SDG House Hosts Johnson & Johnson for ‘SDG Journey’

News

Employees from Johnson & Johnson recently visited SDG House to take on a worthy challenge: to generate new ideas to help their organisation work more sustainably. SDG House experts served as both guides and facilitators, helping Johnson & Johnson to take the first steps in their ‘SDG journey’.

Established by KIT in 2017, SDG House is a community of experts, entrepreneurs and NGOs that work on one or more of the SDGs. 

New ways to learn about the SDGs

With Johnson & Johnson (J&J) in the building, the SDG House air was buzzing with ideas: from roof greening their buildings (SDG11) and sustainable energy sources (SDG12), to CO2 offsetting (SDG15) and the eradication of diseases in lower- and middle-income countries (SDG3). The J&J employees also learned about the 17 SDGs in an accessible, playful and interactive way through a game developed by Global Goals Quest, a SDG House member. It was a time for thinking big and finding ways to translate ideas into concrete steps and connections.

With a community of more than 60 organisations, working across all 17 goals, SDG House was the perfect setting for J&J staff to seek out new opportunities​,​ forge valuable links​ and​ stimulate discussion on questions like “​what’s our impact? And what can we do to change that for the better?”

A programme designed for collective action

KIT founded SDG House on the belief that working towards the SDGs requires a collective effort. In the words of Ban Ki-Moon, the former secretary-general of the United Nations, “We need action from everyone, everywhere. Seventeen Sustainable Development Goals are our guide. A to-do list for people and planet and a blueprint for success.” 

The day’s programme reflected this mentality. SDG House member Incision, who provides access to medical training across the globe, presented a challenge for J&J in Ethiopia. And KIT’s Head of Global Health, Lindy van Vliet (the Dutch National SDG3 Coordinator) stopped by to see what opportunities exist in their work on SDG3 “Good Health and Well Being.” As an SDG House member, KIT hosts a regular SDG-themed video series and also offers a suite of services designed to support organisations like J&J to advance their SDG journey. 

Students from the Team Academy Amsterdam, an International School for Entrepreneurship, brought energy, interesting insights, and helped to generate innovative ideas. By the time the afternoon was over, Johnson & Johnson had been invited to start roof greening with Rooftop Revolution. To check out CNS’s sustainable energy solutions. And to plant trees with Land Life Company to offset the CO2 generated during their business travels. There was no shortage of opportunities for collaboration towards the SDGs!

“It is interesting to see that a lot of our work is impacted by the goals or can have an impact on the goals. We know a lot more about the SDGs now, and we will definitely take some of the things we have learned and the ideas that we’ve gathered away with us to share with our colleagues,” said a Johnson & Johnson employee.

Get involved with SDG House

Would you like to get inspired and know more about the SDGs? Explore how your company can embark on the SDG Journey? Or find more opportunities for collaboration? Check out the SDG House website, contact us via sdg@sdghouse.org or attend one of our monthly SDG meetups!