# SDGs & Youth Leadership AIESEC has aligned its work with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) since 2015. This alignment is not symbolic — it shapes how exchange projects are designed, how impact is measured, and how AIESEC communicates its relevance to partners, universities, and the public. ## What are the SDGs? The Sustainable Development Goals are 17 global goals adopted by all United Nations member states in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. They address the world's most pressing challenges, from poverty and hunger to climate change and inequality. The 17 goals are: 1. No Poverty 2. Zero Hunger 3. Good Health and Well-Being 4. Quality Education 5. Gender Equality 6. Clean Water and Sanitation 7. Affordable and Clean Energy 8. Decent Work and Economic Growth 9. Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure 10. Reduced Inequalities 11. Sustainable Cities and Communities 12. Responsible Consumption and Production 13. Climate Action 14. Life Below Water 15. Life on Land 16. Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions 17. Partnerships for the Goals {% hint style="info" %} You do not need to memorize all 17 goals. Focus on the ones most relevant to your functional area and the exchange products your LC delivers. {% endhint %} ## How AIESEC connects to the SDGs AIESEC contributes to the SDGs in two ways: ### 1. Through exchange projects Every AIESEC exchange project is tagged with one or more SDGs. When a Local Committee (LC) creates a project on Expa (AIESEC's global platform), they select the SDG(s) that the project addresses. This means: * A **Global Volunteer (GV)** project teaching English in a rural community connects to **SDG 4: Quality Education**. * A **Global Talent (GT)** internship at a renewable energy startup connects to **SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy**. * A **Global Teacher (GTe)** placement in an underserved school connects to **SDG 4: Quality Education** and **SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities**. This tagging system allows AIESEC to aggregate its global impact across SDGs and report it to partners and the United Nations. ### 2. Through leadership development AIESEC's Leadership Development Model (LDM) — particularly the **World Citizen** quality — develops young people who understand global challenges and feel responsible for contributing to solutions. The AIESEC Experience cultivates the mindset and skills needed to advance the SDGs, whether through an exchange experience or through a member's future career. ## SDG alignment by exchange product | Exchange Product | Primary SDGs | How it contributes | | ------------------------- | --------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Global Volunteer (GV)** | SDG 3, 4, 5, 10, 13, 15, 17 | Short-term volunteer projects in areas like education, health, gender equality, and environmental sustainability. Projects are designed with local partner organizations to address specific community needs. | | **Global Talent (GT)** | SDG 8, 9, 12, 17 | Professional internships that give young people career-relevant skills while contributing to decent work, innovation, and sustainable economic growth in host countries. | | **Global Teacher (GTe)** | SDG 4, 10, 17 | Teaching placements that improve access to quality education, reduce inequalities, and build cross-cultural understanding between exchange participants and host communities. | ## Why this matters for AIESEC in Denmark Denmark is a global leader in sustainable development, and the SDG alignment positions AIESEC in Denmark as a relevant and credible partner for: * **Universities:** The SDG connection reinforces the academic and developmental value of AIESEC exchange for students. * **Corporate partners:** Danish companies with sustainability commitments see a natural alignment with AIESEC's SDG-tagged projects. * **Government and NGOs:** Danish development agencies value youth engagement in the SDGs, making AIESEC a natural partner for awareness campaigns and co-created initiatives. ## How to use SDG alignment in your daily work **If you are in outgoing exchange (oGX):** When preparing Exchange Participants (EPs) for their experience, connect their project to the relevant SDG(s). Help them understand what global challenge they are contributing to — this deepens their experience and strengthens the reflection stage of the Exchange Leadership Development Path (ELDP). **If you are in incoming exchange (iCX):** When designing projects with local partners, start with an SDG. Ask: "What community challenge does this project address?" Then tag it correctly in Expa so AIESEC can track the impact. **If you are in marketing (MKT):** Use the SDGs as a storytelling framework. When promoting AIESEC on social media or at university fairs, frame exchange opportunities in terms of the real-world impact they create — not just the travel experience. **If you are in business development (BD):** Lead with the SDGs when pitching to potential partners. Many Danish companies have sustainability reports and CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) commitments. Show how partnering with AIESEC helps them contribute to the goals. {% hint style="info" %} AIESEC International publishes an annual Youth Speak report and SDG impact summary. Ask the MC for the latest version to use in your external presentations. {% endhint %} *Last updated: April 2026 · Maintained by: MC TM Manager* --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://hubby.aiesec.dk/general-knowledge/sdgs-and-youth-leadership.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. 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