In 2026, the SDG Ambassadors Community came together for the first time during our annual KICK OFF event, “From Challenges to Resilience Tomorrow.” Together with Higher Education Institutions, they joined a learning session dedicated to understanding how to drive impact through the Theory of Change model.

The session was moderated by Bridget Thielens Lomo and Topsana Du Bois, Trainer & Project Manager at CIFAL Brussels.

• LinkedIn  Bridget Thielens Lomo
• LinkedIn Topsana Du Bois

Karen Van Bastelaere from HOGENT kicked off the programme with a comprehensive introduction to the Theory of Change, offering participants a solid conceptual foundation.

• LinkedIn Karen Van Bastelaere

Next, participants engaged with a practical case shared by Griet Sinove from Upgrade Estate, known for its innovative and community oriented housing concepts

• LinkedIn Griet Sinove

To wrap up, Topsana Du Bois led a collaborative exercise exploring both short and long term partnership opportunities between higher education institutions and the SDG Ambassador Community.

On 21 April, CIFAL Brussels and Voka organised Action Learning Day SDG 17: Partnerships in Practice. The central theme, identified by the community itself: how to build strong, sustainable and mutually beneficial partnerships with actors in the Global South.

Peter Wollaert opened the first session of 2026 by welcoming the SDG Ambassador Community, partners and guests. He set the scene for the day ahead, underlining that SDG 17 is not just a goal on paper; partnerships are at the very core of how we turn ambition into meaningful action.

• LinkedIn Peter Wollaert

Jean Van Wetter, CEO of Enabel, delivered a keynote on the evolving landscape of international development cooperation and the opportunities it creates for businesses, highlighting how the sector is shifting from traditional aid models toward long-term, reciprocal partnerships.

• LinkedIn Jean Van Wetter

Drawing from his newly published book De eeuw van Afrika (The Century of Africa), VRT journalist Stijn Vercruysse invited us to look at the African continent with fresh eyes and how Africa’s growing geopolitical, economic and demographic influence makes it a key partner in shaping our shared future.

• LinkedIn Stijn Vercruysse

After the keynotes, participants joined an interactive marketplace, consisting of a meet-&-greet with organisations active in the Global South ( Enabel, Credendo, Exchange, Gadot Belgium, Close the Gap, Incofin, Flanders Investment and Trade, Ondernemers voor Ondernemers, Lignaverda and 4e Pijlersteunpunt) and fellow SDG Ambassadors to exchange experiences, explore collaboration opportunities and discuss what meaningful North–South partnerships look like in practice.

The SDG Ambassadors Community  gathered for the first time at our KICK OFF 2025, “From Agenda 2030 to Pact For The Future.”

The first session focused on Business & Human Rights, including speakers such as:

• Astrid Van Parys part of the Board of Directors from Colruyt Group and CIFAL Flanders, moderated the session.
• Leen De Ruck from VS Advocaten, provided a legal perspective on human rights in business.
• Boris Verbrugge from KU Leuven & Möbius, discussed the CSRD’s impact and due diligence requirements.
• Stephan Parmentier from KU Leuven, introduced a human rights test designed for Flemish universities.

•    LinkedIn Astrid Van Parys
•    LinkedIn Leen De Ruck
•   LinkedIn Boris Verbrugge
•   LinkedIn Stephan Parmentier

CIFAL Flanders and  Voka, in collaboration with the UN in Brussels, organised a visit to the UN House for the SDG Ambassador Community. Representatives from  BelOrta,  DNS Belgium,  Fruit At Work,  Upgrade Estate, and  Willemen Groep engaged with UN agencies through presentations, Q&A sessions, and networking to explore collaboration opportunities.

Ms. Camilla Brückner , Director of the UN/UNDP Office in Brussels, welcomed participants by highlighting the SDG agenda as “the best, most comprehensive, and ambitious peace plan we have ,” emphasising its ability to engage all sectors of society while setting the direction for future markets and underpinning global stability.

•   LinkedIn Camilla Brückner

BelOrta

Belgium’s largest cooperative fruit and vegetable auction, promotes sustainable horticulture by supplying fresh, local produce from over 1,350 growers.

•   LinkedIn Wim Hubrechts

DNS Belgium

Belgian non-profit registry for .be, .vlaanderen, and .brussels, advancing secure internet access and digital inclusion through a strong sustainability and cybersecurity strategy.

