About the SDG Innovation Workshop
About the SDG Innovation WorkshopAccording to the Better Business Better World Report released by the Business and Sustainable Development Commission, pursuing the Sustainable Development Goals could create trillions in new market opportunities.
With our SDGXCHANGE – methodology, organizations of all sizes can tap into this potential and create value for their company, the environment and society.
The virtual workshop “SDG Innovation” took place on 4th May 2021 in collaboration with GreenBuzz and Impact HUB Geneva. It was a pleasure to facilitate this workshop together with our partners from Geneva and Lausanne. Participants from the French- and German speaking parts of Switzerland, as well as from Mauritius, attended the event – building bridges between people, regions and countries.
Following the essential steps of innovation aligned with the SDGs, participants were able to illustrate this process during the breakout sessions. By means of real-life practical examples, represented by SIG (Smart City project Geneva), TPG (Public Transports of Geneva), Eurotel of Montreux, Trust Valley and the F&B-sector in general, participants were able to discuss opportunities, challenges and possible solutions. With room for creativity and the discussion of what it takes to integrate the UN Sustainable Development Goals into the innovation process, participants elaborated new ideas. The results serve as starting points for new innovations in line with the SDGs, to be implemented in collaboration with peers and stakeholders.
Workshop outcomes
The main outcomes can be classified by sector as follows:
Energy and water supply: In order to engage more with citizens, existing platforms could be leveraged and enable collaboration between different actors, for instance to reduce consumption and measure the impact.
Mobility: Both the co-creation with externals, which promotes a change of culture, as well as the building of more bike lanes and wider sideways can help to oust cars from cities.
Hospitality: The application of tools to measure food waste and collaborations with local suppliers may help to reduce emissions and promote local production.
Information Technology: The involvement and empowerment of partners, in particular women, may contribute to the SDGs.
Food&Beverage: The use of an educational approach in order to involve and inform people about seasonal as well as local food might help to anticipate needs.
Overall, collaboration, co-creation and involvement are the buzzwords of these vivid workshop discussions. They indicate the next steps to realize the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Speakers
- Barbara Dubach, CEO and founder of engageability and co-developed the SDGXCHANGE strategy tool.
- Kathrin Muff, Director Institute for Business Sustainability and Co-Developer of the SDGXCHANGE strategy tool
For more information about about SDGXCHANGE click here or go to www.sdgx.org
