This document discusses the VVSG's approach to developing SDG indicators on a municipal level in Flanders, Belgium. The VVSG is the umbrella organization for Flanders' 300 local governments. It has localized the UN's SDG indicators by selecting 54 key indicators based on relevance, data availability, local impact, and links to other levels of policy. The VVSG's approach focuses on a flexible set of indicators that allow for local autonomy rather than uniform reporting. While this empowers local ownership, it may limit alignment with national and UN reporting requirements. The VVSG aims to support a strategic and systemic approach to the SDGs within local governments and communities.

1. SDG indicators on a
municipal level in Flanders
VVSG – OECD programme

2. VVSG -VVSG -
Umbrella organization - mandate
All 300 local governments in
Flanders, Belgium
Inter municipal cooperations,
police zones, …

3. VVSG -VVSG -
Localizing the SDGs in Flanders

4. VVSG -VVSG -
18-25 September 2018/2019
LOCAL HEROES
FOR GLOBAL GOALS
Week of the sustainable municipality

5. VVSG -VVSG -
SDG-Toolbox
• SDGs in municipal context
analisis
• SDG in local political parties
• SDGs in vision/mission
• SDGs in MultiAnnual Plan
• SDG-check
• Circle exercise
• Actions per SDGs
• SDGs in all policy domains
• SDG indicators
• …
• VVSG declaration of
engagement on SDGs
• SDGs in visie/missie
• SDGs as crosscutting
programme
• Circle exercise
• Raising awareness with staff
• 50 practices of SDG Awareness
raising
• Municipal staff looking for local
heroes for global goals
• …
• SDG-indicators with partners
and stakeholders
• SDGs in municipal advisory
citizens councils
• SDGs in participatory processs
• …
• Cirkeloefening
• 50 practices of SDG Awareness
raising
• Week of the Sustainable
Municipality
• …
LocalGovernment
Policy planning
Network
Organisational culture

6. VVSG -VVSG -
Timeframe – opportunity for 2019
01- 2019
2030
Local elections
14-10-2018
New
municipal
period
2019
Coalition
Agreeme
nt
Determine
priorities for
new strategic
plan
Formulation
of strategic
multi annual
plan
Indicators: Summer 2018 - January 2019
SDG Pilot group – 20 municipalities (spring 2017-summer 2019)
Context analysis: 5 scenarios
Self assesment
50 practices
SDG website
Training, workshops, conferences, peer-to-peer meetings…

7. VVSG -VVSG -
Shared indicators
MAP and SDGs
Specifieke
Indicatoren
MJP
Aanvullende
SDG-indicatoren
SDGs
OVERLAPPING
AMBITIONSGOALS and
ACTIONS in
Municipal MAP
17 SDGs
& 169
subtargets
MULTI-ANNUAL PLAN
MAP

8. VVSG -VVSG -
Indicators – criteria for selection
1. Relevance of subtargets  91 of 169 = relevant
for Flemish LG
2. Availability of data  central (federal or regional
available + easy municipal acces to data)
3. Level of impact on local government
4. Link with Flemish, Belgian of EU (or global) level
• > 200 INDICATORS >> 54 key-indicators

9. VVSG -VVSG -
PEOPLE
76
• xx
• xx
• xx
• xx
• ...
PROSPERIT
Y
81
• xx
• xx
• xx
• xx
• ...
PLANET
29
• xx
• xx
• xx
• xx
• ...
PEACE
11
• xx
• xx
• xx
• xx
• ...
PARTNERSHIP
8
• xx
• xx
• xx
• xx
• ...
MENU of
204
indicators
CHART of
54 key
indicators
PEOPLE
16 indicators
PROSPERITY
20 indicators
PLANET
12 indicators
PEACE
4 indicators
PARTNERSHIP
2 indicators
Indicators – 204  54

10. VVSG -VVSG -

11. VVSG -VVSG -

12. VVSG -VVSG -
Indicator: Water Grid Connection Rate

13. VVSG -VVSG -
Key messages
• Indicators = important, but part of whole SDG
approach
• Each SDG can be translated
• Internally (within the own organizational structure)
• Externally (towards citizens and local stakeholders)
• Globally (on EU or international level)
• Measuring indicators = ok, but focus on process is
important (systemic change and sustainable
approach)

14. VVSG -VVSG -
Internal policy 
organizational
local policy  citizens
and stakeholder
global policy

15. VVSG -VVSG -
VVSG Approach
- Localizing UN indicators  no blueprint from macro to
local
- AIM: auto-monitoring  measure themselves
- NO accountability mechanism (reporting to
national/regional level)
- No uniformity (not one size fits all municipalities)
- Living document  work in progress

16. VVSG -VVSG -
VVSG approach: Strength and Weaknesses
Strength Weaknesses
Ownership for an appropriate set of
indicators for local governments
Ambition gap (esp. Regarding
environmental goals
Recognition of link between own policy
and SDG
Difficulty to align/ report on
national/UN level
Supports local autonomy in strategic
way

17. VVSG -VVSG -
Thank
You
internationaal@vvsg.be