SDG 4: Quality Education

Goal: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

Global Context

An estimated 250 million children and youth were out of school in 2022. Learning poverty — the share of children unable to read and understand a simple text by age 10 — affects 70% of children in low- and middle-income countries. The digital divide exacerbates educational inequalities, while rapid technological change demands continuous reskilling and upskilling of the workforce.

Key Targets

Key targets include ensuring all children complete free, equitable, and quality primary and secondary education (4.1), ensuring access to quality early childhood development and pre-primary education (4.2), ensuring equal access to affordable technical, vocational, and tertiary education (4.3), substantially increasing the number of youth and adults with relevant skills for employment (4.4), eliminating gender disparities in education (4.5), and substantially increasing the supply of qualified teachers (4.c).

Business Contribution

Businesses contribute through employee training and development programmes, apprenticeship and internship schemes, support for STEM education, digital literacy initiatives, scholarships and educational partnerships, and ensuring equitable access to learning opportunities across the workforce. Technology companies play a particular role in bridging the digital education divide.

Measurement & Reporting

GRI 404 (Training and Education), SASB Human Capital metrics across sectors. The Corporate Human Rights Benchmark assesses education-related impacts.

Primary Sources

UNESCO, UNICEF Education, World Bank Education

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 4 — official targets and indicators for Goal 4
• UN SDGs — the 17 goals and 169 targets (adopted 2015, 2030 Agenda)
• UN — Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda — the founding resolution