Target Gender Equality

Target Gender Equality

Target Gender Equality

Setting and meeting ambitious corporate targets for women’s representation & leadership

Target Gender Equality is a gender equality accelerator programme for participating companies of the UN Global Compact. Through facilitated performance analysis, capacity building workshops, peer-to-peer learning and multi-stakeholder dialogue at the country-level, Target Gender Equality will support companies engaged with the UN Global Compact in setting and reaching ambitious corporate targets for women’s representation and leadership, starting with the Board and Executive Management levels.

Companies participating in Target Gender Equality have the opportunity to deepen implementation of the Women’s Empowerment Principles and strengthen their contribution to Sustainable Development Goal 5.5, which calls for equal women representation, participation and leadership in business globally. Companies will be equipped with the latest data and research supporting the business case for gender equality and gain insights from UN partners and experts on how to accelerate progress on gender equality.

PROGRAMME BENEFTIS

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Confidently set ambitious and realistic corporate targets for gender equality demonstrating commitment and action to your employees, investors and other stakeholders

N

Understand your current gender equality performance through the facilitated use of the Women’s Empowerment Principles Gender Gap Analysis Tool

N

Engage in accelerated learning opportunities specific to your country context

N

Build a network of peers, UN partners and experts to support your gender equality strategy and work collectively to tackle persistent barriers to gender equality.

N

Showcase women in your company who are driving business success, sustainability and contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Eligibility

In order to take part In Target Gender Equality, companies are required to be participants of the UN Global Compact or willing to join, and meet the following criteria:

 

  • Committed to learning about corporate target setting and taking actions to increase women’s representation and leadership in business
  • Willing to appoint two representatives to participate in programme activities and events and an executive-level “Ambassador” to follow programme developments, provide support and participate in high-level events
  • Currently engaged with a Global Compact Local Network or willing to join if required by the Network

I left the sessions inspired to continue our journey and learn from others experiences to work towards our 2030 ambitions.

 

Monique Slaats

Executive President People & Organization, IGM Resins

We started this program with high ambitions and many different angles on how to reach them. TGE helped us determine focus and discuss the different approaches, which ended in a stronger commitment and ready-to-use actions.

Julie Folmer-Niemann

Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging Advisor, ISS

The programme gave concrete guidance on what you could be doing for gender equality. It doesn’t matter what gender you are to engage in these questions. Diversity includes all of us.

Martin Bang-Löwgren

Head of Sustainability, Polaris Management

I enjoyed hearing about the practices that already exist in other companies. Very useful to share with my team!

 

Peipei Yang

Product Stewardship Analyst, Trivium Packaging

I enjoyed hearing about the practices that already exist in other companies. Very useful to share with my team!

 

Mia Møgelgaard

Impact Manager, FRITZ HANSEN

Upcoming Information Sessions

Sign up for our upcoming information sessions to learn more about the Target Gender Equality Accelerator and get your questions answered.

Local webinar: 16 May, 3 p.m. CET

Global webinars: 26 April, 8 a.m. ET (French) | 26 April, 9 a.m. ET (English) | 26 April, 10 a.m. ET (Spanish) | 26 April, 9 p.m. ET (English)

Programme

The below programme will take place virtually in each country, complemented by further optional regional and global engagement opportunities.

 

  • Performance Analysis and aggregate results discussions through the WEPs Gender Gap Analysis Tool
  • Three capacity building work-shops:
    • “Setting Targets & Defining Ambition”
    • “Strategies for Success”
    • “Measuring & Communicating Progress”
  • An Action Planning Guide will support participants to apply learnings within their company’s context
  • Learning opportunities through the UN Global Compact Academy
  • Multi-stakeholder Action Dialogues to jointly advocate to raise the bar for gender equality

Any questions? Please contact us

Supported by

WOMEN Inc.

WOMEN Inc. is an interest group that has been accelerating the emancipation of women in the Netherlands since 2005. They strive for a society with equal opportunities for everyone, regardless of their gender or sex. They work in the areas of Money, Work, Healthcare and Media. To make a change, we conduct research, develop campaigns for the general public and politicians, share our knowledge and organize events and workshops to increase opportunities for women. To make a change on all levels of society they work in close cooperation with our agenda-setting network – from national to local governments, ambassadors, companies, institutions and knowledge institutes.

