
The Sustainable Development Goals Lion
The Sustainable Development Goals Lion celebrate creative problem solving, solutions or other initiatives that harness creativity and seek to have a positive impact on the world.
Introduction

The history of the Sustainable Development Goals Lion
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Lion was launched in 2018 in partnership with the United Nations to recognise and celebrate creative work that actively advances the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals are a call for action: for peace and prosperity for people and the planet. The goals were created in 2015, as the core of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and adopted by all United Nation Member States.
All entry fees for Sustainable Development Goals are donated to related charities that will be announced after the Festival has taken place.
Guidelines to entering

What kind of work can be entered?
The Sustainable Development Goals Lion accept a broad range of creative initiatives designed to advance the UN’s SDGs. This includes public awareness campaigns, advocacy programs, innovative product or service designs, social impact initiatives and strategic partnerships across various sectors, including nonprofit, corporate and governmental.
Eligible work may take digital, physical or hybrid forms, but it must clearly demonstrate how creative execution contributed to significant social, environmental or economic impact. The work should align closely with the SDGs, such as climate action, gender equality, poverty alleviation, health and well-being and more, showcasing a direct connection between the creative effort and the positive outcomes achieved.
What are the judging criteria?
A number of criteria will be considered during judging, weighted as follows: 15% idea; 20% strategy; 15% execution; 50% impact and results.
Eligibility
Work will need to have been executed during the eligibility period of 01 February 2026 - 08 April 2027.
Is there a limit to how many times I can enter?
The same piece of work can be entered up to four times in Sustainable Development Goals.
What do I need to provide with my entry?
To enter, you’ll need to complete an online entry form, which can be found on the Cannes Lions entry site. In the ‘Written Explanation’ section, you’ll be asked to provide the Jury with everything they need to know about your work.
Subtitles are highly recommended on all case films, films, demo films and original content.
Detailed information outlining the entry process can be found on our Guide to the Cannes Lions Awards.
What if I don’t have all the details right away?
Don’t worry – you can fill in the form in any order and save your progress at any time while it’s still in the pending stage. However, please only check out when your entry is 100% complete as no changes can be made to your entry once you’ve clicked “Submit” and “Checkout”.
Integrity Measures
All entries must provide Proof of Impact for every claim made in the written submission and supporting material. This material is compulsory for each entry, and types of sources accepted include third-party analytics, platform analytics, public reports, images of account dashboards, or client letter on official company letterhead.
Each entry must also receive Authorisation to Submit by the most senior executive at both the entrant company (CEO or equivalent) and the brand that commissioned the work (CMO or equivalent). This happens after your entry has been checked out and processed by the Awards team and is a compulsory step in the process.
More information on these new measures can be found on the Integrity Standards.
What if I don’t have all the details right away?
Don’t worry – you can fill in the form in any order and save your progress at any time while it’s still in the pending stage. However, please only check out when your entry is 100% complete as no changes can be made to your entry once you’ve clicked “Submit” and “Checkout”.
Entry Tips

