Our B!G Press Release
Monday, 15th December 2025
The B!G Idea Announced as UN SDG Champion by the Government of Ireland
The B!G Idea, a multi-award-winning non-profit organisation, has been officially designated as a Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Champion for the next 18 months by The Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O’Brien for the Government of Ireland. This prestigious 2025-2027 recognition highlights The B!G Idea’s commitment to empowering young people to tackle local and global challenges through creative problem-solving and industry mentorship.
The announcement places The B!G Idea among a select network of national organisations recognised for visibly and effectively integrating the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into their strategy, evaluation, and public storytelling.
Announcing the appointments, Minister O’Brien said:
“The world faces huge challenges in achieving the SDGs, with only 18% of the goals currently on track globally. However, this year, as we mark the 70th anniversary of Ireland’s membership of the United Nations, we are committed to achieving the vision and ambition of Agenda 2030, a roadmap for a fairer, safer, more prosperous, and sustainable world. In fulfilling the ambition of the SDGs, we have made considerable progress, but more is needed, and faster, from all stakeholders – locally, nationally and internationally.
“Over 90 organisations applied to take part in the Programme this year, demonstrating the continued commitment of Irish society to help achieve and promote the SDGs. Partnerships play a crucial role, and it is great to have such a diverse range of organisations working collectively towards a better future for everyone. The SDG Champions Programme recognises that everyone has a role to play, and everyone can contribute to achieving the SDGs.”
Empowering the Next Generation of Problem-Solvers
The B!G Idea’s free, inclusive in-class programmes empower young people across Ireland with the creative confidence and future-ready skills they need to navigate a rapidly changing world. The programme connects students with cross-sector industry mentors via a bespoke EdTech platform, enabling them to collaboratively develop practical solutions to real-world issues. Student teams choose real-world challenge themes that directly affect them and are all aligned with the SDGs. Challenge themes have included:
Award-Winning Example: A group of students from Roscrea Education Centre, Tipperary, were crowned overall winners of The B!G Idea 2025 Showcase with their concept, ‘FutureWork AI’. This innovative app concept directly addresses SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) by empowering young people to understand how AI could affect different careers, discover necessary future skills, and connect with resources for support.
Since 2021, The B!G Idea has reached more than 16,500 young people, helping to build one of Ireland’s most diverse future talent pipelines.
Commenting on the announcement, Niamh Cooney, Head of Development & Sustainability of The B!G Idea, said: “We’re so proud to be named an SDG Champion. This recognition reflects what we’ve been building since day one – giving young people the creative confidence, skills and industry connections to take on the real challenges shaping their lives. At The B!G Idea, the SDGs aren’t abstract goals; they’re the lens through which students explore issues they care about, supported by mentors who help turn ideas into action. We’re excited to contribute as a national example of what’s possible when education, industry and young people work together and delighted to be recognised for our work in creating a proven, scalable engine for intergenerational SDG awareness.”
Rebecca Robinson, Entrepreneurship Researcher at MTU and a 2023/2024 B!G Mentor, added: “It is a great opportunity to be able to introduce young people to the UN SDGs and to get them to start thinking about the problems of today that will affect them in the future. It’s a good thing to be able to provide guidance, give feedback to progress their ideas and to learn from them as much as they learn from us.”
The B!G Idea – Partners and Friends SSE Airtricity, The Dormant Accounts Fund, Department of Education, MSD, Autodesk, Pobal, The Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland, Rethink Ireland, Social Enterprise Republic of Ireland, EPAM Systems, Deloitte, Social Entrepreneurs Ireland, Ireland National Disability Authority, Johnson Controls, Microsoft, Munster Technological University, Johnston Shopfitters, Dolmen, PA Consulting, UNUM Ireland, Deloitte, Each&Other, BITA and the Children’s Rights Alliance.
The B!G Idea’s work is specifically linked to the following SDGs:
SDG Champions Programme
Established in 2019, the SDG Champions Programme was developed to raise public awareness of the SDGs and to demonstrate, through the examples provided by the SDG Champions, that everyone in society can make a contribution to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The role of an SDG Champion is to act as an advocate and promoter of the SDGs and as a good practice example of how an organisation can contribute to the SDGs and integrate the SDGs into their work and activities.
Strategic Objective 3 of Ireland’s Second SDG National Implementation Plan 2022-2024 (NIP) is ‘Greater partnerships for the Goals’; the SDG Champions Programme is a key mechanism towards achieving this. Action 35 and related measures of the NIP relate to the SDG Champions Programme and its relaunch last year.
The key message of the Champions Programme is that the SDGs are for everyone in society and that everyone can make a contribution to their success.
Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Darragh O’Brien opened the call for applications to the 2025 – 2027 SDG Champions Programme in June 2025.
For more information or to get involved contact: Niamh Cooney, The B!G Idea, niamh@thebigidea.ie