Their goal for girls and women in 2030 is to: have access to a labour market with a level playing field (without a wage gap and with a fair division of work and care); equal possibilities and opportunities to realize financial independence; customized healthcare, taking differences between men and women into account; representative media and education, free of stereotypes. And finally: a gender sensitive government that develops policies that create equal opportunities for everyone.

Our accelerator alumni

Target Gender Equality Global Coalition

SDG Ambition programma

SDG Ambition programma

SDG Ambition programma

Bedrijven moeten zich – nu meer dan ooit – overal ter wereld verenigen voor een meer veerkrachtige en duurzame wereld. Ondanks de vooruitgang die op vele gebieden is geboekt, liggen we niet op schema om de SDG’s voor 2030 te behalen. Het Sustainable Development Goals Report 2022, gepubliceerd door UN Statistics, waarschuwt dat de COVID-19 pandemie en de oorlog tussen Rusland en Oekraïne vooruitgang op de SDG’s terugdraait. Het benadrukt de noodzaak voor landen en bedrijven om meer te doen om Agenda 2030 te halen.

Terwijl 84 procent van de ondervraagde bedrijven actie onderneemt op het gebied van SDG’s, is slechts 46 procent bezig met de implementeren ervan in hun bedrijfsstrategie en ontwerpt slechts 37 procent bedrijfsmodellen die een bijdrage leveren aan de SDG’s. Deze percentages zijn niet hoog genoeg.

Het is duidelijk dat er behoefte is aan meer bedrijfsambitie, maar ook dat deze ambitie wordt vertaald naar concrete acties. Daarom heeft UN Global Compact in partnerschap met SAP en Accenture de SDG Ambition in het leven geroepen. Dit is een initiatief dat de deelnemende bedrijven van het UN Global Compact wil uitdagen en ondersteunen bij het vaststellen van ambitieuze bedrijfsdoelstellingen en het versnellen van de integratie van de 17 Sustainable Development Goals in het kern van het bedrijfsmanagement.

De SDG Ambition is tijdens het WEF 2020 in Davos gelanceerd. Eric Rondolat, CEO van Signify, nam als één van de drie sprekers voor de lokale netwerken deel. De SDG Ambition worden door de lokale netwerken op nationaal niveau uitgerold. Na twee succesvolle ronden in 2020 en 2021, bieden we dit programma ook dit jaar aan. In oktober 2022 start het trainingsprogramma in Nederland.

SDG Ambition zal je bedrijf in staat stellen om verder te gaan dan incrementele vooruitgang en een stap verder te gaan met transformatieve veranderingen – het ontsluiten van bedrijfswaarde, het opbouwen van veerkracht en het mogelijk maken van groei op de lange termijn.

 

Het SDG Ambition programma

Het programma van de SDG Ambition bestaat uit drie modules tussen oktober 2022 en april 2023 met zowel on demand en live sessies. Tijdens deze sessies werken de deelnemers aan uitdagende opdrachten, zowel alleen als met andere deelnemers. Door samen te werken met mensen uit andere werkvelden worden deelnemers gemotiveerd om out of the box te denken en kennis en best practices met elkaar te delen.
Elke deelnemer zal ongeveer 30 uur besteden aan het hele programma. Dit zijn geen extra uren, omdat ze de oude manier van operaties, waardeketen en productie/dienstverlening zullen vervangen. Elk deelnemend bedrijf dient twee vertegenwoordigers aan het programma te laten meedoen.
De SDG Ambition is open voor leden van Global Compact Netwerk Nederland. Aan deelname aan het programma zijn geen kosten verbonden.
De voertaal van het programma is Engels. Het programma wordt in samenwerking met Accenture uitgerold. De live sessies vinden plaats via Zoom.

Wat je zult leren tijdens het zes maanden durende SDG Ambition programma:

● Een duidelijk begrip van de baseline effecten in het hele bedrijf bij het creëren van een uitgebreide duurzaamheidsstrategie.
● Het vermogen om ambitieuze doelen te bereiken die gericht zijn op het formuleren van business actie met wat daadwerkelijk nodig is om de SDG’s te bereiken.
● De kennis die nodig is om duurzaamheidsdoelstellingen te integreren en te mainstreamen in alle bedrijfseenheden door, voorop te lopen met een presentatie-integratieaanpak die gebruik maakt van faciliterende technologieën.
● Een kans om verbetering aan te brengen in de wijze waarop je communiceert en vastlegt volgens de Communication on Progress (CoP).

