Strathmore University has long been a leader in promoting sustainability, from its commitment to green building practices to its innovative social impact programs. As we continue to pursue this goal in 2024, it’s crucial to acknowledge that individual efforts are just as important as large-scale initiatives. In the words of Dr. Vincent Ogutu, Vice Chancellor,  “In the face of current global challenges, everyone’s responsibility towards ensuring sustainability in all facets of life has never been more critical. As the Strathmore community, we have a unique opportunity to make a positive impact through our individual and collective actions.”

Enhancing our individual capacities is necessary to make significant contributions. Central to strengthening these competencies are the Inner Development Goals (IDGs). Introduced in 2020 by the Ekskäret Foundation, The New Division, and 29k Foundation, along with a group of experts, the IDGs represent transformational skills individuals need to effectively contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

The IDGs framework

The IDG framework classifies inner development skills into 5 dimensions. The 5 dimensions are further broken down into 23 inner development skills for human inner growth and development, as discussed below:

The first dimension, ‘Being,’ focuses on the ‘relationship to self.’ Cultivating this dimension encourages the development of five inner qualities, including ‘inner compass,’ ‘integrity and authenticity,’ ‘openness and learning mindset,’ ‘self-awareness,’ and ‘presence.’ Possessing an inner compass means ‘having a deeply felt sense of responsibility and commitment to values and purposes relating to the good of the whole.’ Openness and learning mindset allude to ‘having a basic mindset of curiosity and a willingness to be vulnerable, embrace change and grow.’ Additionally, self-awareness is the ‘ability to be in reflective contact with one’s own thoughts, feelings, and desires; having a realistic self-image and ability to regulate oneself.’ 

The second aspect, ‘Thinking,’ refers to demonstrating ‘cognitive skills’ to make sense of the world’s interconnectedness. This is seen through five qualities, including ‘critical thinking,’ ‘complexity awareness,’ ‘perspective skills,’ ‘sense-making,’ and’ long-term orientation and visioning.’ A critical thinker exhibits the ability to ‘critically review the validity of views, evidence, and plans.’ Complexity awareness is an ‘understanding of and skills in working with complex and systemic conditions and causalities.’ Possessing perspective skills means ‘seeking, understanding and actively using insights from contrasting perspectives.’ 

The third dimension, ‘Relating’ is seen through ‘caring for others and the world.’ Four qualities define this IDG, including ‘appreciation,’ ‘connectedness,’ ‘humility,’ and ‘empathy and compassion.’ One exhibits connectedness through  ‘having a keen sense of being connected with and/or being a part of a larger whole, such as a community, humanity or global ecosystem. Humility is ‘being able to act in accordance with the needs of the situation without concern for one’s own importance.’ Moreover, an empathetic and compassionate person has the ‘ability to relate to others, oneself and nature with kindness, empathy and compassion and address related suffering.’

The fourth aspect, ‘collaborating,’ relates to one’s ‘social skills.’ The IDG is exhibited through ‘communication skills,’ ‘co-creation skills,’ ‘inclusive mindset and intercultural competence,’ ‘trust,’ and ‘mobilization skills.’ Communication is seen in the ‘ability to really listen to others, foster genuine dialogue, advocate own views skillfully, manage conflicts constructively and adapt communication to diverse groups.’ Co-creation skills ‘motivate building, developing and facilitating collaborative relationships with diverse stakeholders, characterized by psychological safety and genuine co-creation.’ An inclusive mindset and intercultural competence are seen in the ‘willingness and competence to embrace diversity and include people and collectives with different views and backgrounds.’ 

The last IDG dimension, ‘acting,’ is about ‘enabling change.’ This is seen in ‘courage,’ ‘creativity,’ ‘optimism’ and ‘perseverance.’ Creativity is exhibited in ‘the ability to generate and develop original ideas, innovate and be willing to disrupt conventional patterns.’ Optimism is essential ‘to sustain and communicate a sense of hope, positive attitude and confidence in the possibility of meaningful change.’ Lastly, perseverance is seen in the ‘ability to sustain engagement and remain determined and patient even when efforts take a long time to bear fruit.’

