This nine-month programme activates future business leaders and changemakers to develop and drive innovative solutions through new technologies, initiatives and business models and meet their company's sustainability objectives.

The programme connects entry-level managers with mid-level managers - aged 35 and under - in various business units to generate bold but viable solutions that can have a positive impact on the company and the SDGs.

Benefits for participants:

• Engage in accelerated learning opportunities that include online and face-to-face workshops, case studies, company visits and forum discussions
• Connect with other companies and collaborate on innovative projects related to your company and industry
• Build working relationships through coaching, mentoring and peer-to-peer networking opportunities
• Learn from some of the brightest minds working in sustainability and innovation from around the world
• Be part of a global network of leading young professionals from some of the biggest companies on every continent

Programme experience

Over the course of nine months, each team of young innovators will work on a specific challenge for their company with the aim of designing more sustainable business models, initiatives and products that advance the company's sustainability efforts while driving innovation and providing tangible solutions with potential market value.

The Accelerator takes participants through a design thinking approach to innovation, focusing on the SDGs. Participants go through each of the following five phases of the programme, equipped with resources, tools and methodologies that will guide them through the process of identifying a challenge, designing and testing solutions, and validating these solutions for business value and SDG impact.

PHASE 1SDG - Exploration

Explore the central concepts surrounding companies and the Sustainable Development Goals in order to understand the challenges facing companies today.

PHASE 2I I - Identifying the Challenge

Identify and prioritise the specific SDGs and their relevance to your business, as well as the business impact on the SDGs.

PHASE 3 Defining the Challenge

Discover how to use the impact of the SDGs and evaluation tools to build a challenge that is ambitious enough for innovative impact and that speaks to the real needs within your company.

PHASE 4 - Development Solutions
Learn how to generate new ideas and use tools to move an idea from a concept to a fully defined project.

PHASE 5 - Test and Validation Solutions
Change your project solution to a more refined version through testing and validation within the company and with external stakeholders.

Interested in taking part?.

Young professionals working in companies participating in the UN Global Compact and based in the following countries have the opportunity to collaborate with their Global Compact Local Network or local office to take part in the programme.

Timeline

Call for Nominations: 19 October 2022 - 13 January 2023
The programme begins: End of January 2023
End of programme: September 2023
SDG Innovation Summit: September 2023

Eligibility Requirements: High-performance employees of a company participating in the UN Global Compact 35 years old or younger interested in business model innovation, sustainability and disruptive technologies.

Companies participating in the Global Compact Local Networks mentioned above can apply via the application link below.

New this year: Young professionals working for companies participating in the UN Global Compact can now form a team of up to four people and apply for the Accelerator via the self-nomination link below.

Apply today here