Watchdog
The UK sustainable development strategy Securing the Future confirms the SDC's "watchdog" function that involves "scrutinising and reporting on Government's performance on sustainable development." The SDC reports to the Prime Minister and the First Ministers of Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, with a distinct remit agreed with each of these Governments.
The SDC's watchdog role will continue to develop over time. There are several ways in which the SDC currently monitors cross-governmental and departmental progress towards sustainable development:
Sustainable Development in Government (SDiG) Assessment
The SDC's watchdog role, as set out in Securing the Future, requires the SDC to assess and report on Government's own operations and procurement practices. These annual SDC reports are based on data submitted by each Department, and sets out how well the Government is meeting its targets and highlights future challenges for government.
Sustainable Development Action Plans (SDAPs)
Securing the Future requires all Government Departments and their Executive Agencies to produce Sustainable Development Action Plans (SDAPs) which set out the contribution each organisation will make to the delivery of this Strategy. All organisations are required to produce annual progress reports against their SDAPs. The Watchdog Team tracks that these requirements are being met, reviews the content of SDAPs and the progress made against them.
The SDC also carries out selected in-depth thematic reviews of public services.
Contact us
If you have questions about the work of the SDC in this area, please contact:
Minas Jacob Team Leader regarding the Watchdog Team's work and its role.
Farooq Ullah Senior Policy Analyst regarding SD reporting in Government and Departmental Sustainability Assessments.
Jaime Blakeley-Glover Higher Policy Analyst regarding Thematic Reviews and the Sustainable Development in Government (SDiG) Report.
Anne-Marie Shields Policy Analyst regarding SDAP assessments and Impact Assessments.
Callum Clench Policy Analyst regarding the SOGE data assessment and SDAP assessments.
