SDG Projectwork by Team SportUtrecht

Hello!

We are Alba, Sophie, and Merel, and our client is SportUtrecht.

SportUtrecht is an independent foundation based in Utrecht. Their work activities are diverse but all serve a common goal: setting Utrecht in motion because they believe that sports and physical activity are essential keys to a healthy and happy life.

During this traineeship, we are assisting SportUtrecht in translating their current activities into the language of the SDGs. We engaged with numerous employees and gained insights into all the initiatives SportUtrecht is working on. Subsequently, we explored how these activities are connected to the SDGs. For example, we identified a link between SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SportUtrecht’s efforts to promote cycling for vulnerable groups. After this investigation, we concluded that SportUtrecht’s work is connected to SDGs 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 17. Currently, we are working on making these connections visible through a Prezi presentation and infographics. SportUtrecht will use these deliverables to engage potential new partners, demonstrating how new collaborations are possible based on a connection with the SDGs. The Prezi will also be shown on their website, if you’re interested you can take a look here: https://www.sportutrecht.nl/alles-over-sportutrecht/sdg/ .

In addition to this assignment, SportUtrecht asked us to provide advice on how they could improve their internal policies based on the SDGs. For this aspect of the assignment, we could apply some creativity and brainstorm about innovative ways SportUtrecht could align with its SDG goals. It was inspiring to witness their motivation to enhance their work and build a meaningful company. They even ordered SDG blocks to decorate their office, showcasing their commitment to the SDGs to all employees.

Working on these assignments was very interesting. We gained valuable insights into the different targets of the SDGs and appreciated the opportunity to engage with various employees. We developed a comprehensive understanding of the diverse activities at SportUtrecht. What we particularly enjoyed about our assignment was observing how interconnected the SDGs are and how many connections are possible with different work activities. This aspect was also the most challenging—determining whether the connection was strong enough to mention or if it was too far-fetched. This experience taught us to critically evaluate the different targets of the SDGs and focus on the details to ensure we made the right connections.

We are delighted to have SportUtrecht as our client and thoroughly enjoyed working in their office. We look forward to the next few weeks and are also a bit nostalgic about having to say goodbye to them soon. To all our fellow trainees, good luck with the final stretch of your assignments, and we’ll see you at the end event!