Students´ perception of sustainable development goals (SDGs) and the benefits for companies derived from their implementation

Abstract

Business leaders play a key role in the implementation of actions leading to the achievement of the 17 SDGs. Likewise, higher education is emerging as the principal factor in developing a sense of moral responsibility amongst university business students, who will eventually become company managers and decision makers. The aim of this research is, thus, twofold. First, to analyse university business students’ perceptions of the role of business in achieving the SDGs; and second, to examine university business students’ perceptions of the relationship between greater commitment to achieving the SDGs and business benefits. The analysis was performed with a sample of 178 business-related university students. Amongst the potential contributions made by this study we can highlight the possibility of understanding future managers’ perceptions of the role of business in achieving the SDGs, as well as the benefits that companies could derive from greater commitment to achieving these SDGs and identifying areas for improvement in university education regarding sustainable development.