12. Responsible consumption and production

SDG 12. Responsible consumption and production

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

Targets*

12.1 Implement the 10‑Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns
12.2 Achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources
12.3 Halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses
12.4 Achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil
12.5 Substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse
12.6 Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle
12.7 Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities
12.8 Ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature

Key insights

• Material footprints measured in million metric tons have drastically increased between 2000 and 2015 throughout Southeast Asia, e.g. in Myanmar (29.9 to 116.8), Indonesia (590.2 to 1,606.2), Thailand (403.1 to 750.6), and Vietnam (272.5 to 832.3).¹

Business actions**

1. Design and adopt a responsible and circular business model
2. Significantly narrow or close material and energy loops across company and supply chain operations
3. Shift to a portfolio of goods and services that require and promote negligible use of resources and produce negligible waste
4. Develop, implement, and share solutions for tracing and reporting on sustainability of production and consumption across end-to-end operations and impact on surrounding communities

Example

• A ride-hailing company in Vietnam adopted a sustainable business model through promoting vehicle sharing and decreasing waste and fuel costs while accessing a market of interested lower income individuals.²
• Some of the largest consumer product companies in the world have joined forces to pilot a new business model, using reusable packaging such as glass and steel containers. This model holds the potential to address global pollution and to cater to the demands of eco-conscious consumers.³

Thought Leadership

2030 Purpose: Good business and a better future

Find out how the SDGs can guide business leaders in developing a corporate purpose that builds on the interdependency of commercial success and social progress.

The shift to flexible consumption

Find out how the recent shift in the tech industry has made many businesses reevaluate their business models.

* All targets for SDG 1 to 17 have been derived from the United Nations Statistics Division (2018), from: https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/indicators/indicators-list/
** All business actions for SDG 1 to 17 have been derived from the United Nations Global Compact (2017), from: https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/5461
1 Asian Development Bank (2018), from: https://www.adb.org/publications/key-indicators-asia-and-pacific-2018
2 DiChung Taxi (NA), from: https://dichungtaxi.com/en/about-us
3 Chaudhuri (2019), from: https://www.wsj.com/articles/big-brands-to-test-refillable-containers-11548316801