b'GLOBAL SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALSWhat Are They?The Sustainable Development Goals are an agreed set of critical global focus areas with common definitions and targets that include a comprehensive range of inter-connected sustainability issues.The goals were developed by the United Nations in 2015 and include 17 goals and 169 related targets.The goals and their associated targets promote the interdependence of sustainable developments three dimensions of; environmental, social and economic and integrate them into a universal framework for global cooperation and action. Reproduced with the permission of Azote Images for Stockholm Resilience CentreWhy Are They Important? Cooperation, coordination and partnerships are three of the key determinants of how far and how fast we can move towards sustainability. The Sustainable Development Goals provide an important universal focus to address our global challenges.The United Nations, governments, corporations and non-government organisations can work more cooperatively by using goals and associated targets to identify opportunities, classify their investments and evaluate their progress in these key areas.It is also important that AusLSA and its members can see their sustainability commitments through the lens of the sustainable development goals. By aligning our own sustainability framework with the Sustainable Development Goals we can better understand these global priorities and opportunities, and our roles and obligations to address these issues as a profession and an industry.How Are They Relevant To Members?More and more organisations are learning that building an organisational purpose that includes creating value for others and improving the world we live in, also inspires many of their critical internal and external stakeholders, which in turn drives profits and creates sustainable value. Contributing to these Sustainable Development Goals is increasingly recognized by the international community as creating shared common value for all stakeholders and therefore it will be a strong driving force for purpose.How Are The Goals Covered In AusLSAs Sustainability Framework?There are very few corporations and industries that would include all of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals in their significant impacts or opportunities.In reality, the nature of our industries, business purpose and professional focus mean that different organisations will have stronger opportunities to address different Sustainable Development Goals.Law firms by the nature of their business are exposed to certain common impacts and opportunities that arise by the nature of their profession and industry. These impacts and opportunities are generally shared by most (if not all) law firms and 12'