• LinkedIn Sofie Dings

Fruit at Work

Belgian SME that delivers fresh fruit to workplaces, promoting employee well-being while embedding sustainability and the SDGs in every aspect of its operations.

•   LinkedIn Yannick Aerts

Upgrade Estate

Belgian real estate company developing sustainable housing concepts for students, young professionals, and SMEs through brands such as Upkot, Upliving, and Upoffiz, with a strong focus on social impact and community building.

• LinkedIn Griet Sinove

Willemen Group

Belgium’s largest family-owned construction groups, delivering complex construction, infrastructure, technical, and real estate projects with a strong focus on sustainability, innovation, and long-term partnerships.

•   LinkedIn Franky Van den Berghe
•   Linkedin Freke Vermeiren

BESIX

Leading Belgian construction group aligned with the UN Agenda 2030, with a strong focus on SDG 8, SDG 12, and SDG 13. While not part of the SDG Ambassadors community, BESIX participated in this session as a strategic partner.

•   LinkedIn Muriel Sacré

UNIDO

Christophe Yvetot,  UNIDO Representative to the EU, the EIB, the OACPS, Belgium and Luxembourg, and Head of the UNIDO Brussels Office, highlighted the agency’s work on sustainable supply chains, clean energy, and industrial development. He emphasised the central role of SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) in advancing the 2030 Agenda.

•   LinkedIn Christophe Yvetot

IOM

Marise Habib, Chief of Mission, and Rob De Lobel, Head of Unit at IOM, underlined the importance of making migration work for all. In Belgium, their focus lies in creating effective action with and for diaspora, supporting organisations with their diversity and inclusion strategies, and facilitating diaspora’s work in protecting and assisting migrants.

•   LinkedIn Marise Habib
•   LinkedIn Rob De Lobel

UNRIC

Marian Blondeel, Head of the Benelux & EU Desk at  UNRIC, presented the UN’s communication priorities for 2025 and highlighted opportunities for collaboration, including awareness campaigns, SDG promotion, and knowledge sharing.

•   LinkedIn Marian Blondeel

UNEP

Veronika Hunt Safrankova, Head of the  UNEP Brussels Office, introduced UNEP’s mandate and key global milestones for 2025. She emphasised the private sector’s crucial role and called for multi-stakeholder partnerships to address nature, climate, and pollution challenges in an integrated way.

•   LinkedIn Veronika Hunt Safrankova

ILO

Emily Sims, Coordinator of the  ILO Helpdesk for Business, outlined the ILO’s role in shaping responsible business conduct through international labour standards. She introduced practical tools available to companies, including the ILO Helpdesk, the Child Labour Platform, and the Global Business Network on Forced Labour.

•   LinkedIn Emily Sims

Interested in the presentation? Access the slides here

From 13 to 18 July 2025, the SDG Ambassador Community travelled to New York on a working visit focused on the United Nations High-Level Political Forum ( HLPF) on Sustainable Development. Five Flemish SDG Ambassadors – BelOrta, Center Parcs, Fruit at Work, DNS Belgium and Smulders – took part in the HLPF discussions on progress towards the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

The programme was co-organised by CIFAL Flanders and Voka (Flanders’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry), in collaboration with Flanders Investment & Trade New York, the Delegation of Flanders to the USA and the Permanent Representation of Belgium to the UN. The visit generated valuable insights, partnerships and inspiration to support organisations in their sustainable journey.

On 10 December 2025, UN Human Rights Day, the SDG Ambassador Community came together for an in‑depth learning session on human rights due diligence. The session was expertly moderated by Helen Jacobs, Project Manager for Sustainable Entrepreneurship at Voka.

•   LinkedIn  Helen Jacobs

Boris Verbrugge, Advisor for Responsible Business Conduct at Möbius Business Redesign, guided participants through the core elements of human rights due diligence: understanding organisational responsibilities, identifying human rights risks, determining actions to mitigate those risks, and planning how to embed these actions moving forward.

• LinkedIn Boris Verbrugge

To bring these concepts to life, Wendy Van Eeckhoudt, ESG Coordinator at Pietercil, shared how Pietercil has applied these steps in practice, offering a concrete example of human rights due diligence in action .

• LinkedIn Wendy Van Eeckhoudt