Our Mission

We promote integrated approaches to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, through education, research, policy analysis, and global cooperation.

All countries have a big job ahead to create SDG roadmaps and strategies for success.

Jeffrey Sachs, President

SSDN Bulgaria

University of National and World Economy in Sofia (UNWE), one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Bulgaria and Southeast Europe, is setting up a National SDSN for Bulgaria. SDSN Bulgaria aims to establish and develop the leading SDG platform in Bulgaria for universities, research institutes, companies, government, and local municipality bodies, as well as organizations of civil society, enabling all members and partners to act for the sustainable future and to have an impact on society at large. The network’s mission is to encourage the implementation and achievement of the SDGs at a national and local level.

SDSN Leadership

SDSN’s strategy and vision is guided by a Leadership Council, which brings together global sustainable development leaders from all regions and all sectors, including civil society, public, and private sectors.

SDSN’s Networks Strategy Council (NSC) is comprised of leaders from the networks program who advise SDSN Networks on their vision, and work program, and approve all new members and networks.

SDSN’s Board of Directors is responsible for oversight of all fiduciary, legal, and operational matters.

SDSN Story

In 2012, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) was launched under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General. Starting with ten thematic working groups on a range of environmental, social, and economic topics, which contributed to the debate and ultimately the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDSN quickly grew and founded its global networks program; a membership-based alliance of top-tier knowledge-generating institutions focused on sustainable development, organized in national and regional clusters. As of 2022, SDSN has over 1,700 members in 50 networks across 144 countries.

In 2016, the SDSN expanded its mission with the creation of the SDG Academy. The SDG Academy creates and curates free, open educational resources on sustainable development and offers them as a global public good. In 2019, SDSN published a new framework to mobilize transformative efforts toward the SDGs, the Six Transformations Framework, which now informs our global strategy. With commitments to the SDGs made by nation states, universities, private business, and civil society, SDSN’s research and policy analysis work is helping promote solutions to realize the goals. SDSN continues to synthesize knowledge for sustainable development and will continue to do so for the decade ahead through our work on SDG pathways, data, policies, and financing, producing renowned annual reports such as the Sustainable Development Report (SDR) and World Happiness Report (WHR).

SDSN Organization

The SDSN Association is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in the United States and a nonprofit Association 1901 in France. These entities host the Secretariat of the SDSN, which supports and manages SDSN’s programs and projects and the SDG Academy.

The SDSN Association serves as the institutional home of the SDSN, manages its relations with donors and partners, and ensures that the work of the SDSN complies with all US and international laws. The SDSN has offices in New York, Paris, and Kuala Lumpur.