We’ve got a quick question for you: What role do the following factors play in accelerating sustainability?

🔆 Mindset
🔆 Ownership
🔆 Curiosity
🔆 Proactivity

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You might think that these elements are disconnected from sustainability initiatives – but we beg to differ.

In our work with large, multinational organizations, we’ve found that realizing the SDGs starts with mindset and personal curiosity. Ultimately, accelerating sustainability is all about creating a proactive, social movement within your organization, as opposed to top-down initiatives that offer no room for growth.

Put simply, sustainability initiatives only work when companies embed people development into their sustainable development efforts.

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Sustainable Development Goals: Meet Inner Development Goals

Sustainability is the defining issue of today’s – and tomorrow’s – generation. One of the biggest challenges in achieving sustainability is the overall level of (dis)engagement among people. 

We need people and professionals to tap into their deep courage and conviction to make a real impact. Our work, therefore, puts people at the forefront of driving action and positive change. While we work with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we also use Inner Development Goals (IDGs) to harness the transformational skills people need to reach the SDGs.

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What are Inner Development Goals?

According to nonprofit organization Inner Development Goals, there are five dimensions of human inner growth and development that are key to sustainable development:

1️⃣ Being – Relationship to Self (includes skills and qualities like integrity and authenticity, openness and learning mindset, self-awareness, and presence).
2️⃣ Thinking – Cognitive Skills (includes skills and qualities like critical thinking, complexity awareness, sensemaking, and visioning).
3️⃣ Relating – Caring for Others and the World (includes skills and qualities such as appreciation, connectedness, humility, empathy, and compassion).
4️⃣ Collaborating – Social Skills (includes skills and qualities like communication, co-creation, inclusive mindset, trust, and mobilization skills).
5️⃣ Acting – Driving Change (includes skills and qualities such as courage, creativity, optimism, and perseverance).

Developed by a team of international researchers, these Inner Development Goals provide a helpful framework for the human competencies and qualities that are needed to take collective action to save our planet.

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At Limelights, we embed Inner Development Goals into every program and session we design by integrating skills and topics such as:

👂 Active listening
🌱 Growth mindset
🧩 Critical thinking
💚 Empathy
🎤 Non-judgmental feedback
🌹 Connection
🤲 Co-creation
🎢 Trust
🌈 Inclusiveness

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👉Want to work on Inner Development Goals within your organization to help us reach the global Sustainable Development Goals? Reach out to us today!