SDG 10 and the business sector: a look at the data on reducing inequalities

Abstract

DOI: https://doi.org/10.46296/rc.v9i17.0412

ABSTRACT

Reducing inequalities has become one of the major, and not exactly new, dilemmas of current sustainable development: a problem as old as trade itself, but now formulated with acronyms and global goals. Sustainable Development Goal 10 (ODS 10) proposes to narrow economic, social, and opportunity gaps within and between countries, a task that sounds abstract until one considers the concrete role of the business sector, whose production, labor, and financial decisions shape income distribution, access to employment, and ultimately, social inclusion. This article aims to analyze the business sector's contribution to achieving ODS 10 from a data-driven perspective, reviewing inequality indicators, inclusive corporate practices, and empirical evidence from business reports and international statistical databases. To this end, a descriptive-analytical methodology is adopted, based on the analysis of secondary data from multilateral organizations and sustainability reports—a kind of cold X-ray that, paradoxically, reveals very human impacts. The results show that companies implementing policies of inclusion, pay equity, and equal access to opportunities tend to align more clearly with ODS 10, generating mutually reinforcing social and economic benefits. In conclusion, the strategic use of data emerges as a tool that is both technical and crucial for measuring, managing, and reducing inequalities within the business sector, demonstrating that numbers, when interpreted correctly, can also tell stories of justice.

Keywords: ODS 10, inequality, business sector, data analysis, sustainability.