Lecture 1: the Sustainable Development Goals and System Thinking
In week 1 we will provide an introduction to the overall goals, objectives and activities of the
course. We will discuss the central notion of the course: sustainable development. Furthermore,
we will introduce the central overarching framework for the course, and for sustainable
development globally: the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Also known as the
Agenda 2030, we will discuss the origins of the goals, and review to what extent we are on track
in reaching the goals and associated targets.
1. Brief introduction to the course
The course is designed as an introductory course to sustainable development, focused on
understanding what sustainable development means in general, and the implications of that for
the study of business and economics.
As an intellectual pursuit, sustainable development tries to make sense of the interactions of
three complex systems: the world economy, the global society, and the Earth’s physical
environment (Sachs, 2015: 3)
,2. Introduction to the Sustainable Development Goals
• Definition of sustainable development
• Systems thinking
• The SDGS
• Current progress on the SDGs
1. Definition of Sustainable development
● Systems thinking: a system seen as a whole and not only as one dimension ; perceiving
the world as a system.
● SDG’s moved from the MDGs: inner development goals IDGs (recent development)
without inner transformation no outer; if we don't do inwards work how do we change,
this starts with a person (not part of the course).
Limits to Growth
Without substantive changes to consumption patterns "the most probable result will be a rather
sudden and uncontrollable decline in both population and industrial capacity"
,1st perspective on concept: The Brundtland Report
‘’Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’’
World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) (1987)
➔ evolution to this concept of sustainable development: forward perspective of future
generations world
The Brundtland definition stresses two aspects - key aspects (core constructs)
1. the concept of "needs“, in particular the essential needs of the world’s poorest people, which
should be given overriding priority;
2. the idea of limitations which are imposed by the state of technology and social organization
on the natural environment's ability to meet both present and future needs.
Evolution of the concept: IPP
integration of the three components of sustainable development – economic development,
social development and environmental protection (IPP)– as interdependent and mutually
reinforcing pillars’’ - UN World summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg 2002: ‘’The
Book Sachs: sustainable development = socially inclusive and environmentally
sustainable economic growth
The ‘’holistic definition’’ :
1. Drops the aspect of intergenerational justice
2. Is both normative and analytical
3. Draws (implicitly) on systems thinking
4. Sustainable development is analyzed as a wicked problem
What is different from the Brundtland (future generation perspective) vs holistic : economic
perspective, not only about people.
Holistic: people planet profit, but is Brundtland more holistic?
PPP is more normative and analytical vs open; easier to measure progress = looking SDGs as a
normative framework to frame and compare companies activities. Plus analytical: analyze how
do companies address SDGs supply chain, marketing, operations
, Wicked Problems - grand societal challenges
Sustainable development as a wicked problem: complex problem. Problems from the beginning
of the supply chain.
Cotton example, factories in bangladesh for companies making profit on backs of people
multilayered complex problem.
System thinking lens: hard to apply, overwhelmed on not being able to help bigger problems as
an agency.
Sweatshops, material and textile innovations but small agencies are trying to contribute to
solutions to decrease the impact of fashion industry.
In week 1 we will provide an introduction to the overall goals, objectives and activities of the
course. We will discuss the central notion of the course: sustainable development. Furthermore,
we will introduce the central overarching framework for the course, and for sustainable
development globally: the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Also known as the
Agenda 2030, we will discuss the origins of the goals, and review to what extent we are on track
in reaching the goals and associated targets.
1. Brief introduction to the course
The course is designed as an introductory course to sustainable development, focused on
understanding what sustainable development means in general, and the implications of that for
the study of business and economics.
As an intellectual pursuit, sustainable development tries to make sense of the interactions of
three complex systems: the world economy, the global society, and the Earth’s physical
environment (Sachs, 2015: 3)
,2. Introduction to the Sustainable Development Goals
• Definition of sustainable development
• Systems thinking
• The SDGS
• Current progress on the SDGs
1. Definition of Sustainable development
● Systems thinking: a system seen as a whole and not only as one dimension ; perceiving
the world as a system.
● SDG’s moved from the MDGs: inner development goals IDGs (recent development)
without inner transformation no outer; if we don't do inwards work how do we change,
this starts with a person (not part of the course).
Limits to Growth
Without substantive changes to consumption patterns "the most probable result will be a rather
sudden and uncontrollable decline in both population and industrial capacity"
,1st perspective on concept: The Brundtland Report
‘’Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’’
World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) (1987)
➔ evolution to this concept of sustainable development: forward perspective of future
generations world
The Brundtland definition stresses two aspects - key aspects (core constructs)
1. the concept of "needs“, in particular the essential needs of the world’s poorest people, which
should be given overriding priority;
2. the idea of limitations which are imposed by the state of technology and social organization
on the natural environment's ability to meet both present and future needs.
Evolution of the concept: IPP
integration of the three components of sustainable development – economic development,
social development and environmental protection (IPP)– as interdependent and mutually
reinforcing pillars’’ - UN World summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg 2002: ‘’The
Book Sachs: sustainable development = socially inclusive and environmentally
sustainable economic growth
The ‘’holistic definition’’ :
1. Drops the aspect of intergenerational justice
2. Is both normative and analytical
3. Draws (implicitly) on systems thinking
4. Sustainable development is analyzed as a wicked problem
What is different from the Brundtland (future generation perspective) vs holistic : economic
perspective, not only about people.
Holistic: people planet profit, but is Brundtland more holistic?
PPP is more normative and analytical vs open; easier to measure progress = looking SDGs as a
normative framework to frame and compare companies activities. Plus analytical: analyze how
do companies address SDGs supply chain, marketing, operations
, Wicked Problems - grand societal challenges
Sustainable development as a wicked problem: complex problem. Problems from the beginning
of the supply chain.
Cotton example, factories in bangladesh for companies making profit on backs of people
multilayered complex problem.
System thinking lens: hard to apply, overwhelmed on not being able to help bigger problems as
an agency.
Sweatshops, material and textile innovations but small agencies are trying to contribute to
solutions to decrease the impact of fashion industry.
