After the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the international community now faces the real work of translating vision into action. What will public, private and non-governmental actors need to do better, more, or differently to achieve the SDGs? Strategy alignment, integration of economic, social and environmental dimensions into decision making and the respect of the core principles of inclusion will be key factors for success. In a universal framework, policy coherence for sustainable development is equally essential. What can we learn from the early adopters on the policy shifts needed to accelerate progress?