Innovative solutions for societal progress

As the 71st General Assembly of the United Nations begins debate, the global discussion of identifying solutions to the world’s toughest challenges will be the focus of government leaders, private sector executives, and non-profits gathering in New York. These conversations will revolve around the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which were launched last year. Achieving these goals by their 2030 deadline will require innovative collaborative solutions.

Solving challenging problems is at the heart of what Deloitte professionals do every day. Deloitte member firms are harnessing their core business skills and capabilities and are collaborating across sectors to tackle society’s toughest challenges.

Around the world, Deloitte practitioners are identifying and nurturing innovative solutions and insights for social good, and making an impact that matters in society.

Deloitte and the refugee crisis

Europe is witnessing the world’s worst refugee crisis since World War II, with an unprecedented number of people fleeing conflict. As with all refugee situations, there are no simple solutions to solve the complex circumstances affecting the nearly 20 million refugees around the world.

This unprecedented crisis requires innovative, collaborative solutions. Working with Oxford University’s Refugee Studies Centre and a global technology company, Deloitte is launching a strategic cross-border initiative that aims to uncover the economic potential of refugees. Through a technology solution, and collaborating across sectors, the program will help to connect refugees with education, employment, and entrepreneurship opportunities.

Many of Deloitte member firms are taking local action to support refugees, reflecting local context and needs. The support ranges from fundraising, volunteering and providing internships to refugees, to pro bono and client service work to make a positive impact for refugees and their families.

Discover how Deloitte member firms are making an impact on the refugee crisis around the world:

Deloitte and global humanitarian efforts

In addition to these refugee-related initiatives, Deloitte is also committed to strengthening the global response to humanitarian issues, and believes that business has an important role to play in this ecosystem. We joined the UN’s World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul earlier this year, during which world leaders came together to commit to improving the global humanitarian system.

Deloitte member firms collaborate with local, national, and international humanitarian organizations to co-create innovative solutions to the sector’s most pressing challenges. For example, Deloitte US is working to better understand and promote the role of the private sector in complex humanitarian crises, across economic, social, or environmental dimensions. A collaboration between Deloitte, the World Economic Forum, and the Logistics Emergency Team led to a research effort exploring how leading companies are contributing to crisis response. You can read some highlights here. Learn more about the Deloitte network’s impact related to humanitarian action by visiting this page

Investing for progress

Trillions of dollars in annual funding are needed to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted last year. Catalysing private investment through the strategic use of public and philanthropic capital is critical to advancing the SDGs. Deloitte professionals have worked on a number of projects that contribute to this agenda.

For example, Deloitte US worked with the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) on its impact investing initiative. UNOPS is a UN agency that supports successful implementation of peace building, humanitarian, and development projects around the world. The initiative aims to support different stakeholders in the investment community to bridge the investment gap to develop inclusive infrastructure; catalysing investment and ultimately driving progress towards SDGs.

Deloitte also has a strategic partnership with the Social Progress Imperative to boost private sector collaboration to drive policies and initiatives that seek to address and improve the wellbeing of society. As world leaders came together to adopt the Sustainable Development Goals last year, Deloitte UK and Social Progress Imperative published a report “Social Progress in 2030. To see more of our work, visit this year’s Social Progress Index page.

Deloitte and the Sustainble Development Goals (SDGs)

Deloitte has long been a contributor to addressing complex global development challenges: as a founding signatory of the United Nations Global Compact and helping develop the Women's Empowerment Principles with UN Women. With the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, this commitment will not waver. Deloitte member firms are involved in various projects and initiatives focused on advancing the SDGs agenda. A highlight of the most recent activities include:

• Deloitte US worked with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on the paper “Uncharted Waters: Blending Value and Values for Social Impact through the SDGs,” which recognizes the importance of businesses acting as an active stakeholder in global development.
• The GSMA launched the 2016 Mobile Industry Impact Report: Sustainable Development Goals at the UN Private Sector Forum. The report, which was developed by Deloitte UK, is designed to facilitate progress by creating a common, measureable system that links the industry’s activities to their impact on the SDGs; serving as an input into industry decisions on strategy, planning and investment.