Vladyslav Maksymenko, PhD student of the Oleg Balatskyi Department of Management, Sumy State University, Sumy, Ukraine

ORCID ID: 0009-0003-2053-0869
e-mail: v.maksymenko@biem.sumdu.edu.ua

Смоленніков Д. О., кандидат економічних наук, доцент, доцент кафедри управління імені Олега Балацького, Сумський державний  університет, м. Суми, Україна

ORCID ID: 0000-0001-8418-051X
e-mail: dos@management.sumdu.edu.ua

Activities of Non-governmental Organisations in the Context of Achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals: a Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract. Introduction. The topic of sustainable development is becoming increasingly popular in academic circles. Many scientists are studying the corporate social responsibility of business, as well as the role of higher education institutions in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are also important stakeholders and drivers of sustainable development, and their role cannot be overestimated.

Purpose. The purpose of this study is to analyze the activities of non-governmental organizations in the context of the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, through a bibliometric analysis of the most recent scientific publications in the scientometric database Scopus, in order to evaluate the number of publications, identify the main authors, main thematic areas, keywords and geographical distribution of research, as well as to identify the main challenges and perspectives related to the participation of NGOs in the achievement of the SDGs.

Results. An analysis of scholarly publications related to the role of NGOs in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals was conducted. The study found a significant increase in publications, particularly in countries such as the US, UK, Canada and Australia. It also identified the main thematic areas of research, including partnerships for sustainable development, responsible consumption and production, and quality education. The results of the study confirmed the relevance and importance of NGO participation in global sustainable development efforts.

Conclusions. The main findings of the study on the role of NGOs in achieving the SDGs are summarized in detail. The authors emphasize the importance of involving NGOs in the implementation of the SDGs, noting that these organizations act as essential intermediaries between state structures and communities. The findings point to the need to improve the coordination and effectiveness of NGO activities, and the importance of further strengthening policies to support NGOs in their work to achieve the SDGs.

Recommendations focus on improving the interaction between NGOs and governments, and the need for further research to understand the contribution of NGOs to achieving the global sustainable development goals.

Keywords: Sustainable Development Goals; bibliometric analysis; scientometric database; Scopus; non-governmental organisation; non-profit organisation; civil society organisation; public organisation.

References:

1. Mamokhere, J., & Mabila, T. (2021). The Role of the Council of Non-Governmental organisations on Peacebuilding in the Southern African Development Community: A Conceptual Perspective. Journal of African Union Studies, 10, 89–106. https://doi.org/10.31920/2050-4306/2021/10n1a5.
2. Espinosa, C., & Rangel, G. (2022). What roles do civil society organisations play in monitoring and reviewing the Sustainable Development Goals? An exploration of cases from Ecuador, Colombia, and Argentina. Tapuya: Latin American Science, Technology and Society, 5. https://doi.org/10.1080/25729861.2022.2143669.
3. Hoque, MA, Lovelock, B., & Carr, A. (2020). Alleviating Indigenous poverty through tourism: the role of NGOs. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 30, 2333–2351. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2020.1860070.
4. Van Haren, N., Fleiner, R., Liniger, H., & Harari, N. (2019). Contribution of community-based initiatives to the sustainable development goal of Land Degradation Neutrality. Environmental Science & Policy, 94, 211–219. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2018.12.017.
5. Besançon, S., Sidibé, A., Sow, DS, Sy, O., Ambard, J., Yudkin, JS, & Beran, D. (2022). The role of non-governmental organisations in strengthening healthcare systems in low- and middle-income countries: Lessons from Santé Diabète in Mali. Global Health Action, 15. https://doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2022.2061239.
6. Mariani, L., Trivellato, B., Martini, M., & Marafioti, E. (2022). Achieving Sustainable Development Goals Through Collaborative Innovation: Evidence from Four European Initiatives. Journal of Business Ethics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-022-05193-z.
7. Mohd Salleh, K., Sulaiman, NL, Puteh, S., & Jamaludin, MA (2023). Impact of Community Engagement on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): The Global Goals to Local Implementation. Journal of Technical Education and Training, 15, 201–211. https://doi.org/10.30880/jtet.2023.15.03.018.
8. Aigner, D. J, & Pesqueira, L. (2020). The Effects of organizational Traits on NGO–Business Engagement in Mexico. Sustainability, 12, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.3390/su122310108.
9. Adeyemi, A., Bakare, O., Akindele, A., & Soyode, O. (2020). Impact of the oversight role of NGOs on the environmental reporting and social responsibility of listed manufacturing companies in Nigeria. Advances in Environmental Accounting and Management, 107–121. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1479-359820200000009006.
10. Banerjee, A., Murphy, E., & Walsh, P. P. (2020). Perceptions of Multistakeholder Partnerships for the Sustainable Development Goals: A Case Study of Irish Non-State Actors. Sustainability, 12, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12218872
11. Rodríguez Cardozo, L. (2018). Development of Mexican Non-Governmental organisations and its coincidences with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, CIRIEC-España, revista de economía pública, social y cooperativa, 59–84. https://doi.org/10.7203/ciriec-e.91.8879.
12. Moya-Colorado, A., León-Bolaños, N., & Yagüe-Blanco, JL (2021). The Role of Donor Agencies in Promoting Standardized Project Management in the Spanish Development Non-Government organizations. Sustainability, 13, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13031490.
13. United Nations. (1973). Charter of the United Nations, No. article 72. https://www.un.org/en/about-us/un-charter/full-text.
14. Vitkovska, I. (2018). Civil society organisation: theoretical basis of definition. Habitus, 6. http://habitus.od.ua/journals/2018/6-2018/8.pdf.
15. Ponomaryev, S. M. (2012). Categorical and conceptual apparatus of the mechanism of implementation of the constitutional right of citizens to join public organisations. Bulletin of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, 11, 108–114. http://nbuv.gov.ua/UJRN/bmju_2012_11_19.
16. Scopus (2024). Abstract and citation database. https://www.scopus.com/
17. SciVal (2024). Research performance assessment solution. https://www.scival.com/
18. Mensah, J. (2019). Sustainable development: Meaning, history, principles, pillars, and implications for human action: Literature review. Cogent Social Sciences, 5. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2019.1653531.