Voor wie is de SDG Ambition?

Wij roepen alle leden van Global Compact Netwerk Nederland op om zich aan te melden voor de SDG Ambition. Wij vragen deelnemers om toewijding te tonen om de vastgestelde bedrijfsdoelstellingen te versterken en het nemen van maatregelen om de vooruitgang op het gebied van de SDG’s te vergroten. Elk bedrijf stelt twee vertegenwoordigers aan die deelnemen aan het programma. Daarnaast wordt er een “SDG Champion” op uitvoerend niveau aangewezen om de ontwikkelingen in het programma te volgen en steun te verlenen waar nodig.

Wil je graag deelnemen aan het programma?

De aanmelddeadline loopt tot 30 september.

Ga samen met uw collega’s aan de slag met de ‘Decade of Action and Delivery’. Meld je aan via de website van UN Global Compact of neem contact op met Marco Swan, swan@gcnetherlands.nl.

SDG Ambition Q&A session

Heeft u vragen over deelname van uw bedrijf aan de SDG Ambition Accelerator voor de ronde 2021-2022? Bekijk de opname van de Q&A sessie om te leren hoe uw bedrijf ambitieuze bedrijfsdoelen kan stellen en de integratie van de Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) in het kernbedrijfsmanagement kan versnellen. Nu we samen willen herstellen van de COVID-19-pandemie, is het tijd voor alle bedrijven om hun ambitie voor mensen, planeet en welvaart te verhogen – door actie te ondernemen in alle SDG’s en op een schaal die de omslagpunten kan creëren voor de wereld die we willen.

Lotte Mastwijk, Manager Communications & Sustainability bij LC Packaging beschrijft de verstoringen in hun activiteiten die rechtstreeks verband houden met uitdagingen zoals klimaatverandering en de schaarste van fossiele brandstoffen. Om de risico’s te verminderen en de gevolgen van deze verstoringen te beperken, benadrukt ze vervolgens de noodzaak om strategieën te definiëren, om de veerkracht van de toeleveringsketen op te bouwen, zoals investeren in het tegengaan van klimaatverandering en in klimaatbestendige infrastructuur, en om de activiteiten van het bedrijf te vergroenen en de afhankelijkheid van fossiele brandstoffen te elimineren.

Participating companies

Ambition Guide: Setting Goals for the Decade of Action

Deze publicatie bevat de eerste reeks Benchmarks voor de SDG-ambitie, die organisaties uitdagen ambitieuze doelen te formuleren op de gebieden waarop het bedrijfsleven een substantiële impact kan hebben. Business leaders kunnen dit document gebruiken om hun strategie te ondersteunen en doelen te stellen die ambitieus genoeg zijn om de SDG’s tegen 2030 te verwezenlijken.

Integration Guide: Designing Business Systems for the SDGs

Deze publicatie presenteert de aanpak waarmee de tien benchmarks van de SDG-ambitie kunnen worden geïntegreerd in de kernprocessen en -systemen van bedrijven om een effectieve meting en beheer van duurzaamheidsprestaties mogelijk te maken. Bedrijfsleiders kunnen deze publicatie gebruiken om de systeemkansen te identificeren om de SDG’s in de kernprocessen van het bedrijf te integreren.

SDG Ambition Benchmark Reference Sheets (for consultation)

De SDG Ambition Benchmark Reference Sheets bieden illustratieve details over de stappen die nodig zijn om elk van de SDG Ambition Benchmarks te integreren in de bedrijfssystemen van een bedrijf, evenals de belangrijkste ontwerpbeslissingen die nodig zijn om technologiepartners te betrekken.  U kunt de 10 referentiesheets bekijken door het onderstaande formulier in te vullen.

