Griffith University supports the Sustainable Development Goals

Family Businesses on a Mission: Attaining the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal of Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Professor Naomi Birdthistle

Project Description

This book focuses on SDG number 9 (SDG#9) which focuses on ‘Industry,
Innovation and Infrastructure’. SDG#9 aims to build robust infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation, and this book provides insights into how family businesses take action on the SDG through the work of their business. Family businesses play an important role in achieving this.

Project Personnel and Beneficiaries

This book will be useful for those wanting to know how businesses use SDGs to make an impact in the world and incorporate this with a deepening of strategic commitment to sustainability. Despite SDGs now being recognised as an important framework for aligning business to build back better from the pandemic, there are very few businesses that used SDGs for developing deeper strategic approaches to sustainability. Most of the large businesses that have been identified in surveys (Harvard Business Review, 2019) had simply relabelled their
existing corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives and did not do anything new or different to advance the goals.
This book will be useful for small businesses, groups such as chambers of commerce, consulting organisations and sustainability accreditation bodies who want practical examples of how the SDG business model can deepen sustainability operations.

Outcomes to Date

An case book that showcases family businesses in achieving this SDG.

Project Significance

Each of the international cases portrayed in this book explain how they have considered the SDG and how the family business has adapted its strategy, mindset and training to align the family business with this SDG.

Related Link

External link to https://www.emerald.com/insight/publication/doi/10.1108/9781803825731

Co-authors
Associate Professor Rob Hales
Project start
Jul 2022
Project end
Jul 2022
Academic area
Department of Business Strategy and Innovation
Project type
Project location
  • Gold Coast
Project geographical impact
  • International
Publication date
July 12, 2023
Last updated
9:28 am, November 27, 2023