Loading... please wait

Unlocking Impact: How Project Management Drives the UN SDGs

SpeakerS:

Patrick Temple-West, Journalist, Financial Times
Pierre Le Manh, President & CEO, Project Management Institute
Jenny Buccos, CEO, EXPLR
H.E. María Fernanda Espinosa, Former President of UN General Assembly, Executive Director of GWL Voices, GWL Voices

With Lead Programming Partner

“The Sustainable Development Goals are truly a design, a blueprint for building sustainable, peaceful, more equal, poverty-free, low-carbon societies.” H.E. María Fernanda Espinosa
“Our purpose is to maximize project success to elevate our world, so there's a combination of doing things right and doing the right things, very much in line with what the SDGs are trying to accomplish.” Pierre Le Manh
“We need to make sure that young people have a seat at the table, that they have agency, and we remove the barriers so that they can be actively involved in innovation and in change-making.” Jenny Buccos

Key takeaways:

  • SDGs as a blueprint for sustainable development: The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a comprehensive framework for building sustainable, peaceful, and equitable societies. They are interconnected and serve as a useful organizer for national planning, decision-making, and investment prioritization. 
  • Importance of project management: Effective project management practices are essential in tackling the complexities of the SDGs. Competent project professionals can help organizations, governments, and companies implement initiatives more efficiently, accelerating progress towards the goals. 
  • Role of public-private partnerships: Engaging the private sector through public-private partnerships is crucial, especially for ambitious targets like transitioning to a net-zero, fossil fuel-free society by 2050 (SDG13 on climate action). Such collaborations leverage resources and expertise from both sectors. 
  • Centrality of education: Education is at the heart of advancing the SDGs. This includes educating younger generations and society at large about sustainable practices, responsible consumption, and new ways of doing business. 
  • Necessity of innovation and creativity: The world needs innovation and creativity to address current global challenges. Encouraging innovative projects, even those with uncertain outcomes, can lead to breakthroughs essential for achieving the SDGs. Both the private and public sectors should foster environments that reward innovation.
  • Promoting gender equality and inclusion: Implementing policies that promote gender equality and inclusion in decision-making positions is vital. Affirmative actions, zero-tolerance policies for harassment, and incentives can help increase women’s representation in various sectors. 
  • Scaling up efforts to achieve SDGs: With 80% of SDG targets off track, there is an urgent need to scale up efforts. This includes increased investment, better planning, and stronger collaboration across sectors to meet the 2030 deadline. 

Action items:

  • Utilize SDGs for strategic planning: Governments and organizations should adopt the SDGs as a guiding framework for national and organizational planning, helping to organize priorities and investments effectively. 
  • Invest in project management training: Organizations should invest in training and supporting project managers to build competencies necessary for advancing the SDGs. This will help accelerate project implementation and success rates. 
  • Foster public-private partnerships: Encourage collaborations between the public and private sectors to pool resources and expertise, particularly in areas like renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure. 
  • Promote comprehensive education initiatives: Develop education programs focused on sustainability, responsible consumption, and innovative business practices to foster a culture aligned with the SDGs. 
  • Encourage innovation in all sectors: Allocate resources for innovative projects, adopting approaches like the “10-20-70” model to invest in initiatives with uncertain outcomes but high potential impact. 
  • Implement policies for gender equality: Adopt affirmative policies and practices to increase gender representation in leadership roles, ensuring equal opportunities and inclusive decision-making processes. 
  • Scale up efforts and collaborations: Recognize the urgency of the SDGs and intensify efforts by increasing investments, enhancing project management practices, and strengthening cross-sector collaborations to meet the 2030 targets.

Copyright © 2025 Concordia.

All rights reserved. Concordia is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.