from. What do you think those workplaces are like? Ask adults to buy from B Corp businesses who value their employees or look for companies that pay the living wage.

9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Goal: Develop reliable, sustainable and resilient systems and services, like transport and power networks. This will help countries build more industry, conduct research and create new products, technology and more. Providing affordable access to the Internet for everyone is also part of this goal!

What Creature & Co. are doing: We share innovations and progress we make as publishers of National Geographic Kids magazine with other publishers via the Children’s Magazine Forum.

What you can do: Not everyone is able to use wifi or access a computer easily. Can you spot free hotspots in your community and create a map or poster of them? You could ask your parents to share it on social media when it’s finished!

10: Reduced Inequalities

Goal: Make sure that everyone is included in their country’s society, economics and politics – whatever their age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, economic or other status. Get rid of discriminatory laws and adopt policies that progressively achieve greater equality for all.

What Creature & Co. are doing: We make sure everyone at our company feels included, and ask our employees to feedback on our efforts via an annual survey. Additionally, we strive to show a diverse range of people in National Geographic Kids magazine, ensuring that all our readers feel represented and included.

What you can do: Treat everyone kindly, fairly and with respect. If you see or hear someone being treated unkindly or unfairly, tell a trusted adult.

11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

Goal: Everyone has access to adequate, safe and affordable housing and transport systems. This includes protecting everyone, especially vulnerable people and those living in poverty, from disasters, improving air quality, and ensuring access to green space and important cultural sites.

What Creature & Co. are doing: All our employees are entitled to two volunteer days per year, which they can use supporting charities in their community. Read about managing director Pete’s day here! 

What you can do: Ask a grown-up to help you find out what local community projects are happening in your area, then get involved! Perhaps you could help with a community gardening project that could improve air quality and green space. Tree-mendous!

12: Responsible Consumption and Production

Goal: Make sure the world’s natural resources are used sustainably, including reducing food waste, minimising pollution and encouraging recycling. This includes encouraging large companies to become more sustainable.

What Creature & Co. are doing: Our magazines do not contain plastic toys or unnecessary plastic packaging. Plus, every page and envelope is printed on recycled FSC and PEFC certified paper, which means we’re not responsible for illegal deforestation which harms forest habitats.

What you can do: Use reusable items whenever you can! Take a reusable water bottle with you when you’re out, use reusable boxes rather than wrapping things in single-use materials, and take your own bags when you go shopping. Don’t forget to recycle your NGK magazines when you’ve finished reading them, too!

13: Climate Action

Goal: Protect people from climate-change related hazards and natural disasters by making sure countries are able to cope with the effects of climate change. This also includes improving education and raising awareness about how climate change may be reduced.

What Creature & Co. are doing: We engage kids and families with content that teaches them about the climate crisis and empowers them to act to reduce its impacts. Plus, we strive to reduce the negative environmental impacts of our products and services as much as possible. Our website is certified as Climate Positive by the Eco-Friendly Web Alliance.

What you can do: Reduce, reuse, recycle! Make sure the things you use aren’t wasted and dispose of them properly – turning them into something else whenever you can. Only use what you need, too!

14: Life Below Water

Goal: Cut down on marine pollution and protect ocean ecosystems. This includes ending overfishing, conserving at least 10% of coastal and marine areas worldwide, and actively restoring damaged ecosystems to help make our seas healthy and productive.

What Creature & Co. are doing: In 2018, we swapped our plastic covermount gifts for FSC-certified paper and card based gifts, and in 2019 we removed plastic packaging from our UK subscription mags too. We also provide discounted and free advertising for ocean charities such as the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Trust and champion the oceans in our annual Oceans Special issue.

 What you can do: Cut down on plastic waste and help tackle rubbish in your community before it reaches any waterways. Go on a litter pick at your local beach, lake or river – and if there isn’t one to join, organise one!

15: Life on Land

Goal: Make sure all ecosystems, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands, are being conserved, restored, and sustainably used. This includes stopping deforestation, restoring forests and degraded soils, preventing the extinction of threatened species and ending illegal wildlife trade.

What Creature & Co. are doing: Nat Geo Kids magazines highlight threats facing animals all over the world, and show how conservationists are helping them – and how readers can get involved too! We also give discounted advertising to the RSPCA and use certified 100% recycled FSC paper for the magazine.

What you can do: Learn about your local wildlife and help look after the places where it lives. Recycle paper, glass, plastic, metal, and any old electronics too. Look out for RSPO certified products in shops, as these contain sustainable palm oil, and ask your parents not to use pesticides on any green spaces they look after.

16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Goal: Reduce all forms of violence and ensure that everyone has equal access to fair treatment by laws. This includes promoting peaceful societies, making sure everyone has access to information, and developing inclusive and non-discriminatory laws, policies and decision-making.

What Creature & Co. are doing: We uphold a company code of ethics and strive to make decisions in a fair and open manner. Plus, we invite magazine subscribers to give us reviews and send out annual surveys for feedback on our products and services.

What you can do: Run for your school council, if you have one, and make your voice heard on the issues that matter to you! Organise a craft stall or bake sale and donate the proceeds to a charity that supports peace and justice for all.

17: Partnerships for the Goals

Goal: Support the global agreement that has been made in developing the UN SDGs, and help all countries work towards to achieving them.

What Creature & Co. are doing: Things like this article! We measure and share our progress annually in our Impact and Purpose report and strive to support the goals through our products and services.

What you can do: Any of the actions we’ve suggested! Reading about the Sustainable Development Goals and remembering what you can is a great first step. Which action will you try next?

Which of these sustainable development goals is YOUR favourite – and how will you try to make it come true?

Likes