Placing the United Nations’ sustainable development goals at the heart of projects can regenerate UK communities. From a new 4km road link that saved a former mining community in Yorkshire, to a coastal replenishment scheme that brought new opportunity to Colwyn Bay in North Wales, we hear how incorporating the sustainable development goals is changing lives for the better.

Embracing the SDGs means doing things differently. It means looking at local needs in a new way and asking what more can projects do to enhance environment and improve opportunities for all. Crucially this must happen now. The UK and 192 other nations have pledged to ensure that the SDGs are met by 2030. But our first ever national review of UK progress on these global goals shows that we have a long way to go if the UK is going to enable all people, from all backgrounds to fulfil their potential and live rewarding lives in a healthy environment.

This episode was produced in partnership with Mott MacDonald.

Photo credit: Rossington Parish Council

GUESTS

Nathan Baker, director of engineering knowledge, ICE
Lord John Bird, Founder, The Big Issue
John Cooke, Parish Councillor, Rossington Parish Council
Simon Dawes, Head of Sustainable Business, The Environment Agency
Neil Firth, Head of Service for Major Projects and Infrastructure, Doncaster Council
Ken Guest, Chair, Rossington Parish Council
John Huddleston, Communications & Corporate Affairs Director, Doncaster Sheffield Airport
Nigel Morley, Project Manager, Mott MacDonald
Taffy Osborne, Managing Director, Colwyn Bay Watersports
Benjamin Poulton, Project Manager, Colwyn Bay Waterfront Project, Colwyn Council
Davide Stronati, Global Sustainability Leader, Mott MacDonald
Ian Tuckett, Chief Executive, Coin Street Community Builders

SUPPORTER
Mott MacDonald: Opening opportunities with connected thinking.

Mott MacDonald is a US$2bn engineering, management and development consultancy involved in: 

• solving some of the world’s most urgent social, environmental and economic challenges
• helping governments and businesses plan, deliver and sustain their strategic goals
• responding to humanitarian and natural emergencies
• improving people’s lives 

Its expertise by sector includes buildings, communications, defence, education, environment, health, industry, mining, oil and gas, power, transport, urban development, water, wastewater and more. Its skills encompass planning, studies and design, project finance, technical advisory services, project and programme management, management consultancy and beyond.