Notes from the Field: Joining SDSN Leadership Council

Los Angeles, California – August 2016: The UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network’s Leadership Council brings together global experts on sustainable development from academia, business, civil society and the public sector. Its members include H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco; American business mogul Ted Turner; Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed; and Professor Jeffrey Sachs. Jennifer Gross from Blue Chip Foundation has recently joined the prestigious council which meets every year around the General Assembly in New York.

Prior to joining the Leadership Council, Blue Chip Foundation founder Jennifer Gross had been a member of the Board of the Association for SDSN. She says she had been “in awe of the members of the Leadership Council, because every one of them is a top-tier expert in their field. We have former Prime Ministers, leading scientists in the world like James Hansen, and some of the most influential religious leaders like Monsignor Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo from the Vatican all working together to solve global problems. I’m completely humbled to work alongside these outstanding individuals.” Having her own expertise as a Foundation leader validated by the honor of this invitation was one of the highlights of her 2016.

“I have spent years learning first hand about sustainable development around the world,” she says. “I am now part of a large network, and together we pool our knowledge to help the rest of the world.”

The SDSN has been operating since 2012 under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General. SDSN mobilizes global scientific and technological expertise to promote practical solutions for sustainable development, including the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Agreement.

Each year, SDSN releases the World Happiness Report, which measures well-being in countries to help shape policy. SDSN also operates the SDG Academy which provides free online courses in the field of sustainable development.

Their aim is to “accelerate joint learning and promote integrated approaches that address the interconnected economic, social, and environmental challenges confronting the world. SDSN works closely with United Nations agencies, multilateral financing institutions, the private sector, and civil society.”

For a comprehensive look at what the SDSN does, please click here: http://unsdsn.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/170525-Long-SDSN-Brochure-5.5×8.5.pdf