Sustainability 4.0 – Digitalization as an Opportunity for the SDGs?

The United Nations’ 2030 Agenda not only sets specific sustainability goals but also establishes a clear timeline. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are to be achieved in just 13 years. Given the current global political situation and ongoing conflicting priorities, this timeline appears highly ambitious. On May 22, 2017, we discussed with high-profile speakers and 400 guests the extent to which the business sector—particularly through digital solutions—can accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

econsense Chairman Dr. Wolfgang Große Entrup opened the Berlin Forum. He emphasized that the path to the goal is crucial for achieving the 2030 Agenda and that this requires companies and their innovative strength. In this context, digitalization can provide new impetus and point the way forward as a catalyst for sustainable development.

In his keynote address, “The Human at the Heart of Digitalization,” Pierre Nanterme (Chairman & CEO, Accenture) offered a positive outlook on digitalization: Thanks to smart technologies and machines, global value creation could increase by several billion.

Peter Altmaier (Head of the Federal Chancellery and Federal Minister for Special Tasks) delivered a highlight with his keynote on the opportunities of digitalization for sustainable development. He cautioned that the role of digitalization is still completely underestimated in the political discussion and called for bringing digitalization and sustainability together—not only at the political level, but also at the societal level. For example, the funding landscape would need to be reorganized to effectively address these two central issues. An “academic foundation” must be created to provide greater support in teaching, in order to more strongly link digitalization and sustainability—for example, through a chair in sustainability.

Professor Dieter Kempf (President, BDI, and Spokesperson of the Board of Trustees, econsense) emphasized in his speech that the SDGs can serve as a common language for international cooperation, noting that the role of digitalization in achieving the SDGs is immense. However, digitalization must be conceived with sustainability in mind from the very beginning. Kempf presented four dimensions of digitalization that make a significant contribution to the SDGs: digital farming, education, the circular economy, and e-health. In conclusion, he called for greater courage in the broader societal discussion to advance issues such as digitalization.

The panel “Vision 2030: Sustainable and Digital?” discussed the opportunities and challenges of digitalization for sustainable development. The panel began with insights from Dr. Roland Busch (Member of the Executive Board, Siemens) and Luka Mucic (Chief Financial Officer, SAP) on concrete corporate examples of (digital) solutions for achieving the SDGs. Busch made it clear that digitalization is the growth engine and the key factor par excellence for Agenda 2030, and that at Siemens—just like the topic of sustainability—it is conceived as a holistic approach. Luka Mucic sees the great opportunities of digitalization, but also cautions that this process is a highly complex undertaking in which the positive effects for the economy and society must be emphasized more strongly. For example, digitalization can make outstanding contributions to transparency, automation, and enhanced connectivity.

In the subsequent discussion with Iris Plöger (Member of the Executive Board, BDI), Sascha Lobo (blogger and journalist), and Professor Dr. Christoph Meinel (CEO, Hasso Plattner Institute), the potential and limitations of digitalization were examined, both in Germany and in an international context. It became clear that digital platforms, as “economic ecosystems” (Lobo), are a central component of Industry 4.0 and that the provision of this infrastructure will be the decisive factor for the success of digitalization.

In the second panel, five corporate venturing partnerships between large companies and startups were presented, whose projects contribute to achieving the SDGs and actively practice sustainable business.

Manuel Gerres (Managing Director of DB Digital Ventures GmbH and Head of New Digital Business at Deutsche Bahn) and Bruno Ginnuth (Co-Founder and Managing Director of CleverShuttle) presented their eco-friendly mobility solution: a ride-sharing service with an eco-friendly fleet of electric vehicles.

Dr. Moritz Hagenmüller (Managing Director, Accenture Strategy) and Christoph Weigler (General Manager Germany, Uber) explained their collaboration and emphasized the international perspective of sustainable business practices. 

Birgit Klesper (Senior VP Group Corporate Responsibility, Deutsche Telekom) and Martin Bittner (Managing Director, BeeAnd.me) demonstrated Smart Beehives: Using a new wireless technology from Telekom (NarrowBand-IoT), intelligent sensors transmit vital data directly from the beehive.

The project by Dr. Christian Schröter (Manufacturing Business Partner for Global Business Franchise General Medicine & Endocrinology Biopharma, Merck) and TJ Muehleman (Co-Founder, Standard Code) provides practical on-site support in developing countries: With the help of innovative software, medication usage at health centers can be tracked in real time, allowing for an early response to, for example, an increase in certain diseases.

Katharina Tomoff (Vice President Shared Value, Deutsche Post DHL Group) and Michael Lohmeier (Head of Operations and After Sales, StreetScooter GmbH) presented the StreetScooter as a success story for an environmentally friendly transport solution in the logistics sector.

Following this inspiring conference day full of new ideas, we look forward to continuing the discussion with you at our upcoming events and workshops!