• Introduction
• No Poverty
• Zero Hunger
• Good Health
• Quality Education
• Gender Equality
• Clean Water
• Decent Work
• Reduced Inequalities
• Responsible Consumption
• Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
• Partnerships for the Goals

Sustainable Development Goal 12 focuses on encouraging the sustainable use and production of goods and resources by 2030. This goal aims to reduce consumption driven crises such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution through sustainable management.¹

• Implement the 10-year sustainable consumption and production framework adopted in June 2012.
• Encourage the sustainable management and use of natural resources.
• Halve global per capita food waste at the retail and consumer levels, as well as reducing food losses along production and supply chains.
• Ensure the responsible management of chemicals and waste in order to significantly reduce air, water, and soil pollution to mitigate their adverse impacts on human health and the environment.
• Substantially reduce the generation of waste by means of prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse.
• Encourage companies to adopt sustainable practices and sustainability reporting, particularly large and transnational companies.
• Inform and raise awareness on sustainable development and living.
• Develop and implement tools to ensure sustainable tourism that creates jobs and emphasises local culture and goods.
• Remove market distortions that encourage wasteful consumption, including restructuring taxation and phasing out harmful subsidies.²

COP26, or the 26th Conference of the Parties, was the UN climate change conference held in Glasgow, Scotland from October 31 to November 12, 2022. As part of this conference, a special ecumenical service was held at Glasgow Cathedral joining together representatives of Christian churches from around the world and attended by The General of The Salvation Army General Brian Peddle and World President of Women’s Ministries, Commissioner Rosalie Peddle.²⁴ Their participation in this service demonstrated their commitment to collaboration towards promoting responsible consumption and production, which is a key aspect of SDG 12.

 

The Salvation Army believes that it is humanity's responsibility to manage the earth's resources to sustain the environment and improve the quality of human life. As a result, Salvation Army policies have been developed to promote good environmental practices and, in the United Kingdom, has chosen to be certified under IS014001, a set of international standards for environmental management, as a demonstration of the commitment to the environment.²⁵ The Salvation Army is committed to minimising any negative environmental impact, aligning its work to the wider sustainability agenda, using ethically sourced goods wherever possible, measuring its environmental impacts, and reducing waste and increasing recycling.

 

Globally, Salvation Army thrift stores not only offer an affordable shopping alternative for individuals and families in need, but they also provide a sustainable option for those looking to dispose of their unwanted items. By accepting donations of gently used clothing, furniture, and household goods, the thrift stores prevent these items from being thrown away and ending up in landfills, where they contribute to environmental degradation.²⁶ By promoting responsible consumption and production in this way, The Salvation Army thrift stores contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 12 and help create a more sustainable future for all.

 

A new partnership between Australian Gas Light Company and The Salvation Army in Australia will see the installation of solar energy systems at over 850 Salvation Army sites, aiding in the progress towards SDG 12. This collaboration aims to help The Salvation Army reduce operational costs and become more sustainable. The expected outcome of these solar installations is to generate approximately 23 gigawatt hours (GWh) of energy per year, which will be equivalent to reducing the annual greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 17,500 tonnes of CO2.²⁷

 

The Salvation Army in the United Kingdom & Ireland are a member of the Climate Coalition - dedicated to action on climate change & its impact. Over ten Salvation Army churches in the UK are committed to sustainable operation as “eco” churches. In the Forest of Dean, the Salvation Army church implemented the LOAF principles for food produced in church activities, which stands for Locally Produced, Organically Grown, Animal Friendly, and Fairly Traded. They expanded their efforts to promote seasonal eating and even helped families grow their own vegetables. Their “Our Hub” garden became a community vegetable garden with a greenhouse for community growing and supplies low-income families with seed starter kits. The church also owns animals and hosts seed swap events. Additionally, they started using eco-friendly cleaning products and toilet paper. ²⁸