SDSN Networks Collaborate to Translate SDG Impact Assessment Tool into Six Languages
Six chapters of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) have worked together to translate the SDG Impact Assessment Tool into six new languages. This year-long effort was organized by SDSN Northern Europe and is a commendable accomplishment in bridging language barriers and fostering cross-cultural engagement in assessing opportunities and risks to the transformation of a sustainable world.
One of SDSN Northern Europe’s priorities is promoting the SDG Impact Assessment Tool to help organizations gain a better understanding of the impact of various activities on the Sustainable Development Goals. Over the last year, SDSN Northern Europe has led an important effort to translate this tool into six new languages - Swedish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish.
The translation involved a collaboration between SDSN Northern Europe, SDSN Amazonia, SDSN Germany, SDSN Italy, SDSN Mediterranean, and SDSN Spain, along with the research project XPaths – Intersecting Pathways to the SDGs across Scales in the Drylands – and the SDSN Secretariat in Paris.
The project began with SDSN Northern Europe translating the tool into Swedish as a pilot, laying the groundwork for the subsequent translation process. For each language, partners were then engaged to take on one of two translation steps. One partner conducted the initial translation, while another carefully reviewed the final rendition on the website. In both steps, each partner used its profound understanding of both the SDGs and the target languages to ensure linguistic accuracy and conceptual precision, resulting in the high quality of the translated texts.
The SDG Impact Assessment Tool is a free online resource for making self-assessments of SDG impacts. It was originally created for universities and smaller companies, but with the assistance of the SDSN, the user base of the tool has expanded. Now, the tool has more than 19,000 users from various sectors and all parts of the world, demonstrating its value and adaptability in various contexts.
The tool has been used in numerous educational courses and programs, where students have engaged in hands-on sustainability analyses. It has also been used in research and for attracting research funding. Furthermore, it has served as a valuable asset in strategic planning by universities, companies, and municipalities. Notably, the United Nations High-level Political Forum has recognized the tool as one of the top recommended resources for scrutinizing policies and strategies related to SDG implementation, specifically supporting Voluntary National Review Processes.
The tool’s adaptability and usefulness in various scenarios underscore its significance as a multifaceted instrument. Therefore, the collaborative translation initiative undertaken by the six SDSN networks stands as a testament to the networks' shared commitment to democratizing sustainable development insights and facilitating global progress towards achieving the SDGs.
For more information on the SDG Impact Tool and to access the new translations, visit https://sdgimpactassessmenttool.org.
SDSN Northern Europe would like to extend its gratitude to all colleagues in SDSN Amazonia, SDSN Germany, SDSN Italy, SDSN Mediterranean, SDSN Spain, and at the Paris Secretariat who have made these translations possible by contributing their time and commitment to enable more people around the world to assess their impact on the SDGs. Furthermore, a special recognition goes to the XPaths project (Intersecting Pathways to the SDGs across Scales in the Drylands) and its partners, who did the initial translations to French, Spanish, and Portuguese.