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Accelerator for Young Professionals
The SDG Innovation Accelerator for Young Professionals is an opportunity for participating companies of the UN Global Compact to empower young talent within their organizations to collaborate and accelerate business innovation towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This nine-month programme activates future business leaders and changemakers to develop and drive innovative solutions through new technologies, initiatives, and business models and deliver on their company’s sustainability objectives.
The programme connects entry- to mid-level managers – aged 35 and younger – across diverse business units to generate bold yet viable solutions that can have a positive impact on the company and the SDGs.
Participant Benefits:
• Engage in accelerated learning opportunities that include online and in-person workshops, case studies, company visits and forum discussion
• Connect with other businesses and collaborate on innovative projects relative to your company and industry
• Build work relationships through coaching, mentoring and peer-to-peer networking opportunities
• Learn from some of the brightest minds working on sustainability and innovation from around the world
• Be part of a global network of leading young professionals from some of the top companies across every continent
Company Benefits:
• Apply SDG innovation to solve real sustainability challenges your company is facing
• Integrate the SDGs into your company’s business strategy through collaboration, innovation and knowledge sharing
• Increase your employee engagement and professional development opportunities
• Tap into an expert network of leading professionals from some of the top companies across the globe
• Gain global recognition for participation in the programme
Programme Experience
Over the course of nine months, each team of young innovators will work on a challenge specific to their company with the goal of designing more sustainable business models, initiatives and products that will advance the company’s sustainability efforts while driving innovation and delivering tangible solutions with potential market value.
The Accelerator takes participants through a design thinking approach to innovation by focusing on the SDGs. Participants run through each of the below five phases of the programme, equipped with resources, tools and methodologies that will guide them through the process of identifying a challenge, designing and testing solutions, and validating these solutions for business value and SDG impact.
Programme Phases:
|
PHASE 1 SDG Exploration Explore the core concepts around business and the Sustainable Development Goals to understand challenges facing business today. |
PHASE 2 Challenge Identification Identify and prioritize specific SDGs and their relevance for your business as well as the business impact on the SDGs. |
PHASE 3 Challenge Definition Find out how to use SDG impact and assessment tools to build a challenge that is ambitious enough for breakthrough impact and speaks to real needs within their company. |
PHASE 4 Solutions Development Learn how to generate new ideas and use tools to move an idea from a concept into a fully defined project. |
PHASE 5 Solutions Testing and Validation Move your project solution to a more refined version through testing and validation within the company and with external stakeholders. |
Timeline:
▪ Company registration: 26 October, 2023 – 31 January, 2024
▪ Information session: 29 November, 6:00 PM / Register here
▪ Programme begins: February, 2024
▪ Programme ends: September, 2024