Sessions

The SDG Leadership Forum for Goal 8 was a global, online, text-based discussion hosted live by 3M and GlobeScan on this site on Wednesday 13th June. We were joined by a diverse range of stakeholders from government, academia, civil society and the private sector.

Together, we explored how we can overcome the skills gap – how it might be inhibiting progress, the role that different stakeholders have to play in contributing to solutions, and how we can prepare the workforce for full and productive employment and decent work by 2030.

To access the discussions from the day of the Forum, please log in and then click the link below.

Goal #8: Promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

In a globalized economy, rapid technological advancement and competitiveness are enabling an evolution in work and production. This means that businesses, employers, and workers will need to adapt to new ways of working in the future.

The UNDP describes the importance of Goal 8 well:

“Over the past 25 years the number of workers living in extreme poverty has declined dramatically, despite the lasting impact of the 2008 economic crisis and global recession. In developing countries, the middle class now makes up more than 34 percent of total employment – a number that has almost tripled between 1991 and 2015.

“However, as the global economy continues to recover we are seeing slower growth, widening inequalities, and not enough jobs to keep up with a growing labour force. According to the International Labour Organization, more than 204 million people were unemployed in 2015.

“The SDGs promote sustained economic growth, higher levels of productivity and technological innovation. With these targets in mind, the goal is to achieve full and productive employment, and decent work, for all women and men by 2030.”