An industry analysis of the most relevant SDGs can help companies prioritize and align their efforts with those of industry peers and establish benchmarks to compare their positive and negative contributions with the SDGs.

A sector approach is an opportunity to prioritize and maximize SDG contributions among companies in a specific industry. It can contribute to the achievement of the SDG agenda and establish a common pathway for companies within a sector to accelerate and optimize their contributions. It can also be helpful to assess companies’ competitiveness in delivering positive impacts while addressing potential negative impacts within their industry. In addition, a sector approach can highlight areas where companies can make the most difference and where there is the greatest need.

In other words, an industry approach helps companies benchmark their impact thesis by considering the positive and negative impacts generally associated with similar types of assets or activities.

Industry analysis can be done through industry-specific sustainability standards or resources, such as the UN Global Compact‒KPMG SDG Industry Matrix, which maps SDG contribution by industry, the industry-specific Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) standards for disclosure of material sustainability information, and the Global Investors for Sustainable Development (GISD) industry-specific KPIs.