SDG Accord Report

The SDG Accord Report, published in July 2018 by the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC), presents the first annual progress report on institutional commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Submitted to the UN High-level Political Forum, the report documents the experiences of 37 higher and further education institutions across 11 countries that have signed the SDG Accord, a global initiative launched in September 2017.

The report reveals that most institutions are in early implementation stages, with approximately 62% reporting good or very good commitment to the SDGs. Key findings indicate that while nearly three-quarters of institutions have gathered evidence of SDG-related work, only a quarter formally report on these efforts. The document identifies curriculum development and student engagement as primary areas of focus, highlights staff capacity as the main implementation challenge, and notes that institutions prioritise Goals 4 (Education), 5 (Gender Equality), and 13 (Climate Action).

For responsible leadership educators, this resource provides valuable insights into how universities globally are embedding sustainability across their operations, research, and teaching, offering both benchmarks and practical challenges for institutional change.