Building upon our exploration of foundational SDGs, the Output International Award 2025 continues its enhanced focus on design solutions that address complex infrastructure, economic, and social challenges. These six additional Sustainable Development Goals represent sophisticated areas where creative intervention can generate systemic change and lasting impact.
SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation – Ensure Availability and Sustainable Management for All
None of the SDG 6 targets are on track to be met. As of 2022, 2.2 billion people were without access to safely managed drinking water and 3.5 billion lacked access to safely managed sanitation. The scope of this challenge is staggering—achieving universal coverage by 2030 will require a 6-fold increase in current global rates of progress on drinking water, a 5-fold increase for sanitation, and an 8-fold increase for hygiene.
Water scarcity affects roughly half of the world’s population for at least part of the year, while one quarter faced ‘extremely high’ levels of water stress. Climate change and pollution have intensified stress on water sources, making this one of the most urgent global challenges.
Design Opportunities: WASH-focused projects might include innovative water purification systems, sanitation infrastructure for informal settlements, hygiene education interfaces, water management platforms for communities, or technologies that improve water-use efficiency across all sectors.
SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy – Ensure Access to Sustainable Energy for All
Global access to electricity increased from 83 per cent in 2010 to 91 per cent in 2019, yet about 660 million people may still lack access worldwide in 2030. The challenge extends beyond electricity access—about 2.1 billion people still relied on polluting fuels and technologies such as charcoal, coal, crop waste, dung, kerosene, and wood for cooking.
In 2021, the global share of renewable sources in total final energy consumption stood at 18.7%. The electricity sector led with renewables contributing 28.2% to total final electricity consumption, but insufficient progress in the heat and transport sectors underscores the need for stronger policy actions.
Design Opportunities: Energy-focused design projects might address off-grid renewable energy systems, energy-efficient appliances for developing regions, clean cooking solutions, smart grid interfaces, or educational platforms that promote energy conservation and renewable technology adoption.
SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – Promote Sustainable Economic Growth and Employment
Multiple crises are placing the global economy under serious threat. Global real GDP per capita growth is forecast to slow down, and with challenging economic conditions, more workers are turning to informal employment. The global unemployment rate fell to 5.4 per cent in 2022 from a peak of 6.6 per cent in 2020, but achieving sustained and inclusive economic growth remains challenging.
A persistent lack of decent work opportunities, insufficient investments and under-consumption contribute to the erosion of the basic social contract. The creation of quality jobs remains a major challenge for almost all economies, requiring wholesale reform of financial systems to tackle rising debts and economic uncertainty.
Design Opportunities: Economic empowerment projects might focus on fintech solutions for unbanked populations, platforms connecting informal workers with opportunities, skills training interfaces, entrepreneurship support systems, or tools that promote workplace safety and workers’ rights.
SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure – Build Resilient Infrastructure and Foster Innovation
Economic growth, social development and climate action are heavily dependent on investments in infrastructure, sustainable industrial development and technological progress. Since 2022, the manufacturing sector has faced stagnation attributed to geopolitical instability, inflation, logistical challenges, and rising energy costs.
More than 2.5 billion people don’t have proper access to essential infrastructure including transportation, irrigation, energy, and information and communication technology. Establishing standards and promoting regulations that ensure sustainable management are crucial for achieving this goal.
Design Opportunities: Infrastructure-focused design might include digital platforms that improve access to financial services, transportation planning tools, sustainable manufacturing process designs, innovation incubators for developing countries, or communication systems that bridge rural-urban divides.
SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities – Reduce Inequality Within and Among Countries
Inequality threatens long-term social and economic development, harms poverty reduction and destroys people’s sense of fulfillment and self-worth. The incomes of the poorest 40 per cent of the population had been growing faster than the national average in most countries, but emerging evidence suggests that COVID-19 may have reversed this positive trend.
Income inequality is rising—the richest 10 percent have up to 40 percent of global income whereas the poorest 10 percent earn only between 2 to 7 percent. One in five persons reported being discriminated against on at least one ground prohibited by international human rights law.
Design Opportunities: Inequality-focused projects might develop accessible technology platforms, financial inclusion tools, discrimination reporting systems, inclusive design standards, or communication campaigns that challenge discriminatory practices and promote social cohesion.
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – Make Cities Inclusive, Safe, Resilient and Sustainable
More than half of the world’s population lives in urban areas, and this proportion is expected to reach 68% by 2050. Cities consume 78% of the world’s energy and produce more than 70% of global carbon emissions. Rapid urbanization has resulted in increasing numbers of slum dwellers, inadequate and overburdened infrastructure and services.
Only 12 per cent of cities have air quality measures that meet WHO standards. With rapid urbanization and an ever-growing global population, humanity must initiate multiple major transformations simultaneously to achieve environmental targets, including the Paris Agreement.
Design Opportunities: Urban sustainability projects might address smart city technologies, affordable housing solutions, public transportation systems, waste management innovations, green infrastructure design, or platforms that enhance citizen participation in urban planning and governance.
The Systemic Challenge for Design
The Output International Award 2025 recognizes that these six SDGs represent interconnected challenges requiring systemic design thinking. Clean water systems support health and economic development. Affordable energy enables industrial growth and reduces inequalities. Decent work creates the foundation for sustainable cities and innovation ecosystems.
As the 2030 deadline approaches, the urgency for integrated design solutions has never been greater. The competition’s enhanced SDG requirements ensure that recognized work demonstrates not just creative excellence, but the capacity to address multiple challenges simultaneously—creating cascading positive impacts across communities, economies, and environments.
Design has the power to transform systems, not just surfaces. These six goals represent the infrastructure of human progress, and innovative design thinking will be crucial to achieving them by 2030.