Hortopia is pioneering a radical approach to healing our human-planetary relationship by embracing the three main transformative frameworks: the Global Goals for Sustainable Development, the Inner Development Goals and the Biodiversity Plan. While we recognise the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a valuable framework, we also need to acknowledge that progress under this framework has so far been slow and insufficient.
This is why hortopia places particular emphasis on inner personal development and our deep connection to nature, as promoted by the Inner Development Goals and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).
Transformational skills in 5 dimensions
The Inner Development Goals break down the complex field of personal development into five dimensions in order to better identify, understand, develop and integrate our inner capacities necessary for sustainable development.
Scientifically developed and internationally recognised
Compared to scientific knowledge about climate change, poverty and other social problems, our ability to cope with increasing complexity seems underdeveloped. Research on this topic shows that the inner capacities to cope with global challenges need to be developed. These capacities can be fostered in individuals, groups and organisations.
Since 2021, international meetings have been organised with business and public sector leaders, as well as discussions with researchers on IDGs. Together, a survey was formulated to gather relevant information on the most important skills to work more effectively on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). After analysing 800 responses, 23 skills and qualities of inner development were identified and grouped into five dimensions to create an educational framework. A new international survey was launched in 2024 to assess the 23 identified skills, and the results are currently being evaluated.
History and Background of the IDGs
Over a period of several years, many different organisations interested in the link between personal development and sustainability have embarked on a shared learning journey. This has included public events such as the MindShift Digital Conference in April 2020 at the Stockholm School of Economics, where the IDG initiative was first presented. On 12 May 2021, the IDG Framework, co-created by more than 1,000 academics, experts and practitioners in the fields of HR and sustainability, was made available to the public as open source.
After several organisational iterations, the IDG Foundation was established in November 2023 by the 29k Foundation, the Ekskaret Foundation, the IMD Business School for Management, the LUCSUS Center for Sustainability Studies | Lund University, the Stockholm Resilience Center | Stockholm University, The New Division, the Flourishing Network at Harvard University and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).
Inner Development Goals is a non-profit open source initiative. The intellectual property and business of the initiative is managed by Inner Development Goals AB (svb), a Swedish limited liability company wholly owned by the Ekskäret Foundation. From October 2024, the IDG Foundation will take over the management and administration of the initiative to ensure our long-term goal of harnessing the power of inner development to solve global challenges.
Find more information about the Inner Development Goals at the IDG Website