This article relates to Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth, one of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. Goal icon by the United Nations. Emberoot is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the UN.
SDG 8, the Global Goal on decent work and economic growth, is the one where a small business has the most direct influence. Every employer decides how people are hired, paid, trained and kept safe, and which suppliers get its money. This guide turns SDG 8 into practical steps for small and growing businesses, scaled for a firm with five staff or two hundred.
Why SDG 8 starts with your own team
Worldwide, 57.9% of jobs were informal in 2025, according to the UN SDG Report 2026, meaning no contract and usually no social protection. Each small firm that gives its staff written terms and basic protection moves a few more people out of that group. Most of what follows is ordinary good management, and it leaves you in a stronger position if a dispute ever comes up.
Step 1: written terms and on-time pay
Give everyone, including part-time, seasonal and contract workers, written terms covering pay, hours, duties, leave and notice. Pay on the agreed date, every time, through a traceable method such as a bank transfer rather than cash where that is possible. If cash is the norm in your sector, give a payslip anyway.
Say a small restaurant group in Kochi employs 25 people, some on casual shifts. A one-page contract for every role and a shared calendar of pay dates heads off many disputes before they start.
Step 2: fair pay you can explain
Target 8.5 asks for equal pay for work of equal value. In practice:
- Pay at least the legal minimum wherever you operate, and check the rules for overtime.
- Set simple pay bands by role and level, so pay decisions are not made person by person.
- Once a year, compare pay for people doing similar work, by gender and other relevant factors, and fix gaps you cannot explain.
- Written terms for every worker
- Pay bands and a yearly pay check
- Paid, structured first jobs
- Supplier questions you follow up
- Unpaid or open-ended trial work
- Pay set case by case
- Holding workers’ ID documents
- Recruiters who charge workers fees
Step 3: a safe place to work
Target 8.8 covers safe and secure working environments, including for migrant workers. Go through each role and list the main risks: machinery, chemicals, lifting, driving, long hours, heat. Then decide what you will do about each and write it down.
Heat is a good example of a risk that is easy to overlook. The UAE has required a midday break for outdoor work under direct sun, from 12:30pm to 3pm between 15 June and 15 September, and Khaleej Times reported that 2026 was the 22nd consecutive year of the rule. Even where no such law applies, scheduling heavy outdoor work away from the hottest hours is sensible.
Step 4: first jobs and training
About one in five young people worldwide was not in employment, education or training in 2025. A paid internship, apprenticeship or entry-level role with a named mentor and a training plan is one of the most direct contributions a small business can make to target 8.6. Keep it paid, keep it time-limited and make sure the work teaches something.
Be realistic about scale. A firm of eight people might take one apprentice a year; a firm of eighty could run a small programme with a few places and a named person responsible for it. Either way, write down what the young person will learn in the first three months, and check in on it.
Hiring more widely helps too. Target 8.5 specifically mentions disabled people. Simple steps, such as clear job adverts, flexible interview formats and asking candidates what adjustments would help, widen the pool of people who can apply.
Step 5: look at your suppliers
About 138 million children were in child labour in 2024, according to the UN Goal 8 page. You are unlikely to find that inside your own business, but it can sit further down a supply chain, especially where suppliers rely on informal, seasonal or subcontracted labour. Ask key suppliers about child labour, forced labour and whether workers pay recruitment fees. Ask for evidence as well as a signed statement, and prefer suppliers who can show it.
Step 6: make it routine
These steps tend to slip when they depend on someone remembering. Payroll software that pays on schedule, HR records that flag expiring contracts and a simple supplier checklist all help. That kind of routine is where business automation earns its keep. Our SDG 8 page has the targets and more ideas.
Frequently asked questions
What can a small business do for SDG 8?
Start with written terms and on-time pay for everyone, including contract and casual staff. Then set fair pay bands, assess safety risks for each role, offer paid first jobs or apprenticeships to young people and ask key suppliers about child labour, forced labour and recruitment fees. These steps are affordable for small firms and add up.
Are unpaid internships compatible with decent work?
SDG 8 asks for decent work and fewer young people out of work and education. Unpaid placements make it harder for young people without family support to take part. Rules differ by country, and some places restrict unpaid work. A paid, time-limited placement with real training fits the goal far better.
How do I check suppliers for child labour?
Start with suppliers that rely on informal, seasonal or subcontracted labour, where risks are harder to see. Ask direct questions about worker ages, recruitment fees and identity documents, request evidence such as audit reports, and follow up on vague answers. Visiting sites or using recognised independent audits helps when the risk or spend is large.
This is general information, not professional legal or employment advice.