SDG Ambition – Scaling Business Impact for the Decade of Action

Deze publicatie is een introductie tot SDG Ambition – een nieuw initiatief van het UN Global Compact. Door de ambitie te verhogen, de integratie te verdiepen en nieuwe technologieën te omarmen, geloven wij dat het bedrijfsleven een leidende rol kan spelen bij het bereiken van de Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s). Met de lancering van SDG Ambition deelt het UN Global Compact met trots zijn nieuwe SDG Implementation Framework, dat bedrijven moet leiden bij het verdiepen van de integratie van de SDG’s en de Tien Principes in de bedrijfsstrategie, de bedrijfsvoering en de betrokkenheid van belanghebbenden.

SDG Pioneers

SDG Pioneers

SDG Pioneers

BENT U DE VOLGENDE SDG PIONEER?

De Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) bieden een duidelijke visie voor een duurzame toekomst en een kans om een nieuw tijdperk voor verantwoord ondernemen in te luiden. Elk jaar erkent de UN Global Compact een groep SDG Pioneers – medewerkers die uitzonderlijk werk verrichten om de SDG’s te bevorderen door de implementatie van de Tien Principes op het gebied van mensenrechten, arbeid, milieu en anticorruptie. In onze zoektocht naar het 2022 cohort van SDG Pioneers, moedigen wij professionals aan die werkzaam zijn op elk niveau van een UN Global Compact deelnemende onderneming en die een op principes gebaseerde aanpak hanteren om ambitieuze, schaalbare en impactvolle SDG doelen te stellen, om zich aan te melden.

Het termijn om u aan te melden of iemand te nomineren om de nationale SDG Pioneers te worden opent op 1 december 2022.

Als onderdeel van het UN Global Compact SDG Pioneers programma, zijn diverse lokale netwerken op 1 december 2021 de nationale zoektocht gestart naar professionals die zich inzetten voor het behalen van de SDG’s. Geselecteerde SDG pioneers op nationaal niveau zullen lokaal worden erkend en doorgaan naar de wereldwijde ronde. Deze wordt op 14 januari 2022 geopend.

Werknemers van bedrijven die deelnemen aan de UN Global Compact kunnen hun eigen verhaal over hun bijdrage aan duurzame ontwikkeling insturen of een collega nomineren voor het SDG Pioneers programma.

U kunt zich aanmelden of iemand nomineren van 1 december tot en met 31 januari 2022.

WAAROM AANMELDEN OF IEMAND NOMINEREN?

  • Betrokkenheid en erkenning van werknemers – Het programma biedt organisaties de mogelijkheid om te laten zien hoe hun werknemers impact maken op de SDG’s.
  • Erken SDG talent binnen uw organisatie – Leiderschap in het 2030-tijdperk vereist het SDG talent, en het SDG Pioneers Programma biedt een eenmalige kans voor professionals om hun visie binnen hun organisaties te bevorderen en verandering te creëren.
  • Nationale en wereldwijde erkenning – SDG Pioneers krijgen zichtbaarheid en worden erkend voor het belangrijke werk dat ze hebben gedaan om de SDG’s vooruit te helpen. De Global SDG Pioneers zullen worden aangekondigd tijdens de ‘General Assembly’ van de VN in september 2020.

“I am proud that I was acknowledged as Runner Up in the SDG Pioneer program of 2019. To be able to achieve the SDGs we need to share ideas and bring new solutions on the table. To have positive & constructive dialogues. Therefore it is important that we have initiatives like the SDG Pioneer program where companies and individuals share their contribution towards the SDGs. It’s the decade of action, every action counts. But only if we share, it can be multiplied.”

Wineke Haagsma

“It was a huge honour to be named as one of the global SDG Pioneers of 2019. As such, I attended the General Assembly of the UN in New York in September last year. It was a truly enriching experience and I would highly recommend this opportunity to anyone. I met inspiring people who are very motivated and want to make positive contributions to sustainable development in the world. Looking at the nature of the SDGs, it is clear that all of us need to be working towards their achievement, and particularly businesses need to take an active role. At the end of the day, it is about our own future.”

Dylan McNeill


Lees Dylan zijn verhaal

TIJDLIJN

 

Data Periode
1 december 2021 Lokale lancering van het SDG Pioneer Program
1 december 2021 – 31 januari 2022 Aanmeldingsperiode
1 februari 2022 – 28 februari 2022 Beoordelingsproces
1 maart 2022 Bekendmaking van de lokale winnaars
14 januari 2022 – 15 maart 2022 Wereldwijde aanmeldingen
Midden juni 2022 Aankondiging en erkenning tijdens de UN Global Compact Leaders Summit 

Heeft u vragen?

