SDG 8 explained

The idea of ‘decent work and economic growth’ might conjure images of job statistics and bustling markets – but it’s about much more than money or numbers.

The eighth of the United Nations’ (UN) 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), endorsed by New Zealand and nearly 200 other nations, is fundamentally focused on people and planet.

The UN defines SDG 8 as promoting “sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all”, while the International Labour Organisation describes it as capturing “the aspirations of people in their working lives”.

Dr Billie Lythberg, associate director of Juncture: Dialogues on Inclusive Capitalism at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland, turns to a whakataukī (Māori proverb): Mauri mahi, mauri ora – “healthy work, healthy lives.”

“Decent work means more than just having a job: it’s about fair pay, safe conditions, and opportunities to grow,” Lythberg says.

“Decent work ensures that people can support their families with dignity, have a voice in decisions that affect them, and enjoy equality of opportunity at work.”

Yet the concept becomes more complex when paired with the traditional idea of economic growth.

“On one hand, ‘decent work’ signals fairness, dignity, and sustainability in employment; on the other, ‘economic growth’ invokes a model historically tied to extraction, inequality, and environmental strain,” adds fellow Juncture associate director Dr Drew Franklin.

Holding both together, he says, makes SDG 8 one of the most challenging of the UN goals.

“It forces us to confront whether perpetual growth can ever truly align with human well-being and planetary limits, or whether a deeper rethinking of prosperity is required.”

Globally, progress toward these aims is mixed.

The UN’s most recent SDG progress report notes that while global unemployment fell to a record low of 5.0 percent in 2024, gains have been undercut by the lasting effects of COVID-19, geopolitical conflicts, and rising debt.

Informal employment still makes up nearly 58 percent of the global workforce, often without social protection or legal rights. Youth unemployment rates are triple those of adults. The 2025 target to eliminate child labour has been missed.

The picture also differs by region.

“For developed economies, SDG 8 is about improving job quality, addressing inequality, and adapting to technological and ecological shifts,” Lythberg notes. “For developing economies, it is more about expanding access to formal, safe, and fairly paid work, building social protections, and reducing poverty through inclusive growth.”

That tension remains instructive, she adds, and highlights how these complex and interconnected global challenges, like the SDGs themselves, cannot be pursued by nations and regions in isolation.

“The real task is fostering cooperation across borders to protect people, the planet and future generations.”

Aotearoa faces its own pressures. Unemployment is relatively low, but productivity lags other OECD countries.

The global Sustainable Development Report rates New Zealand’s performance on the Adjusted GDP Growth Index as “moderate,” signalling the country is not on track for strong sustainable growth.

Economic benefits are unevenly shared. Māori and Pacific peoples face persistent disparities, low wages affect specific sectors, and the gender pay gap remains. Youth not in employment, education, or training is a challenge, as is workplace safety – particularly in high-risk sectors like forestry and agriculture.

Modern slavery is another concern. Despite being associated more with developing nations, it continues to affect vulnerable workers in New Zealand – particularly those on student or seasonal visas.

There are signs of a growing political consensus to tackle it: separate private members’ bills before Parliament propose mandatory reporting for larger businesses and an anti-slavery commissioner.

However, Franklin adds, watchdogs continue to highlight under-resourced enforcement and significant data gaps.

More broadly, Aotearoa continues to wrestle with the tension between growth and environmental protection. Here, Franklin sees opportunity.

“Where Aotearoa can lead – and demonstrate on the world stage – is in proving that prosperity and sustainability are not mutually exclusive, with ethical practices and kaitiakitanga becoming the very drivers of long-term growth.”
 

Juncture is helping to shape this global conversation as the new Chair of the UN Academic Impact (UNAI) Hub for SDG 8.

The research centre’s director, Professor Susan Watson, says that SDG8 aligns with the central focus of the work of Juncture.

“Juncture considers whether the benefits of capitalism in creating value can be realised while at the same time minimising resulting harms and ensuring the benefits are shared equitably,” she says.

“So, in the ideal world we all strive to be in, economic growth through the tools of capitalism, like corporations, would lift overall prosperity for all whilst aligning with the interests of people and planet. That would include decent work for all.”

Lythberg, Franklin, and Watson recently attended the High-Level Political Forum at the UN in New York, sharing the University of Auckland’s approach to sustainability through the Sustainability Hub and Juncture, which fosters transdisciplinary, business-relevant research to drive inclusive, sustainable outcomes.

Franklin says centres like Juncture and institutions like the University of Auckland act as evidence-brokers, bringing credibility and independence to global policy debates.

“What struck me was the unanimity of this call: no single government has all the answers, and the pathway to inclusive and sustainable growth will only emerge when universities and researchers are fully embedded in shaping the reforms ahead.”

This role aligns with the University of Auckland’s Taumata Teitei strategy, dedicated to creating just communities and sustainable ecosystems – a commitment that has helped earn top global positions in the Times Higher Education Impact and QS Sustainability rankings.

Through forums on trust in fintech, navigating the tensions between AI and planetary limits, and examining interventions to address modern slavery, Juncture is helping to link research with policy and practice.

Franklin says this proactive stance means the university is “not just responding to challenges but getting in front of them”.

That approach is grounded in an “Aotearoa lens,” shaped by Māori and Pacific perspectives of kaitiakitanga (guardianship) and collective wellbeing.

“Showing how indigenous insights can inform more balanced and human-centred approaches to prosperity is a key perspective we can bring to this role.”