Exploring the concepts of decent work through the lens of SDG 8: addressing challenges and inadequacies

Abstract

Promoting decent work and sustainable economic growth within the framework of Sustainable Development Goal 8 (SDG 8) entails addressing gender inequality, the consequences of market economies, and the role of the informal sector while also considering environmental sustainability. Research on SDG 8 remains limited, often adopting an appraisal perspective, and the concept of decent work within this goal remains relatively unexplored. Additionally, the focus on the challenges and inadequacies of achieving sustainable economic growth through decent work in the context of SDG 8 is insufficient, resulting in significant knowledge gaps. To contribute to filling these gaps, this paper adopts a descriptive and critical review perspective, systematically analyzing 108 journal papers and reports to investigate the concept of decent work within SDG 8. The research addresses the challenges and inadequacies related to decent work embedded in SDG 8. The review reveals that while progress has been made in tackling gender inequality in the labor market, gender bias, income discrepancies, and underrepresentation of women in senior positions persist, hindering inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all – SDG 8. Moreover, SDG 8’s focus on inclusive and sustainable development falls short of effectively addressing market economies’ structural disparities, insecure working conditions, and exploitative labor practices. Additionally, support for informal sector workers, who lack essential rights such as legal protection and social security, remains insufficient. Ecological destruction is sometimes an unintended consequence of purely market-based labor markets with an emphasis on economic growth, with SDG 8 lacking sufficient integration of environmental sustainability in its framework. The novelty of this study comes from its in-depth, critical, and policy-focused analysis of the ideas around decent employment in the context of SDG 8. The findings underscore the importance of providing fair, safe, and secure employment opportunities to support economic growth and development while upholding workers’ rights. In conclusion, we emphasize the crucial role of promoting decent work and sustainable growth in achieving SDG 8’s overall objectives, as it directly impacts other SDGs.

Intellectual capital through decarbonization for achieving Sustainable Development Goal 8: a systematic literature review and future research directions

“…In particular, IC enables firms to report their emissions and improve their economic, environmental, and social performance (de Villiers and Sharma, 2020). In addition, according to the institutional theory, institutional forces pressure firms to engage such human capital, which encompasses knowledge, skills, and expertise, to support carbon accounting practices, enhancing the operational efficiency of the firms (Chigbu and Nekhwevha, 2023). Furthermore, structural capital, which includes operational processes and technology adoption, ensures firm compliance with carbon accounting practices (Chigbu and Nekhwevha, 2023).…”

“…In addition, according to the institutional theory, institutional forces pressure firms to engage such human capital, which encompasses knowledge, skills, and expertise, to support carbon accounting practices, enhancing the operational efficiency of the firms (Chigbu and Nekhwevha, 2023). Furthermore, structural capital, which includes operational processes and technology adoption, ensures firm compliance with carbon accounting practices (Chigbu and Nekhwevha, 2023). The incorporation of strong structural capital not only supports the technical components of carbon accounting but also cultivates a sustainable culture in organisations, which leads to a more efficient and broad adoption of carbon accounting (Amores-Salvadó et al.…”