Neem dan gerust contact met ons op.

Linda van Beek

Executive Director

beek@gcnetherlands.nl

Marco Swan

Program Manager

swan@gcnetherlands.nl

Young Professionals Program

Young Professionals Program

Young Professionals Program

A SDG leadership journey that rewires your thinking, transforms your mindset and creates positive impact!

“I am honoured to carry the mission of the UN Global Compact forward in its efforts to mobilize businesses through its Ten Principles and in support of the Sustainable Development Goals” 

Sanda Ojiambo

Executive Director and CEO of the United Nations Global Compact

“It is abundantly clear that a much deeper, faster and more ambitious response is needed to unleash the social and economic transformation needed to achieve our 2030 goals”

António Guterres

United Nations Secretary-General

115+ young professionals from these organizations already participated

UN Global Compact Network Netherlands proudly presents the Young Professionals Program (YPP). This program is based on action-learning. It is specifically designed for future leaders that are eager to:

Embark on an exciting SDG-journey and step out of their comfort zone

Be part of a mixed team of young professionals that makes a difference

Transform from an individual contributor to a high-performing team player

Discover how to unlock game-changing potential in themselves and others

DISTINCTIVE SDG LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

During a period of 12 months, you are working and learning in a multidisciplinary team of 10 to 12 young talented professionals coming from different organizations to work on three key learning objectives :

  • Understanding what the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are about and together with your team deliver an impactful and innovative SDG project.
  • Building and sustaining an effective multidisciplinary and cross-company team, getting insights in team building, team roles, team performance and team dynamics, understanding your own role within and contribution to the team.
  • Developing leadership skills that will contribute to become an inspiring, sensitive, innovative, effective and responsible business leader.
Sofia Teles

Sofia Teles

ING

Koen Kiers

Koen Kiers

Remeha

Silvia Pastore

Silvia Pastore

NIBC

Yorick Schut

Yorick Schut

Philips

Francesca Messina

Francesca Messina

Rabobank

Have a look at the testimonials of some of the former participants

Silvia Pastore

Silvia Pastore

NIBC

Koen Kiers

Koen Kiers

Remeha

Francesca Messina

Francesca Messina

Rabobank

Have a look at the testimonials of some of the former participants

DEVELOPING ESSENTIAL LEADERSHIP SKILLS


The YPP is a smart and effective concept that stimulates the development of a unique set of core leadership skills. The top 10 soft skills participants are empowered to work on are:

  1. Strategic, analytical thinking and (social) innovation
  2. Collaboration, team building and team dynamics
  3. Creativity, originality and initiative
  4. Reasoning, problem solving and ideation
  5. Listening skills, judgement and decision making
  6. Effective communication and dealing with feedback
  7. Persuasion and result driven project management 
  8. Adaptability, cognitive flexibility and self reflection
  9. Emotional intelligence
  10. Leadership and social influence

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The YPP is primarily designed to target high-performing young talent at organizations participating in the UN Global Compact. The program is also open for top talent from non-member public and private organizations. However, there are only limited spaces for organizations that are not a member of UN Global Compact.

Are eager to join? Don’t hesitate and apply now. We are seeking for young professionals who are:

  • Aged between 25-35
  • Based in the Netherlands
  • Have at least 3 years of professional working experience
  • Have the commitment and permission to invest at least 1 working day each month (indication is 12 to 15 days)
  • Are highly motivated and have a genuine interest in sustainability, the SDGs, innovation and teamwork
Jan van den Herik

Jan van den Herik

Executive Team Coach and Program Director

My purpose is to inspire business leaders to make a difference!

In my role as Executive Team Coach, I am empowering and stretching future leaders to go beyond the ordinary.

Click here for more information.

+31 (0)6 51222450

jan@teampactor.nl

Marco Swan

Marco Swan

Senior Program Manager

My purpose is to create a sustainable transformation together!

In my role as Program Manager, I am the primary contact and I am responsible for a smooth operation of the YPP.

