An exploratory assessment and analysis of corporate SDG incorporation within Stavanger, Norway

Abstract

As the world is changing, the scope and structure of business is evolving as well. One form of this evolution is through the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals which are to guide the world, including businesses into becoming more sustainable. This thesis attempt to fill the gap existing within businesses between the intentions, inclusion and reporting of the SDGs. The aim was to explore through secondary document analysis as well as a questionnaire through from which to gain understanding and discover areas for future research. Therefore, we have performed an in-depth sustainability analysis of Stavanger’s Chamber of Commerce businesses to discover the role of the SDGs as they pertain to awareness, prioritization, integration and reporting. Through this process we aimed to attain a clearer understanding of the way businesses in the Stavanger Region view the SDGs as being important, challenging, opportunistic or engaging. Eventually, suggesting the need to further the spread of SDG awareness as well as many avenues which offer abundant opportunities for further research in this area.