SDG 16: Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions

Goal: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

Global Context

Conflict, violence, and weak institutions continue to undermine development globally. Over 100 million people were forcibly displaced in 2022. Corruption costs developing countries an estimated US$1.26 trillion annually. One in six businesses worldwide reports being asked for a bribe. Access to justice remains limited for billions of people, particularly in developing countries.

Key Targets

Key targets include significantly reducing all forms of violence (16.1), ending abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and violence against children (16.2), promoting the rule of law and ensuring equal access to justice (16.3), significantly reducing illicit financial and arms flows (16.4), substantially reducing corruption and bribery (16.5), developing effective, accountable, and transparent institutions (16.6), ensuring responsive, inclusive, and representative decision-making (16.7), and ensuring public access to information and protecting fundamental freedoms (16.10).

Business Contribution

Businesses contribute through robust anti-corruption and anti-bribery programmes, transparent tax practices, whistleblower protection mechanisms, responsible lobbying and political engagement, human rights due diligence, conflict-sensitive business practices, data privacy and protection, and supporting rule of law and institutional capacity building in operating jurisdictions.

Measurement & Reporting

GRI 205 (Anti-corruption), GRI 206 (Anti-competitive Behavior), GRI 415 (Public Policy), GRI 418 (Customer Privacy), SASB governance metrics, Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index.

Primary Sources

UNODC, Transparency International, World Justice Project

From ESG Library

• ESG & GRI Reporting Made Simple — SDG mapping and disclosure guidance
• Practical Guide to ESG Integration — Integrating SDGs into business strategy

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Related Topics

• GRI Standards
• UN Global Compact
• Environmental SDGs
• Social SDGs
• Governance SDGs

References

• UN SDGs — Goal 16 — official targets and indicators for Goal 16
• UN SDGs — the 17 goals and 169 targets (adopted 2015, 2030 Agenda)
• UN — Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda — the founding resolution