The German National Sustainability Strategy and how it evolved

The new Sustainable Development Strategy sets out Germany’s measures for implementing the 17 SDGs. On 10 March 2021, the Federal Cabinet resolved to comprehensively further develop the German National Sustainability Strategy. The Strategy was refined by the Committee of State Secretaries for Sustainable Development, assisted by all ministries. The public was involved through an extensive dialogue process which lasted several months. The updated National Sustainability Strategy introduces six decisive transformation areas on which the Federal Government’s future sustainability politics will focus:

• Human well-being and abilities, social justice
• Energy transition and climate change mitigation
• Circular economy
• Sustainable construction and transport transition
• Sustainable agri-food systems
• Pollutant-free environment

Transformation area 5 (“Sustainable agri-food systems”) is of major importance for us at the BMEL. Transformative measures have been established in this area, including soils and forests acting as carbon sinks, the livestock husbandry strategy, the 2035 arable farming strategy, the organic farming future strategy, the Nutri-Score, deforestation-free supply chains and the reduction of food wastage.

Evolution of the German National Sustainability Strategy

In January 2017, the Federal Cabinet adopted the “German Sustainable Development Strategy – 2016 Relaunch”, thereby amending the National Sustainability Strategy entitled “Prospects for Germany”, which had been adopted in 2002. In 2018 the strategy was updated. This process included the introduction of overarching principles of sustainability.

Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals that are of major importance to the BMEL

The following SDGs play a crucial role for the policies of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture:

• SDG 2 – end hunger, improve nutrition, sustainable agriculture
• SDG 6 – sustainable management of water
• SDG 11 – make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
• SDG 12 – sustainable consumption and production patterns
• SDG 13 – climate action
• SDG 14 – sustainable use of the oceans
• SDG 15 – sustainable forest management, environmental protection and nature conservation

Agri-food companies are also responsible for sustainable development. The OECD guidelines on multinational enterprises also apply to them. The OECD-FAO Guidance for Responsible Agricultural Supply Chains offers them guidance in implementing this task.

The social dimension of sustainability also includes the respect for human rights. Since 2011, the OECD Guidelines have contained a new chapter on this issue. The guiding principles on human rights stated therein are in line with the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, which the United Nations adopted in the same year. The 2016 National Action Plan for Business and Human Rights aims to advance the implementation of these Guiding Principles in Germany. In this Plan, the Federal Government formulates, among other things, the expectation that companies take the Guiding Principles into account, and it undertakes to support them in implementing these Principles.

Many companies are also assuming social responsibility for sustainable economic activity within the context of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The new Due Diligence Act, which was adopted by the Federal Government on 3 March 2021, is set to obligate enterprises that are larger than a certain minimum size to consistently meet their due diligence responsibilities regarding human rights along the supply chain. The draft legislation is based on the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights, implementing a mandate from the 2018 coalition agreement.