+31 (0)6 51146829

swan@gcnetherlands.nl

Linda van Beek

Linda van Beek

Executive Director

My wish is to engage as many entrepreneurs as possible with the Sustainable Development Goals.

In my role as Executive Director, I am responsible for the integration of the Young Professionals Program in UN Global Compact Network Netherlands.

beek@gcnetherlands.nl

SDG PROJECTS & DELIVERABLES OF DIFFERENT YPP TEAMS:

Team 1 (2017-2018)

One of the two first YPP-teams that participated in the pilot phase of the YPP focused their project on SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.

The team made a deep dive on the issue of Food Waste. Each year, an estimated one third of all food produced – equivalent to 1.3 billion tonnes worth around $1 trillion – ends up rotting in the bins of consumers and retailers, or spoiling due to poor transportation and harvesting practices.

Their final deliverable was an impactful Global Waste Dinner to raise awareness around this important issue. The event took place at the Heineken Experience in Amsterdam. With inspiring speakers like Ron Simpson of the Avocado Show and Maurits Groen van Kipster and a dinner made of food waste served on signs of Amsterdam rejected trees. And in collaboration with BrightVibes the YPP-team created online content to further increase awareness!”

Team 2 (2017-2018)

In 2015, world leaders agreed to 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for a safer, cleaner and more prosperous world by 2030. The second YPP-team that kicked off in 2017 decided to generate greater awareness about the SDG agenda and get everyone involved. The YPP-team created a board game that has been developed for companies throughout the world, to be played by managers and employees in all positions at all levels. To learn about the SDGs in a light-hearted and competitive way.

The YPP-team was responsible for content development and for the game dynamics in close collaboration with the company ‘Identity Games International BV’. The YPP-team tested the first versions of the SDG Game with stakeholder groups (nationally and internationally) and learned how to improve the SDG Game with the feedback given by these stakeholders. The SDG Game was finally produced by Identity Games International BV and financed by Global Compact Network Netherlands.

Team 3 (2018-2019)

Within the UN Global Compact, the world’s largest sustainability initiative, businesses and their stakeholders join forces with the United Nations to create a world that is more sustainable and socially equitable. In this enormous global network of private and public organizations millions of young professionals are active. But how involved are these highly talented future leaders with UN Global Compact, the Ten Principles and the SDGs? And how could the involvement of the upcoming leaders with the SDG agenda be further stimulated and activated?

The YPP-team that started their leadership journey in 2018 did thorough research and discovered that there is a huge potential to engage and involve the next generation of leaders actively. The YPP-team developed a vison document to set-up a global movement of young professionals under the flag and umbrella of UN Global Compact. At the international Local Networks meetings of UN Global Compact in Dubrovnik and in Copenhagen they presented their plan to create a global SDG Young Leaders Network. The first step forward is that UN Global Compact created and launched the SDG Young Innovators Programme in 2019. And in 2020 a SDG Young Leaders Board was formed and formally installed within the governance structure of Global Compact Network Netherlands.

Team 4 (2019-2020)

The last YPP-team that participated in the pilot phase of the YPP focused their project on the SDG Ambition. SDG Ambition is an accelerator initiative that aims to challenge and support participating companies of the UN Global Compact in setting ambitious corporate targets and accelerating integration of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into core business management. The need for SDG Ambition today is clear. The world is not delivering progress towards the SDGs at the pace and scale needed. 

The YPP-team decided in the second phase of their learning journey to organize an inspiring virtual event for young professionals. An event from young professionals for young professionals, with the slogan: ‘Get Involved, Get Inspired, Take Action!’ The aim of the event was to help and inspire young professionals to draw up their personal SDG Ambition. The YPP-team wanted to enable young professionals like themselves to learn more about the SDGs, understand how they can contribute best to the goal of their choice, hence translate their ambition into daily work and projects, involving their colleagues and management.

Team 5 – Listen Up (2020-2021)

The Listen Up team is going to deliver an inspiring Podcast. Listen Up is a short podcast series about making great choices for a better future. How can we as individuals all make a little bit of a difference in our daily lives to contribute to a healthy, fair and sustainable planet? We are all consumers and we can make choices in our household, in the supermarkets and shops, online, in the way we travel to work or are going on holiday, how we use energy, produce waste or try to reduce our individual footprint. Listen Up is trying to find answers.

