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QUALITY EDUCATION
Education is key for escaping poverty, and has been identified as one of the most powerful and well-proven ways for fostering sustainable development. Goal #4 aims to ensure inclusive and quality education for all, including providing equal access to vocational training and higher education. Access to education and school enrolment rate at all levels, as well as literacy rate, particularly for girls, have increased significantly over the past decade. However, more than half of all children and adolescents globally remain under the minimum proficiency standards in reading and mathematics.12 RTRS supports SDG #4 by ensuring that children of direct employees have access to education and encouraging provision of vocational training as well as education on sustainable agricultural practices to members of local communities.
SDG Materiality Report - The Round Table on Responsible Soy Association (RTRS) - Business Guidance
SDG TARGETS AND RELATED RTRS INDICATORS SDG Targets
RTRS Indicators
4.1 By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys
RTRS: 2.1.6
secondary education leading to relevant and
All children of direct employees living on the farm must have access to school education.
complete free, equitable and quality primary and effective learning outcomes
4.4 By 2030, substantially increase the number
of youth and adults who have relevant skills,
RTRS: 3.4.2
employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.
The RTRS indicator 3.4.2 requires that whenever possible, collaboration with training programs should be established to promote employment opportunities for members of the local communities.
4.7 By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire
RTRS: 5.3.2, 5.3.3
including technical and vocational skills, for
the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable
development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.
12 SDG 4 https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/education/
By requiring that producers demonstrate knowledge of techniques to maintain soil quality (5.3.2) and to control soil erosion (5.3.3), the RTRS Principle 5 contributes to educating more industry professionals about sustainable agricultural practices.
