The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan TD announced this week the appointment of 20 organisations from across society, including THINKHOUSE, Leave No Trace Ireland, UCD, Cork Chamber, Junk Kouture and Too Good To Go as part of the 2024-2025 SDG Champions Programme, to serve as leaders in driving forward Ireland’s progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Announcing the appointments, Minister Ryan said: “The world is currently off track to achieve the SDGs and accelerated action is needed. However, in this decade of action for the SDGs, Ireland is determined to play a leading role in delivering on the goals – locally, nationally and internationally.”

“Over 90 organisations applied to take part in the programme this year, demonstrating the growing commitment of Irish society to live up to and promote the goals which have at their heart equality, access to basic rights like clean water, clean energy, food and shelter for all, and climate justice. It is great to see such a variety of commercial organisations, academic institutions, those working with young people, and environmental organisations joining the SDG collective this year. It’s like looking at a cross section of Irish society, all with a common aim to make our collective future better.”

“Sometimes, international goals can seem daunting or removed from our everyday experiences. However, international goals come down to improving people’s lives and outcomes locally. The SDG Champions through their work help show that the SDGs belong to everyone, in every community, in every country across the world and that everyone can play a role.”

Welcoming the achievement, Jane McDaid, THINKHOUSE Founder and Head of Creative Innovation, said; “Complementing our B Corp accreditation, this is another endorsement of our commitment to work with brands and organisations that care about people and planet. Working with both public and private sector clients, we are at the epicentre of business, media and community change influencing and advising CEOs, CMOs, Business and Organisational leaders towards the 2030 agenda. We will continue to lead by example, and the example of our clients, inspiring other businesses to adopt sustainable practices, balancing profit, people and planet, and contributing to a more inclusive, regenerative and low-carbon economy, which is the essence of SDG8 - decent work and economic growth.”

Since its founding in 2001, THINKHOUSE has been at the forefront of integrating sustainable practices into its operations, advocacy work, and client campaigns and engagement programmes. It works with brands and businesses who produce goods and services for mass consumption, helping them to identify and measure ways in which they can be more responsible producers, positively impacting SDG 12 - responsible production and consumption . It also supports its clients’ (private corporations, public organisations and NGOs) by delivering effective communication and engagement programmes that drive citizens to become more responsible consumers in the transition to a low-carbon, circular economy, directly impacting SDG12 and SDG13.

Claire Hyland, Head of The Youth Lab, and leader of THINKHOUSE’s Transformation team, said; “Beyond our important client work, our own independent research, reports, events and media engagements, alongside our involvement with multiple industry change movements such as AdNetZero, Purpose Disruptors and Sustainable Media Ireland, demonstrate our commitment to using our voice, and influence, to advocate for young people, and to promote responsible production and consumption [SDG12] and climate action [SDG13] for a better future for all. We’re also excited to drive overall public awareness and understanding of the SDGs, noting that research from Dóchas in March of this year highlighted that only 12% of the Irish public have heard about and know what the Sustainable Development Goals are, while a massive 56% have not even heard of them.”

The 2023-2024 SDG Champions Programme has been developed to raise public awareness of the SDGs and to demonstrate that everyone in society can make a contribution to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The role of an SDG Champion is to act as an advocate and promoter of the SDGs and a good practice example of how an organisation can contribute to the SDGs and integrate them into their work and activities.

THINKHOUSE’S SDG GOALS

THINKHOUSE’s SDG impacts are largely in the following areas:

Primary SDG focus:

Through its client work and its independent advocacy work:

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production:

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

SDG 13: Climate Action:

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

Secondary SDG focus:

Developing and implementing sustainability and communication strategies and for its clients, THINKHOUSE also helps to communicate Impact Goals for SDGs 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 14 and 15, driving further awareness of the SDGs.

SDG3: Good Health and Well-being:

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

SDG4: Quality Education:

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

SDG5: Gender Equality:

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

SDG10: Reduced Inequalities:

Reduce inequality within and among countries.

SDG11: Sustainable Cities and Communities:

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

SDG14: Life Below Water:

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development.

SDG15: Life on Land:

Protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.