Although most people want to make fair choices and contribute to a better and sustainable world, it is not easy. Not easy at all. Making great choices for a sustainable future seems to go along with dilemmas. As individuals we are often confronted with the dilemma for example between the citizen and the consumer. As a citizen you are convinced that sustainability is the right way forward. But as a consumer you seem to make total different choices. Choices that are not in line with what the citizen in you is convinced about.

So you often have to make difficult choices as consumer, as professional, as family member. In these defining moments it shows if you really want to change something or that you will stick to your traditional lifestyle and choices. So if you want to make a difference, really go for individual change than be inspired and Listen Up!

Team 6 – Tiny Forest (2020-2021)

This team of young professionals has set out on a mission to address climate change, biodiversity and the heating issue in urban areas in a tangible way. Partnering with Netherlands-based organisation for nature education, IVN, the team has the goal of planting a Tiny Forest this year, and applying learnings from that experience to collaborate with IVN and develop a corporate strategy: Tiny Forest for Business. To inspire Dutch companies to become a partner and join the Tiny Forest for business movement.

The Tiny Forest concept was initially developed by Shubhendu Sharma (TED Talk: Tiny Forest), and was then adopted by IVN, with the first Tiny Forest being planted in the Netherlands in 2015. Tiny Forests are densely packed native forests, about the size of a tennis court, and can deliver significant benefits to the surrounding community and environment. They boost biodiversity, increase CO₂ uptake, improve local water management, and regulate temperatures. And they’re good for people. As well as giving people the chance to be closer to nature, there are also numerous health and educational benefits.

Check back here later this year to see our results!

Team 7 – Green Gurus (2020-2021)

YPP team 7 aims to activate consumers to contribute to SDG #12: Responsible Consumption and to SDG #13: Climate Action. Our problem statement points out the gap between perception and the actual practice of sustainable consumption; people -generally- know about irresponsible consumption patterns and their impact on climate, but lack practice in acting sustainably.

As the team we want to achieve this by implementing a project which incentivizes the participants to act in line with this perception through a 100k Actions Challenge. The purpose of this challenge is to empower consumers to be the most sustainable version of their self and measure all the impact participants of the challenge make. In order to realize this, the AWorld app is used. This app will guide consumers towards living sustainably every day through taking actions. Examples of actions are eating a plant-based meal or taking a 5-minute shower. Through participation, participants get the opportunity to learn about the SDG’s, receive tips and tricks on living a sustainable lifestyle, and join a community of like-minded people. Together, we aim for 100k actions.

Our team consist of young professionals from seven different companies, including Albert Heijn, Shell and Rabobank, which gives us a strong network to collaborate with and implement in our project.

Team 8 – Top Gear (2020-2021)

In 2020, Global Compact facilitated a study on current best practices in stakeholder engagement. The result of this study was a report and model on stakeholder inclusion as an accelerator for the SDGs. Stakeholder engagement can help to accelerate the SDGs and allow better alignment of a company’s long-term strategies with social goals.

The goal of the study was to provide a useful tool and new handholds for companies to increase their role in the world and use stakeholder engagement to achieve the SDGs. The model is divided into 6 aspects of engagement, with four gears per aspect to denote the level of engagement a company has reached. These gears extend from the legal minimum (lowest gear, gear 1) to stewardship, partnerships and impact motivation (highest gear, gear 4).

As team Top Gear, we aim to add to this study and model by studying the model and researching how companies in Global Compact NL view stakeholder engagement through interviews. We want to spread the knowledge of this model and make it usable for companies in Global Compact, so that they can use it to map their own stakeholder engagement and have handholds on how to move up in the gears. By embedding stakeholders’ legitimate interests into their decision-making processes, companies can create long term value and contribute to all the SDGs. Read more about the workshop they created.

Team  9 – Life Below Water (2021-2022)

The ocean covers 70 percent of the Earth’s surface. It contains about 1.35 billion cubic kilometers of water, which is about 97 percent of all the water on Earth. The ocean makes all life on Earth possible. At the same time, our oceans are under immense pressure from human activity. Megatrends such as overfishing, plastic pollution, and ocean warming now threaten all life in our oceans, which could lead to the collapse of the ecosystem as a whole. Despite its significance, only a fraction of philanthropic funding goes towards ocean conservation. And for donors who do provide funding through traditional channels and organizations to projects, there is often a lack of transparency and measurable impact. YPP and underwater photographer Vincent Kneefel have joined forces to increase the volume, speed, efficiency, and transparency of funding flowing to ocean impact projects.

