The global pursuit of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) reflects our commitment to improving life on earth, with a focus on providing opportunities for all humans through quality services. In their journal article, Maria Raciti, Linda Alkire, and Amanda Beatson explore this vital theme, published in the Journal of Services Marketing. This paper is part of a special issue dedicated to "Improving Life on Planet Earth – A Call to Action for Service Research to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals."

The authors focus on Service Research Theme 2, which includes SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). To provide a foundational understanding of how services can create opportunities for all, they conducted a scoping review of existing research. This review identified interlinkages and patterns within service research related to these SDGs, revealing 18 key patterns such as underrepresentation, heavy consumer focus, absence of explicit SDG linkages, reliance on a single theoretical perspective, preference for quantitative methods, and uneven development across topics.

The study highlights critical gaps and opportunities in service research related to providing opportunities for all humans. Addressing these gaps requires a multifaceted approach, including broadening representation, shifting from a consumer-centric approach to one considering systemic factors, making explicit connections between research findings and specific SDGs, incorporating multiple theoretical perspectives, and balancing quantitative and qualitative methods. By addressing these issues, service researchers can advance SDG 4, SDG 5, and SDG 10, contributing to a more equitable and just world. This paper emphasises the importance of quality education, gender equality, and reduced inequalities while providing a roadmap for future research to drive meaningful change.