Developing Future Competencies and Building Engagement: Insights from an International Metropolitan Benchmark on Selected Un Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract Book of the 10th International Conference on Management, Economics and Finance

Year: 2025

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Developing Future Competencies and Building Engagement: Insights from an International Metropolitan Benchmark on Selected Un Sustainable Development Goals

Ewa Palarczyk, Yurii Vitkovskyi, Marcin Budziński, Marek Gachowski, Agnieszka Szostak, Joanna Kalisz

ABSTRACT:

The study aimed to identify and analyze priorities and key areas of successful implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) mainly in the context of developing future competencies and building engagement. It is presented over the past three years, as well as to indicate domains requiring future improvement. The research over 9,600 inhabitants from eight metropolitan areas in Poland, Germany, Croatia, Greece, Romania, Slovakia, and Hungary. Using a mixed-method approach that included a literature review, a diagnostic survey (CAWI), and basic statistical analysis, valid responses were collected from residents of two Polish Metropolis: GZM and Gdańsk–Gdynia–Sopot as well as Ruhr Metropolis, Zagreb, Athens, Bucharest, Bratislava, and Budapest between 2023 – 2025.
Results were presented in a comparative perspective – both for the representative population of Metropolis and across demographic categories such as age, gender, and education. The findings revealed significant inter-metropolitan differences as well as notable year-to-year variations, indicating diverse dynamics in the perception and implementation of SDGs across European urban regions.
This study represents one of the largest and most comprehensive surveys on SDG implementation and prioritization across multiple European metropolises. Its results provide valuable insights for local authorities and stakeholders in the public and private sectors, offering evidence-based guidance for shaping development policies, improving sustainability initiatives, and strengthening community engagement. Moreover, the findings establish a foundation for further comparative research on metropolitan sustainability trends and the long-term evolution of civic attitudes toward SDG realization.

Keywords: Sustainability, Implementation, Sdgs, Urban and Metropolitan Areas, Social Inclusion