TheOcean.org works to accelerate the transition to a blue economy and to build a future where ocean health regenerates. TheOcean.org provides donors and business partners the opportunity to purchase block-chain-enabled credits to offset their footprint. We do this by building an end-to-end, blockchain-enabled, platform that enables private and company donors to get insight into where their funding is going and what impact it has achieved. TheOcean.org then uses the funds to fund impactful projects with a wide ecosystem of partners around the world. The entire process is verified by third-party auditors. To ensure full accountability, transparency, and traceability, all credits and offsets are registered in TheOcean.org’s public blockchain ledger.

As part of the YPP team’s assignment, they created a strategy/pitch deck to attract funding for the development of the platform. Click here to view the deck

Team  10 – Class B-est (2022-2023)

At the beginning of 2022, YPP team 10 came together and decided to contribute towards SDG 12.3.

More specifically SDG 12.3 which by 2030 seeks to halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses.

Team Class B-est (referring to the “class B” food that is now wasted) found out through their research that a significant percentage of food is being wasted at production level both in the Netherlands and globally. One of the main reasons was that this “class B” food could not be sold to supermarkets. This food is then wasted or used for purposes other than human consumption. The goal was set to reduce the percentage of this food waste and help foundations or the less fortunate in the process.

During the year, the team realized that the project was too ambitious for a one year program and swiftly changed actions while keeping in mind the original goal of the project. This decision came after engaging with experts, ranging from farmers to policy makers and supermarkets to academia, which uncovered some of the complexities around food loss.

Team B-est therefore decided to host two interactive round table discussions, bringing together key stakeholders to discuss the challenges and (collaborative) opportunities to reduce food loss. The first discussion was for producers of (open land) produce, and the second for the customer of these producers. The findings from the virtual roundtables served as input for a report, which was presented during a physical event to the Food and Agriculture Ministry (NL) and other key stakeholders. The event, which attracted over 100 participants, provided a platform for experts to discuss viable solutions, meeting our goal to end the event with participants committing to making a step forward to reducing overproduction and the loss of class B produce.

PITCH YOUR PROJECT

PROGRAM BENEFITS

The YPP is designed to engage your organization’s brightest and best talent. In this advanced leadership journey young professionals are challenged on sustainability, teamwork and responsible leadership. Continuous guidance will be offered by a professional team coach.

Good for you

  • Learn about UN Global Compact, the Ten Principles and the SDGs.
  • Get involved in UN Global Compact Network Netherlands. Have access to a large network of experts, businesses, NGOs, governments and other local networks of UN Global Compact on a global scale.
  • Dare to challenge yourself to work in a multidisciplinary and cross-company team and gain insights in your own contribution and that of other team members to the team’s success.
  • Get guidance from a senior Executive Team Coach with extensive business experience (e.g. Corporate Governance, Sustainability and Strategy & Innovation) that will also help the team to reflect on team dynamics and team performance.
  • Add value to society by accelerating the realization of the SDGs by delivering an impactful project.
  • Become member of the ‘SDG Young Leaders Network’ UN Global Compact Network Netherlands

Good for your organization

  • Development of essential teamwork and leadership skills will strengthen and empower responsible leadership within your organization.
  • Participants become agents of change. They will support the acceleration and integration of the SDGs and the commitment to sustainability in your business.
  • Strengthen your branding as an employer of choice for top talent.
  • Participants will receive after completion of the program an official certificate.

FINANCIAL INVESTMENT*

€2.950 ex. VAT

Is the fee for participants from members of UN Global Compact

€4.950 ex. VAT

Is the fee for participants from non-members of UN Global Compact

TIMELINE

Application deadline

28 April 2023

Kick-off dates

22 May, 24 May, 12 June, and 14 June 2023

*The financial investment (participants fee) is non-refundable when you have been selected and officially admitted to the YPP.

If a team consists of only Dutch speaking participants the main language of the program will be Dutch.

REGISTER TODAY

REGISTER TODAY

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