Sustainability goals and reporting in 2024

The UN’s Sustainable development goals relevant to Luke

In 2021, we identified the five UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that are most relevant to our operations. In this Sustainability Report, we describe how our own actions can contribute to the achievement of these goals.

2 Zero Hunger, 12 Responsible consumption and production, 13 Climate action, 14 Life below water, 15 Life on land

Goals set for our activities

Our own responsibility work is guided by our responsibility objectives, which were updated in 2023 and are divided into research responsibility, environmental responsibility, social responsibility and financial responsibility. The responsibility objectives have been developed in consultation with the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee. In the 2024 report, we also address good governance and report on the main measures we have taken to promote good governance during the year. 

Find out more about our sustainability objectives:

Sustainability area and responsible partyGoalsIndicators
Responsible research
  • Our research supports the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
  • Ethical reviews in natural sciences for experimental research are put into practice.
  • Each year, we publish 1) eight synthesis reports integrating our research findings; and 2) eight policy briefs for decision-makers.
  • We have issued several ethical review statements, especially for Luke’s experimental research projects, by the end of the strategy period.
Environmental responsibility
  • An environmental management system is developed and deployed, covering Luke as a whole.
  • Planned measures pertaining to the environmental system are part of units’ activities by the end of the strategy period.
  • The total carbon footprint decreases by the end of the strategy period.
     
Social responsibiity
  • A thriving working community: Luke’s wellbeing programme increases the personnel’s wellbeing at work by developing the working culture.
  • Students and professionals see Luke as an attractive employer.
  • Job satisfaction and supervisor indices remain high (VMBaro).
  • Luke maintains its first place in Universum’s survey results for students and professionals.
Economic responsibility
  • Increases in external funding ensure a sustainable financial base.
  • Luke is engaged in sustainable and responsible procurement.
  • Our customer satisfaction remains high.
  • Our activities support regional wellbeing.
  • External funding and EU funding in particular increase. We also monitor the rate of successful EU applications.
  • Sustainability and the environment are addressed in procurement guidelines and plans, bidding processes and implementation.
  • Customer satisfaction: NPS >50
  • Funds allocated to regional projects increase.
     

Responsibility analysis

We carried out a Responsibility analysis in late spring 2024 in collaboration with Third Rock. Stakeholders placed particular emphasis on sustainable primary production and responsible and ethical research. 

In addition to a stakeholder survey, all members of the management team were interviewed, and a management workshop was organised. The results matrices of the survey were very similar for all groups.  

Based on the analysis, the most important sustainability themes for Luke's activities were:  

  • Promoting sustainable primary production - seen as essential for future food production, security of supply and environmental sustainability.  
  • Responsible and ethical research - research has a broad impact and Luke's role as a provider of reliable, independent data is key.  
  • Strengthening biodiversity and resilience - maintaining biodiversity is seen as critical for both the environment and the viability of livelihoods.  
  • Climate change adaptation and mitigation - the impact of the climate crisis highlights the need to develop and explore solutions for both adaptation and mitigation.  
  • Developing the well-being and skills of the work community - the quality and effectiveness of Luke's work is based on competent and thriving staff. 

Other strategic priorities included strengthening biodiversity and resilience, adapting to climate change, strengthening multidisciplinary cooperation and promoting the bioeconomy.