THIS IS A STORY ABOUT WHY A REFRESHED FOCUS ON ENHANCING LEADERSHIP IS THE ONLY WAY WE CAN DELIVER THE WORLD’S SDGs…

Our work helps governments around the world improve the delivery of their Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) using unique, peer-led leadership development programs.

MOST GOVERNMENTS STARTED WITH THE BEST INTENTIONS...

Things are easier said than done, and when world leaders signed up to deliver the SDGs they did so with the best intentions.

However, when many in government got to the point of trying to affect the change needed, they found they didn’t have the key leadership experience, knowledge, capabilities and skills required to drive the necessary transformation and deliver the change.

We all need to work together to achieve the goals citizens around the world deserve and we’re committed to help the leaders who may not be fully equipped to make the changes required.

Leaders constantly having to fight ‘their fight’ has resulted in them becoming unnecessarily self reliant.

They trust their own judgement and rely on their own passions to get through and achieve the goals they set themselves. This individual approach makes for great political champions, campaigners and warriors. In the 21st century no leader should be held back by his or her ego. For the SDGs to be implemented, we need leaders who are willing to acknowledge their own shortcomings and reach out to get the help they need. The best leaders are strong because they acknowledge they are vulnerable.

At critical times, like right now, success is eluding us and we’re falling short…

LEADERS AROUND THE WORLD ARE UNDERPERFORMING AND NEED HELP...

In 2015, the leaders of 193 countries of the world came together to make a commitment.

They created the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A set of 17 goals that would rid the world of poverty and hunger, increase peace, security and justice, and significantly reduce the worst effects of climate change within 15 years.

The promise was made to the world and we all set out on a journey towards delivering the goals. But there remains a huge discrepancy between the commitments given on paper and what is actually happening on the ground.

We continue to see conflicts, and an ever increasing number of displaced people and refugees as a result.

Sustained poverty and underdevelopment persists; democracy is backsliding; and deep rooted gender inequality and high levels of violence against women continue. Around the world there are billions of people who are not able to develop to their full potential, and we see insufficient action to curb climate change continuing to exacerbate all other challenges. As a consequence, a large amount of Official Development Assistance (ODA) gets lost and worldwide efforts related to development are unsustainable.

In June 2018, the UN reported that progress on the Sustainable Development Goals is not moving fast enough to meet the ambitious 17 goals, “leaving no-one behind”, by 2030.

Progress has been made but reports indicate that the speed of change is not sufficient to deliver the targets. Dynamic factors, including climate change, conspire to make delivery of the goals by 2030 incredibly challenging.

We see countries facing mounting challenges, like fast-changing climates and urbanization… We see a lot of progress has been made and that is one key message. The other key message is, in many areas, progress is not sufficient, particularly for the poor and the most vulnerable people… There is also a big gap between rural and urban communities. Progress has not yet reached the people who most need it.

Yongyi Min, the chief of the Sustainable Development Goal Monitoring Section at the U.N.

The years are ticking by and the world continues to change, but the approach of many governments around the globe remains doggidly predictable.

There is a lack of action to react to the reality of the situation the world is in. Government leaders are failing to embrace the ethos of what was a truly collaborative agreement and they don’t dare to reach out and don’t ask for support. They urgently need to step up to the challenge, and they can’t do it alone.

By not addressing these shortcomings, government leaders are letting everyone on the planet down.

Something’s got to change, so let’s face the challenge head on…

A SMALL IMPROVEMENT IN PERFORMANCE, AT THE TOP OF GOVERNMENT, WILL CAUSE A HUGE SHIFT IN ITS ABILITY TO DELIVER ON THE SDGs...

Leadership4SDGs work in partnership with organisations and individuals from the global development community.

Together, they create tailored, peer-led leadership programs designed to deliver sustained improvements in how ministers and government work.

This structured, systematic, result-oriented and long-term approach uses light touch techniques, high-tech data and multi-faceted interventions to create an environment in which our leaders have a greater level of support, guidance and confidence to deliver the SDGs.

Central to our success as a long term government was ensuring that we communicated well and consulted with each other and relevant stakeholders and experts, and were prepared to learn from experience. Our approach was based on the principle of collective responsibility which is embedded in the constitutional conventions around Cabinet-led government in New Zealand. Leadership4SDGs is focused on creating a structured program, developed in partnership with the political community, specifically to help realise the SDG mission. While there are many different ways of governing democratically and effectively, there are also common ways of doing so effectively and efficiently.