What’s the Jury looking for?
Creative ideas that contributed to or advanced the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development across people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnerships.
- A strong insight, impressive execution and real results that link back to the objective
- Considered strategy, thoughtfully designed at every touchpoint
Advice from the Jury
We asked last year’s Jury for tips for future entrants. Some common themes that emerged across all the Awards were:
Be clear on the problem and the solution
- Clearly state the problem your work solves. Tell the story clearly and without overclaiming on results or impact. Don’t make the Jury work to connect dots. Keep the main idea simple enough to explain in one sentence.
Focus on one story
- Lean into one clear story. It's tempting to pack in everything you're proud of, but the entries that resonate most are the ones that pick a single thread and follow it all the way through. Avoid including too many claims with regard to impact, instead focus on the most relevant and impactful results.
Tailor the entry to the category
- Treat each entry as its own creative brief. Every submission should clearly make the case for why the work belongs in that specific Lion and subcategory. Don’t copy/paste, fill your forms out with care and attention – the Jury will come back to them time and time again.
Context is key
- Remember the Jury are from all over the world, so provide context to ensure they understand the significance of your results and the relevance of any cultural insight.
Advice from the 2026 Sustainable Development Goals Jury
“Read the definition of Lion and subcategories very carefully. Include in write up maximum verified information. Remember that every idea needs impact.”
Sergiy Biloshytskiy | Creative Director, Saatchi & Saatchi Ukraine
“Ensure that your solution and results match the type and scale of the problem or challenge that you have outlined or identified. For example, if the problem you have identified is about poverty, job creation, or drug related health issues, your solution and results must match that. Don't highlight unemployment as an issue and your biggest result metric is video views. Where there’s lack or scarcity, the last thing we need are vanity metrics.”
Bogosi Motshegwa | Founder, CEO & Chief Strategy Officer, Thinkerneur
“Don't just communicate the problem—help solve it. The strongest work doesn't raise awareness alone; it creates lasting change through creativity.”
Kazoo Sato | Chief Creative Officer & CEO, Earth Centric Design
The Categories

A. People
THE HEALING STAGE | ARMED FORCE OF UKRAINE | SAATCHI & SAATCHI UKRAINE, KYIV | SILVER, GOOD HEALTH AND WELLBEING | 2026
A01. Poverty
A02. Hunger
A03. Good Health and Well-being
A04. Quality Education
A05. Gender Equality
B. Planet
FERTILIZER 2.5 | THAI HEALTH PROMOTION FOUNDATION | GREY THAILAND, BANGKOK | BRONZE, RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION | 2026
B01. Clean Water and Sanitation
B02. Affordable and Clean Energy
B03. Sustainable Cities and Communities
B04. Responsible Consumption and Production
B05. Climate Action
B06. Life Below Water
B07. Life on Land
C. Prosperity
THE MĀORI ROLL CALL | WHĀNAU ORA | MOTION SICKNESS, AUCKLAND | GOLD, REDUCED INEQUALITIES | 2026
C01. Decent Work and Economic Growth
C02. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
C03. Reduced Inequalities
D. Peace
IT'S TIME TO STOP! | BINGO GROUP | VIA MEDIA, SARAJEVO | BRONZE, PEACE, JUSTICE AND STRONG INSTITUTIONS | 2026
D01. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
E. Partnership
E01. Partnerships for the Goals
The Written Submission

Here’s the questions you’ll be asked regarding your work.
To start your entry to the Sustainable Development Goals Lion, go to our Awards page.
The Jury will refer to the written explanation you provide throughout the judging process. Our advice is to provide as much relevant detail as possible.
When answering the following questions keep the main element you’re trying to celebrate in mind (e.g. the storytelling, the strategy, the craft, the use of data).
The bullet points under each question are prompts designed to guide your thinking, based on the factors the Jury will be considering when reviewing your work. You might not need to use them all, and that’s totally fine. They’re there to help you consider what’s most important in your work.
Questions
1. Why is this work relevant for Sustainable Development Goals?
2. Brand Context
3. Objective(s)
4. Summary of the work
5. Describe the idea (15% of vote)
6. Describe the strategy (20% of vote)
7. Describe the execution (15% of vote)
8. Describe the results/impact (50% of vote)
9. Describe the long-term expectations/outcome for this work
10. Were the carbon emissions of this piece of work measured?
Was Artificial Intelligence (AI) used in the work or the entry materials?
Sustainability Context
Equity, Representation and Accessibility (if appropriate)
Confidential information for the Jury
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We're here to help
Our Awards Experts can help with:
- Explaining the updates to the Awards for 2027
- Offering best-practice advice on how to craft a compelling entry
- Discussing your work and relevant categories
- Understanding how to use the entry system
- Scheduling regular catch-ups to answer any questions that arise throughout the entry process