Synergies or silos? Exploring human rights considerations in sustainability reporting practices in the Nordics

Abstract

Voluntary National Reviews (VNR) have become a valuable instrument for states to share their experiences in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Agenda. VNRs provide useful information on implementation gaps and opportunities, as well as a country's understandings of sustainability over time. Considering the strong overlap between the 2030 Sustainability Agenda and human rights, states should consider the later in their elaboration of VNRs. This article proposes a comparative study of Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden's VNRs to clarify whether and how human rights considerations are integrated into their SDG implementation reporting. The research highlights the existence of silos between some SDGs and internationally recognised human rights, but also points to some strongly consolidated synergies. It also addresses conceptual and policy mismatches, and the key role that civil society and the private sector play bridging human rights and sustainability.