The IDGs and individual sustainability contribution

From a sustainability point of view, having a solid relationship with self could nurture a more profound mindfulness of sustainability issues. Being aware of our values, emotions, and actions puts us in a better position to recognize the impact of our behavior on people and the planet. This self-awareness then motivates lifestyle-conscious choices and actions that promote sustainability. For example, demonstrating personal responsibility resulting from self-awareness can inspire choices to reduce food waste, conserve water and energy, and adopt other sustainability practices. Moreover, maintaining a learning mindset enables the discovery of new ways to contribute to sustainability efforts. As we evolve our relationship with ourselves, we also enhance our resilience and adaptability capabilities to respond to global challenges. 

Cognitive skills enable individuals to analyze the relationships between environmental, social, and economic factors deeply. This empowers critical questioning of assumptions before making informed decisions about these interconnected issues. Moreover, applying critical thinking allows people to assess the validity of information, identify biases, and evaluate the potential long-term impact of their actions. For instance, understanding the assumptions surrounding the sufficiency of individual sustainable consumption choices in achieving overall sustainability necessitates cognitive skills to facilitate deeper understanding.

Growing a sense of appreciation, care, and connectedness with others and the world contributes to building more equitable, sustainable systems and societies beneficial to everyone. As we expand our circle beyond self-interest, we take actions that consider the greater good of all, which is at the heart of sustainability. Nurturing, ‘relating’ aspects empower us to, for instance, offer our services through volunteering activities, thus contributing to the well-being of others. These same qualities motivate the support of conservation efforts, including tree planting and reduction of waste. Furthermore, individual actions like leaving our Strathmore shared spaces cleaner than we found them and properly disposing of waste demonstrate our appreciation and care for our community and the environment.

Building social skills contributes to fostering decision-making that respects and integrates different perspectives. Creating an inclusive environment where various voices are heard and valued enhances the collective capacity to address complex challenges, including environmental sustainability, social equity, and economic resilience. Excellent social skills are essential in providing effective sustainability leadership. The organization of sustainability educational workshops, the conduct of impactful research and innovation such as renewable energy and waste management solutions, sustainable business practice advocacy, and the positive influence of community-led projects require the application of ‘collaborating’ IDG. Moreover, engaging with business leaders, policymakers, community members, and colleagues is vital to the long-term success of sustainability.

In an era where sustainability is sometimes criticized as mere rhetoric without sufficient action, possessing the ‘acting’ dimension can significantly drive real, tangible change. The quality fosters a proactive mindset, empowering movement from passivity toward actively taking concrete steps that translate values into meaningful impact. The courage and optimism to take personal action are crucial for making strides in the 17 SDGs. Embracing action could involve tackling one or more issues of reducing poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth, industry, innovation and infrastructure, reduced inequalities, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, climate action, life below water, life on land, peace, justice, and strong institutions, and partnerships for the goals.

IDGs and personal development 

Developing our inner skills is important for personal and professional development, just as it is for sustainable development. A solid relationship with self enables a deeper understanding of strengths, weaknesses, values, and motivations that help set realistic goals, live a purposeful life, and navigate challenges. Furthermore, in the current era of Industrial Revolution 4.0, cognitive skills are essential in the professional space as they enhance leveraging rapidly changing technologies, solving complex problems, and making data-driven decisions to maintain a competitive edge. In addition, collaboration and relating skills can help build stronger relationships and networks with colleagues and stakeholders, fostering effective teamwork and integration across the different sectors. Cultivating the inner skills builds transformative leaders who drive positive change while inspiring others.   

Call to action for the Strathmore community

In line with the discussion, let’s take some time to: Reflect on the IDGs in our lives by answering the three questions below:

1. Which of the dimension(s) do you currently possess?

2. Which IDG skills do you need to develop further?

3. What practice can assist you in achieving this goal?

4. While leveraging your inner skills, identify the SDG(s) you can actively contribute to from a personal and professional perspective.

If you would like to learn more about the IDGs and the details of  what each dimension/skill entails, I encourage you to refer to the resources  available here.

Article written by: Purity Maina, Doctoral Fellow, Strathmore Business School