Table 2 SDG and expected benefits of sharing activities

Goal 1.

No poverty

Sharing economy has been framed as model able to increase income opportunities, redistribution, and wealth. Based on the use of Internet platforms, peer-to-peer exchange, and trade outside the traditional market systems, the sharing economy has been defined as a structure to empower individuals and to promote the development of micro-entrepreneurs. The economic and financial opportunities provided by sharing activities can also contribute to reduce poverty both between and within countries (Botsman and Rogers 2010; Sacks 2011; Stephany 2015)

Goal 5.

Gender equality

The possibility to generate income from the use of underutilized assets and the provision of services taking place outside the market system can provide business opportunities for segments of population often excluded from the traditional job markets (ICF 2018; Schoenbaum 2018)

Goal 8.

Decent work and economic growth

Based on the idea of freelance work and flexible employment opportunities, the sharing economy has been framed as a business model able to reduce the working constraints and to increase the opportunities for self-employment and independent contractors. The development of innovative business models alongside the persistence of the traditional market system is also considered as a structure able to increase income generation and growth (Horpedahl 2015)

Goal 9.

Industry, innovation, and infrastructure

Innovation and technology are important factors of development. The recent expansion of Internet connection, personal computers, and mobile phone largely contributed to extend the sharing economy both in developed and developing countries. The use of sharing platform and the possibility to benefit from the sharing activities can contribute to expand the diffusion of information technologies, mobile phones, and personal computer devices (Belk 2014; Parente et al. 2018)

Goal 10.

Reduce inequality

By providing opportunities for economic growth, innovative business models, and employment opportunities, the sharing economy has been framed as a model contributing to reduce the socioeconomic inequalities both between and within countries (Hamari et al. 2016; Kenney and Zysman 2016)

Goal 11.

Sustainable city and communities

The development of activities based on sharing, local provision, and proximality can be functional to increase the socio-environmental sustainability of the urban environment. Within this context, sharing economy has been described as model able to increase personal relationships, sustainability, and trust. In addition, the consumption model based on the use, rather than ownerships, can contribute to reduce the environmental impacts of waste generation, production, and consumption particularly in urban environment (Prothero et al. 2011; Fitzmaurice, et al. 2016)

Goal 12.

Responsible production and consumption

Environmentally friendly claims are reported by most of the companies involved in sharing activities. The ideas of reducing production and disrupting the unsustainable practice of hyper-consumption are considered as some of the main features characterizing the sharing activities (Martin 2016)

Goal 13.

Climate action

As reported above, sharing economy can contribute to reduce the environmental impacts of production and consumption. By providing consumers with the opportunity to use the excess capacity embedded into “shareable goods,” the sharing economy can contribute to optimize the use of assets and to reduce the pollution related to good production, consumption, and displacement (Acquier et al. 2017; Heinrichs 2013)