PROJECT

NIKKEI SDGs FESTIVAL

Created SDG-colored newspaper spreads featuring past articles, showcasing the media's role in supporting corporate social initiatives.

WHY

Can SDGs be Truly Achieved?

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are international indicators to achieve a better world. It was adopted by the United Nations Summit in 2015 and is part of The 2030 Agenda For Sustainable Development. The slogan of the SDGs is “no one on the earth gets left behind.” The SDGs comprise 17 goals and 169 targets, and initiatives are underway globally to achieve them.

Throughout the 20th Century, the priority to economic activities that companies took created widening gaps between the rich and the poor. The protection of the global environment has also become an urgent issue. Under these circumstances, SDGs function as a banner for future companies to create a better society through business. Japanese companies are also working on various initiatives for this purpose.

However, the prospects of achieving 17 goals of the SDGs by 2030 are diminishing year by year. It has been estimated that the goals will not be achieved until 2092 at their current pace. ( https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXMZO64185850U0A920C2I00000/ )
There have been environmental changes arising from excessive economic and technological developments, going over the “planetary boundary,” which is the boundary humans can live safely. With the survival of our civilization at stake, there was a need to increase the momentum to achieve SDGs more than ever before.

HOW

The “Rainbow Page” covered by Japan’s largest economy newspaper.

To achieve the SDGs, it is essential to break away from the 20th Century style of corporate management and empower companies that are engaged in sustainable activities for the future. It was in this environment that Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Japan’s largest economy newspaper that’s supported the most by Japanese business persons, decided to hold the Nikkei SDGs Fest. We were requested to create a spread newspaper advertisement for this event that aims to think about SDGs with many Japanese companies and look towards the future of the planet.

Our goal was to broadly promote the initiatives related to SDGs that Japanese companies are promoting. To do so, we took excerpts of past Nikkei articles that correspond to each of the 17 goals of the SDGs. We proposed the so-called Rainbow Page, where the articles were divided into the same color schemes as the SDGs. We could once again convey that daily news that the newspaper covered was full of initiatives related to SDGs. At the same time, we designed the ideal medium that can continuously support the social transformation activities of companies.

WILL

For a future where solving social issues becomes the business foundation.

Initially, the First Nikkei SDGs Fest was planned to be held in Tokyo. However, because of the spread of COVID-19, the event format was changed to live online streaming, Still, many persons from companies aiming to achieve SDGs presented. The forum was a valuable opportunity to promote their initiatives. In an era where the future is uncertain because of COVID-19 and the resulting stagnated economy, the event shined hope for the future. After the event was completed, it spread to Nikkei branches throughout Japan and has been held continuously. The Rainbow Page is becoming established as a medium that promotes the social transformation activities of companies.

In the past, capitalist economies only pursued increasing economic profit by improving stock prices which were the main indicators to evaluate companies. In recent years, however, indicators like SDGs and ESGs are becoming more popular to evaluate corporate activities to achieve a sustainable future.

It is now a time when the economic activities of corporations are in need to be changed. It is highly significant that Nikkei Business Publications created indicators of the stock market like Nikkei 225 is supporting transformation to sustainable corporate activities. We will continue to work with them to support the transformation of how companies are evaluated and create a future where solving social issues becomes the foundation of all businesses.