UNESCO
“What Within brought was deep listening, trust, and respect for the diverse points of view in our community. Their approach allowed for creativity, strengthened belonging, and gave us the tools to tell a shared story that truly reflects who we are. Being part of this movement, people are now feeling better, acting better, and they are better together.”
Uniting a global network to scale
GROWTH OF NETWORK - 759 Biosphere reserves in 136 countries
AWARENESS OF ORGANIZATION - 350,000 social impressions in 30 days
BUILDING CAPACITY - Over 50% of sites using new story tools, translated into 7 languages
The Challenge
The UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme coordinates a vast network of more than 700 biosphere reserves across 136 countries, all working to address the challenges of sustainable development and biodiversity loss. Despite their shared goals, the network lacked a clear, common identity and story — something that could inspire collective action and resonate with everyone from local communities and tourists to funders and policymakers.
The Within Way®: A global co-creative process
Within led a dynamic consultation across cultures to define a shared Purpose and Values for the MAB network, resulting in a globally adopted Brand and Storytelling Toolkit. We launched the “Proud to Share” campaign to surface powerful stories in a creative way from biosphere reserves worldwide, and brought that energy to life at the MAB Youth Forum and World Congress in Lima. By aligning the network around a Global Communications Plan and equipping site leaders with the tools and confidence to tell their story, we helped a global community speak — and act — as one.
The Impact
The UNESCO MAB programme has expanded with confidence in who they are and what they stand for. More than just communications tools, the work sparked a renewed sense of identity, connection, and pride across this remarkable global community.