SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

SDG 10 is to “reduce inequality within and among countries.”

Did you know…

Income inequality is still rising in many places.

The top 1% of earners are still receiving an increase in income.

While 70% of the membership of the General Assembly and World Trade Organisation is made up of developing countries, their voting share in other organisations is very low. Developing countries make up 75% of the World Bank’s membership but only have 40 percent of the voting rights within it.

However, there has been progress made as in more than half of the 90 countries that have comparable data, the bottom 40% of the population had an income growth rate higher than the overall national average.

Targets

• “By 2030, progressively achieve and sustain income growth of the bottom 40 percent of the population at a rate higher than the national average.”
  
• “By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin religion or economic or other status.”
  
• “Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality.”
  
• “Ensure enhanced representation and voice for developing countries… to deliver more effective, credible, accountable and legitimate institutions.”
  

How Chemistry Can Help

Worldwide the chemical industry is worth approximately $5.7 trillion (USD). It employs upwards of 20 million people either directly or indirectly. 

The companies which make up these work forces can create and implement rules and regulations to promote equality.  

Ensuring fair wage, safety and ethical standards and social protections are just some policies companies use to reduce inequalities.  

In developing countries where the chemical industry is present, those companies can promote equality in the workplace. They can also invest in other developing countries which would provide opportunities and jobs. 

Global pharmaceutical company, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), employs nearly 100,000 people in 95 different countries. In 2019, they put £4.6 billion into research and development projects. They mainly focus on pharmaceuticals, vaccines and consumer healthcare. They work in countries all over the world, in North and South America, Africa, Europe and Asia. This type of investment creates many jobs (see SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth) and can have greatly beneficial outcomes (see SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing).

GSK also have inclusion and diversity councils which were created to ensure the increase of representation of several groups. Some groups they are focusing on are: women, LGBT+ and people with disabilities. The aim is to increase representation across the entire workforce at GSK (see SDG 5: Gender Equality).