⛳️ Taiwan’s Inaugural SDG Impact Week Draws Over 350 Participants from 16 Countries

🌟The inaugural SDG Impact Week, jointly organized by the Asian Institute for Impact Measurement and Management, the School of Management, and the Department of Business Administration of National Central University, kicked off from December 11th to 16th, 2023, at National Central University. This event also received support from the National Science and Technology Council, aiming to establish a regional collaborative research and teaching platform that brings together interdisciplinary experts and practitioners to explore the development and prospects of impact measurement and management and sustainable leadership.

The event commenced with a three-day Impact Measurement and Management Workshop, attracting participants from 8 countries across Asia. Professor Chien-wen Shen, Director of the Asian Institute for Impact Measurement and Management, representing the organizers, opened the workshop, followed by a keynote speech by Dr. Meng-Han Ho from the Department of Business Administration at National Central University. Additionally, during this period, the latest issue of the Asian Impact Management Review published by the Asian Institute for Impact Measurement and Management held its debut dialogue. Speakers including Associate Professor Weina Zhang from the Department of Finance at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School, Eriko Ito from Social Value Japan, Bonnie Chiu, Managing Director of The Social Investment Consultancy in the UK, and Diana Tjoeng, Asia Regional Manager of Good Return, discussed various topics such as impact investment, corporate social responsibility, and gender-lens investing. Furthermore, Professors Yun-Hsiang Hsu, Wei-Hsien Li, and Chun-Hsiao Wang from National Central University each provided insights on public policy, sustainability disclosure, and organizational human resources. Professor Chul Woo Moon from Sungkyunkwan University in South Korea shared insights on global standardization efforts and the Impact-weighted Accounts (IWA) framework in the context of sustainability disclosure. Additionally, the roundtable discussion segment of the workshop focused on establishing the Sustainability Leadership and Impact Management Consortium, with 14 international research institutions or universities participating, aiming to promote international cooperation and knowledge sharing. The platform has established four international cooperation mechanisms: the Advisory Board, Teaching Committee, Training and Consulting Committee, and Academic Research Group, which collaborates with the global network Social Value International (SVI). The Consortium aims to publish over six papers and host four online seminars this year, continuing its efforts to advance international research collaboration in the realms of impact and sustainable development.

Another highlight of the SDG Impact Week was the International Conference on Sustainability Leadership and Impact Management held on December 15, 2023. The plenary speech of the conference was delivered by Professor Stephen J.H. Yang, a member of the Future Earth Taipei project under the Center for Sustainability Science, Academia Sinica, and also Vice President at the Research and Development Office of National Central University. Professor Yang explored the relationship between artificial intelligence (AI) and sustainability practices, emphasizing the potential challenges, prospects, and innovative approaches in this relationship. Additionally, international speakers at the seminar participated in panel discussions on sustainable leadership, the impact of technological innovation on sustainable development, and the practices of social entrepreneurship, allowing participants to gain deeper insights into sustainability leadership trends and strategies, the role of technology and finance in sustainable development, and methods for measuring and achieving impact in sustainability advocacy.

The SDG Impact Week culminated on December 16 with the 8th Yunus Prize: Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, marking a milestone in promoting social innovation and entrepreneurship. The competition, aiming at fostering teams dedicated to social issues, social enterprise engagement, corporate social responsibility, and sustainable development, witnessed the convergence of 37 teams across various domains. The championship in the social enterprise category was awarded to Giant Green Tech, while Data Hub’s data-driven social program won the first prize in the social impact category. This competition showcased the crucial role of social innovation and social entrepreneurship in driving impactful change and sustainability, embodying the essence and expectations of the SDG Impact Week.

The SDG Impact Week is not only an academic and professional event but also an important milestone for Taiwan in promoting the global Sustainable Development Goals. Through a series of conferences, workshops, and interactive forums, these activities provided participants with valuable learning and networking opportunities, laying the foundation for future dialogue on global sustainable development strategies and actions. During the event, participants had the opportunity to engage in in-depth conversations with experts in the field and explore new trends and challenges in sustainable development in today’s world, especially from an Asian perspective, in order to more effectively promote the Sustainable Development Goals.