We believe that by connecting different living and working environments, we can lay the foundation for focusing on what unites us despite all the polarities. Because we want to retell the story of sustainability and with our engagement we plant seeds of transformation within individuals, organizations, systems and beyond.
Country: Austria
IDG HUB: IDG Western Austria Good Neighbours Network
Link to website: https://goodneighbours.world/
Link to presentation: Canva presentation
Our initiative began in December 2023 with a co-creative process involving engaged individuals from across western Austria. Our goal: to bring the Inner Development Goals (IDG) Network to life in our region. One of the key outcomes of this process was the articulation of our core purpose:
“We connect the living and working worlds of individuals, companies, and system partners—from business, education, public administration, and the non-profit sector—to foster cooperation and create pathways for a sustainable future.”
Through our platform, we enable participants to think beyond silos, cultivate openness, and develop the inner competencies necessary to address 21st-century challenges collaboratively and across sectors.
What have we achieved so far?
- Community-Based IDG Gatherings
Since our inception, we have organized eight IDG gatherings—free of charge and co-creatively developed—on a broad range of topics. These events have engaged diverse participants, from executives to individuals currently in the asylum process, making IDGs both visible and accessible. - Integration into Higher Education & Teacher Training
- At Management Center Innsbruck (MCI), we launched a course titled “Bringing SDGs & IDGs into Practice”, open to students of all faculties. First offered in the summer semester 2025, the course has been successfully embedded and will continue in 2026.
- Simultaneously, the University College of Teacher Education Tyrol has integrated IDGs into its official training curriculum for teaching staff across the region’s schools—helping educators embed inner development into their classrooms.
- At Management Center Innsbruck (MCI), we launched a course titled “Bringing SDGs & IDGs into Practice”, open to students of all faculties. First offered in the summer semester 2025, the course has been successfully embedded and will continue in 2026.
- IDG ThinkTank for Business Leaders
We prototyped an IDG ThinkTank format for businesses, focusing on the intersection of IDGs and SDGs. The pilot included over 20 executives and board members from a regional bank and was met with enthusiasm. A follow-up module is planned for 2026, and new conversations have begun with international companies such as Swarovski. - European Cooperation – Erasmus+
Our co-creative approach also enabled our first Erasmus+ project to be approved. Together with an IDG Hub in Sweden, we’ll begin our Erasmus journey titled “Reshape Instead of Escape” in September 2025, building a European learning and innovation space around IDGs.
Our Impact:
We raise awareness and embed IDGs in our region through regular communication, such as our newsletter, social media channels, media presence, and especially through keynotes and workshops where IDGs play a central role. More importantly, our integration of IDGs into the education system supports a shift in how competencies for the future are taught and lived—highlighting inner development as a cornerstone of long-term sustainability.
Our business-oriented formats are equally impactful. One participant from our ThinkTank summarised the effect perfectly:
“The interactive workshop provided an inspiring space to reflect on SDGs in the context of IDGs in a practical way. Our managers and employees were motivated to become more aware of sustainability in their day-to-day lives and to implement simple measures with impact. Thank you to Good Neighbours eGen for the valuable collaboration – a small step with a big impact.”
— Rafaela Hosp, Sustainability Officer, Tiroler Sparkasse
What We’ve Learned:
Through our activities, we’ve not only promoted the IDGs—we’ve lived them. From Self-awareness and Perseverance to Co-creation and Trust, every project has been a chance to embody the inner competencies we promote. Most importantly, we’ve learned:
- When the intention is clear and aligned, transformation happens naturally.
- Questions such as “What connects us?” are essential to bridge seeming opposites and build community across worldviews.
- The power of collective intelligence and trust-based cooperation cannot be overstated. A “community” becomes a living system when the people in it can actively shape it themselves.
We see our role as framework builders, contributing to a new narrative of sustainability in service of the IDGs.
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