RELX & the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
A roundup of RELX tools, reports and resources to support the Goals
Progress on the Goals
In 2015, a new agenda to end poverty by 2030 and to ensure a fairer, safer and more sustainable future was unanimously adopted by the 193 Member States of the United Nations.
As we pass the halfway mark and against a backdrop of the impact of climate change, conflict, a weak global economy and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the latest UN report reveals that progress against the Goals has been hindered and in many cases reversed. Whilst the lack of progress is universal, it is the world’s poorest and most vulnerable who are experiencing the worst effects of these unprecedented global challenges.
RELX remains committed to supporting their achievement. Through information-based analytics and decision tools, we've been working to advance the SDGs since their adoption and they continue to be a catalyst for corporate responsibility across the business.
Our publicly-stated goals are aligned to the SDGs. Every company has to do its part beyond business as usual.
Find out more about progress against the 17 SDGs in The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023: Special Edition. Published by the UN, the report uses the latest available data and provides a comprehensive midpoint assessment of the 2030 Agenda.
Across RELX, we are committed to advancing the SDGs through our unique contributions - our specialised products, knowledge, resources, and skills. In the video below we share a few examples of the impact of our contributions and how they align to the SDGs (duration ~ 7 minutes).
Tools and Reports
Access to information is critical in achieving the SDGs - empowering the public to make decisions, informing policy making and enabling effective implementation and monitoring. RELX businesses regularly produce and publish free to download reports and analytics that draw upon vast amounts of information and data in support of the SDGs. Here's a roundup of some of the reports and tools developed to date.
Pathways to Net Zero: The Impact of Clean Energy Research
Achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 will require the rapid development and deployment of clean energy technologies. Research is essential to the success of this clean energy transition. In 2022 Elsevier published Pathways to Net Zero: The Impact of Clean Energy Research - the report examines the state of play in clean energy research over the last 20 years and provides expert insights into potential pathways forward. Download the report here.
Power of Data to Advance the SDGs
Elsevier mapped the state of research within each of the goals in its report The Power of Data to Advance the SDGs, published in 2020. The Power of Data to Advance the SDGs identified that there were over 4m articles related to specific SDGs published between 2015 – 2019. The SDG with the most publications was SDG3 “Good Health” with a little over 3m related articles, followed by SDG7 “Clean Energy” (383,000) and SDG13 “Climate Action” (180,000). SDG1 “End Poverty” had the least amount of related publications with a little over 11,000 articles published. The report also identified that most SDG research does not sufficiently factor in sex and gender. It noted that, while some SDGs might not have an obvious link to or need for sex or gender analysis, there is growing recognition this must be considered to ensure policies benefit men and women equally. Read the report here.
Exploring the Global Sustainable Innovation Landscape
In a first of its kind report, LexisNexis patent experts mapped all technological topics that encompass patentable inventions to the framework of the SDG targets and indicators. Exploring the Global Sustainable Innovation Landscape: The Top 100 Companies and Beyond, published in 2021, presents a comprehensive view of leading global companies as measured by their contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals, along with a comprehensive analysis of insights gained by aligning patent data with the SDGs. Using the LexisNexis PatentSight Patent Asset Index we can learn which companies are the world’s leading patent owners with the potential to drive transformative innovation toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Download the report here. The Top 100 ranking of patent owners (with the Top 300 available online) highlights which companies are leading in their SDG-related patent portfolio development and includes geographical analysis, along with deep dives for two industries (Automotive and Chemicals and Materials) and two goals (SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, and SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy).
Biodiversity research in the Netherlands and worldwide
To mark International Day for Biological Diversity 2023, Elsevier launched a report that takes an in-depth look into Dutch biodiversity research in comparison to other nations: Biodiversity Research in the Netherlands and Worldwide. The report compares the scope and impact of biodiversity research in the Netherlands and from around the world, covering the academic landscape, collaboration with industry, how international policy is shaped, and an analysis of Dutch biodiversity research funding.
Download the report here.
The RX Sustainability Playbook
RX’s Sustainability Playbook is informing and supporting event and operations teams to make more sustainable event choices.
As a first step in setting out the carbon reduction strategy to achieve net zero by 2040, RX developed a new carbon reduction toolkit or ‘Playbook’ to support event and operations teams in making more sustainable choices – be it through switching to digital catalogues, using sustainable badges and lanyards, recycling waste within the local community, or any number of other transformative opportunities. Learn more about the RX Sustainability Playbook here and more about RX's journey to Net Zero here.
RELX SDG Resource Centre
In 2017, RELX launched the free to access SDG Resource Centre which contains articles, tools, data and news from across RELX businesses and key partners. The SDG Resource Centre is aimed at customers, investors, employees, partners, NGOs, corporate peers, and the public and is designed to support the UN in implementing the SDGs and broadening awareness and understanding. The SDG Resource Centre had over 155,000 unique users by the end of 2022, a 16% increase over the previous year and is constantly expanding and evolving. There are plans to create more original content – particularly film – and to increase automation incorporating AI features, such as article recommenders and search prompts. Read more about the SDG Resource Centre here.
RELX hosts an annual SDG Inspiration Day. The annual online event brings together thought leaders, corporate representatives, students, investors, governments, and NGOs to explore pressing issues, gain practical insight, and inspire action on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Previous speakers have included Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Muhammad Yunus, and musician and activist Sir Bob Geldof.
More than 1500 people came together virtually on 13 June 2023 for the ninth edition of the RELX SDG Inspiration Day: "Not Too Late for Nature: Biodiversity and the UN Sustainable Development Goals." Eminent conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace and 8th United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, were keynote speakers.
Watch highlights from previous Inspiration Days here.
In The World We Want podcast series hosted by RELX's Global Head of ESG and Corporate Responsibility, Dr. Márcia Balisciano, we explore key themes relating to the SDGs such as leadership, innovation and youth through conversation with key influencers and thought leaders from across business, politics and civil society. Guests have included Mary Robinson, Former President of Ireland; Georg Kell, Chairman of Arabesque and founding Director of the United Nations Global Compact; Dr. Heinz Fischer, former President of Austria and co-chair of the Ban Ki-Moon Centre for Global Citizens and Irina Bokova, former Director-General of UNESCO. Find the podcast series on Google and on Spotify.
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