the united nations sustainable development goals (un sdgs) are a critical call for global cooperation to address the planet's most pressing challenges by 2030. the 17 goals, ranging from eradicating poverty to responsible consumption and production, represent a unified blueprint for a more sustainable future. while microbial systems have not traditionally been a focus in discussions about the sdgs, recent research has highlighted their significant role in achieving these goals. msystems has published a special collection of articles that explore the intersections between microbial science and the sdgs, aiming to educate researchers, policymakers, and the public about the latest advancements in microbial systems relevant to the sdgs. microorganisms play a vital role in our environment, health, industries, and daily life, with applications ranging from waste recycling and clean energy production to agriculture and disease control. this collection seeks to bring attention to the potential of microbial systems in advancing sustainability efforts. several articles in the collection present novel insights, including research on microbiomes in food as medicine, enhancing agricultural productivity, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, as well as studies on microbial innovations for clean water and biodiversity. the collection also addresses multiple sdgs, reflecting their multidisciplinary focus. the creation of this special collection is a commitment from msystems to improving global sustainability. by understanding and leveraging microbial systems biology, we move closer to fulfilling the promise of the un sdgs. the views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of the journal or of asm. published 8 january 2024. copyright © 2024 gilbert. this is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the creative commons attribution 4.0 international license.the united nations sustainable development goals (un sdgs) are a critical call for global cooperation to address the planet's most pressing challenges by 2030. the 17 goals, ranging from eradicating poverty to responsible consumption and production, represent a unified blueprint for a more sustainable future. while microbial systems have not traditionally been a focus in discussions about the sdgs, recent research has highlighted their significant role in achieving these goals. msystems has published a special collection of articles that explore the intersections between microbial science and the sdgs, aiming to educate researchers, policymakers, and the public about the latest advancements in microbial systems relevant to the sdgs. microorganisms play a vital role in our environment, health, industries, and daily life, with applications ranging from waste recycling and clean energy production to agriculture and disease control. this collection seeks to bring attention to the potential of microbial systems in advancing sustainability efforts. several articles in the collection present novel insights, including research on microbiomes in food as medicine, enhancing agricultural productivity, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, as well as studies on microbial innovations for clean water and biodiversity. the collection also addresses multiple sdgs, reflecting their multidisciplinary focus. the creation of this special collection is a commitment from msystems to improving global sustainability. by understanding and leveraging microbial systems biology, we move closer to fulfilling the promise of the un sdgs. the views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of the journal or of asm. published 8 january 2024. copyright © 2024 gilbert. this is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the creative commons attribution 4.0 international license.