Helen Elizabeth Clark ONZ SSI PC served as the Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1999 to 2008, and was the Administrator of the United Nations Development program from 2009 to 2017.

Development spending is much more sustainable in countries where the government is performing better.

This in turn creates an environment where private investments rise as a consequence. Imagine the difference even just a 1% shift of the funding being put into the SDGs could achieve if it was used to empower and strengthen leaders and the governments they serve.

And uniquely it starts with ‘buddying up’. The time to act is now and we seek your support to facilitate the development of new shared programs of activity that will be delivered in the run up to 2030.

Leadership4SDGs is developing a new program for government…

AN INCLUSIVE PROGRAM OF PEER-LED DEVELOPMENT THAT TACKLES LEADERSHIP SHORTCOMINGS HEAD ON...

Our aim is to ensure every government in the world has the capability, skills and support to deliver their SDGs.

We do this by combining the expertise of established leadership development organisations with new systems and approaches which we have developed in partnership with the commercial, civil and political community.

Leadership4SDGs is a not-for-profit NGO, headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, also known as the ‘Capital of Peace and Justice. Fundamental to the initiative’s success is to remain open, neutral, impartial and without any agenda. Our only goal is to improve the specific capabilities of the leaders and governments we work with.

Our program centers around our four cornerstones of successful leadership for SDGs.

Uniquely, the delivery programs will utilise and activate the many existing organisations and individuals working to support ministers and achieve similar goals.

The delivery program will use the seasoned knowledge and expertise of “buddy” ministers to help peers deal with questions and dilemmas to deal with harsh political realities.

In the spirit of SDG 17 rather than replicating these organisations’ work, we invite them to play a role in the journey ahead and harness their potential.

We will work with partners in the commercial and political world to agree the headline program over the coming year. We will then develop tailored programs for the first cohorts of governments and deliver sustained activities ‘on the ground’ using a unique peer-led buddy approach.

The program is voluntary, but requires a full and long-term commitment from the leaders and governments who participate.

STAGE ONE: UNDERSTANDING AND ANALYSIS
Peer-led deep dive consultancy to audit, review and define the specific gaps in SDG delivery and set the key success factors and measurement. We build a personalised, custom made, agenda for the participating ministers and their governments.

STAGE TWO: PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
Formulation of a unique delivery strategy, program and plan structured to achieve each individual government’s objectives, centred on our core toolkit, which includes:

  • Minister ‘buddy’ system
  • A global data and tech driven digital platform
  • Mentoring and capability development
  • Critical interventions and advisory service
  • Performance measurement reviews and meetings

STAGE THREE: PROGRAM DELIVERY AND SUPPORT
Ongoing delivery of activity overseen by ministerial mentors and ‘buddies’. Regular reviews and continual measurement against KPIs, feedback and support interventions.

STAGE FOUR: REFINE AND REPEAT
Annual review of approach and performance. Refine and then repeat the program and delivery plan.

So what are you waiting for..?

THE CLOCK IS TICKING, WE'VE ONLY GOT UNTIL 2030 TO DELIVER THE SDGs THAT GOVERNMENTS SIGNED UP TO...

STRATEGIC ROAD MAP
The road map we have developed focuses on delivering support first to those governments who are most in need of support and then widen to the rest of the world.

2019
Partner development and initial funding round.
2020
Formal launch of L4SDGs. Pilot cohort of two countries launched.
2025
Halfway to 2030 review.
2030
Results of SDGs announced.
2031
Agree new goals at World Leadership Conference.

So, what can you do to help make it ready..?

WE NOW CALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIP...

We invite you to be part of the change that the world needs.
Join us on a journey that will shape the program over the next 12 years. There are a number of ways you can engage with Leadership4SDGs:

1. BECOME PART OF OUR PARTNER PROGRAM

2. GOVERNMENTAL ‘BUDDY’ BOARD

3. FUNDING AND PROGRAM SPONSORSHIP

4. DOWNLOAD OUR PROJECT OVERVIEW DOCUMENT

CONTACT US NOW

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