2030 goals / Goal 8
Decent Work and Economic Growth
Good jobs and growing local economies
Progress in numbers
Latest figures available, mostly from the UN SDG Report 2026.
- Target
- 7%a year
- Start
- 6.5%2010 to 2014 average
- Latest
- 4.7%2015 to 2024 average
- Target
- Full employmentby 2030
- Start
- 6.0%2015
- Latest
- 4.9%2025
- Target
- Substantially reduceby 2020
- Start
- 21.2%2015
- Latest
- 20.0%2025
- Target
- End itby 2025
- Start
- 152 million2016
- Latest
- 138 million2024
Goals and targets
12 targets, each with the UN's own rating from the SDG Report 2026. Open one for a plain explanation and how it is measured.
1 moderate progress 6 marginal progress 1 stalled 3 going backwards 1 not enough data
8.1Steady growth, especially in the poorest countries Marginal progress
Keep incomes per person growing in line with each country's situation, with at least 7% yearly growth in the least developed countries.
Measured by
- Yearly growth in real income (GDP) per person
8.2More productive work Going backwards
Lift productivity through new technology, innovation and a wider mix of industries, with a focus on high value and labour-intensive sectors.
Measured by
- Yearly growth in output per worker
8.3Support small business and good jobs Going backwards
Policies that back productive work, decent jobs, enterprise, creativity and innovation, and help small businesses grow and formalise, including through access to finance.
Measured by
- Share of jobs that are informal
8.4Grow without using up the planet Stalled
Use resources more efficiently in what we make and consume, and break the link between growth and environmental damage, with wealthier countries leading.
Measured by
- Material footprint
- Materials used within each country
8.5Decent work and equal pay for all Marginal progress
Full, productive and decent work for all women and men, including young people and people with disability, with equal pay for work of equal value.
Measured by
- Average hourly earnings
- Unemployment rate
8.6Young people in work, study or training Marginal progress
Greatly reduce the share of young people who are not working, studying or training. Due 2020.
Measured by
- Share of young people not in employment, education or training
8.7End forced labour, slavery and child labour Marginal progress
Act now to end forced labour, modern slavery and human trafficking, and ban the worst forms of child labour, including child soldiers. End all child labour by 2025.
Measured by
- Number and share of children in child labour
8.8Safe workplaces and labour rights Going backwards
Protect workers' rights and promote safe, secure workplaces for everyone, including migrant workers, especially women migrants, and people in insecure jobs.
Measured by
- Rates of deaths and injuries at work
- How well countries uphold workers' rights to organise and bargain together
8.9Tourism that benefits local people Marginal progress
Policies for sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products.
Measured by
- Tourism's share of the economy and its growth
8.10Banking and finance for everyone Moderate progress
Strengthen local banks and financial services so more people can use banking, insurance and finance.
Measured by
- Bank branches and ATMs per 100,000 adults
- Share of adults with a bank or mobile money account
8.aMore trade support for poorer countries Marginal progress
Increase Aid for Trade support for developing countries, especially the least developed.
Measured by
- Aid for Trade commitments and payments
8.bA plan for youth jobs Not enough data
Develop and roll out a global strategy for youth employment and put the ILO Global Jobs Pact into practice. Due 2020.
Measured by
- Countries with a national youth employment strategy in place
An Our Common Grounds scorecard. Data from the UN and its partner agencies. See this goal on the full scorecard.