SDG localization: Mobilizing the Potential of Place Leadership Through Collective Impact and Mission-Oriented Innovation Methodologies

Abstract

ABSTRACT The wellbeing of people, places and the planet relies upon our collective ability to resolve the grand challenges framed in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This paper focuses on opportunities for place leadership theorizing and practice to progress localization as one pathway to advance the SDGs. It seeks to bridge the theory-practice divide that currently limits the utility of place leadership research by highlighting two implementation methodologies – Collective Impact (CI) and Mission-oriented Innovation (MOI). These methodologies have gathered momentum amongst practitioners but received comparatively little academic attention. We argue that both methodologies have potential to support place leaders to address key barriers to SDG localization, particularly, centring equity, enacting multi-stakeholder partnerships, generating data and stories, and contributing to systems change. This paper suggests that future place leadership theorizing should learn from and support CI and MOI practice and contribute to collective efforts to localize the transformational change envisioned by the SDGs. MAD statement Drawing upon practitioner and theoretical literatures this paper identifies critical opportunities to advance both SDG localization and place leadership theory by leveraging and learning from the rapidly growing body of Collective Impact (CI) and Mission-oriented Innovation (MOI) initiatives globally. An analysis of these relatively under-studied methodologies is offered and opportunities to apply or learn from them to overcome key barriers to SDG localization are identified. The paper also offers suggestions as to how place leadership theory could, in turn, enhance the continued maturation of CI and MOI and advance SDG localization.