Analyzing LinkedIn data to explore the relationships between sustainable development goals, circular economy, and electoral dynamics

In 2015, all United Nations Member States adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the 2030 agenda. Addressing the issue of employing alternative data sources for exploring aspects of utilizing said goals, this paper explores the Circular Economy dimension within the SDG12 score, focusing on responsible production and consumption and the broader SDG index. Data from LinkedIn are collected, examining profiles, companies, job postings, and services using the keywords 'Sustainable Development Goals' and 'Circular Economy'. Furthermore, the SDG index (including the SDG12 score) for the United States is integrated in the analysis; SDG is a published metric evaluating the progress of sustainable communities within each state. Finally, data on the past five US general elections are retrieved, in order to explore the relationship between SDGs, Circular Economy, and voting behavior. Regression analyses incorporating PCA components and state election data reveal that the LinkedIn-derived SDG and circular economy components exhibit positive impacts on the corresponding indices. Notably, a state's political inclination toward the Republican or the Democratic parties highlights contrasting effects on the SDG and SDG12 indices, indicating divergent trends based on electoral choices. Overall, this study underscores LinkedIn's potential as a valuable source for assessing SDG and Circular Economy position in the US, and highlights the interplay between political factors and sustainable communities at state level.