The world is undergoing immense change. Climate change, population growth, threats to nature, resource concerns and global development pressure are all combining to create a perfect storm of issues. With their impacts on businesses, economic prosperity, communities, health and wellbeing, these problems represent a challenge for sustainability professionals.
In parallel, the fourth industrial revolution is causing a fundamental shift in the way societies live and work – a shift that is mostly yet to be understood and resolved. As disruptive technologies such as machine learning are embedded across the Internet of Things, data centres and cloud computing, we will see the emergence of new business models, products and services.
In light of the opportunities and risks that these changes may bring, a group of 20 senior sustainability professionals, with specific interest in the impact of the fourth industrial revolution on sustainability, have met regularly as the IEMA Fellows Working Group on Disruptive Technologies & the Digital Economy to discuss these issues. Since their first meeting, the Fellows have been working on a thought piece, the first in a planned series that will be peer-reviewed by experts in the digital economy. The series will set out the challenges for businesses making the transition to a sustainable digital economy. While providing some insight into the impact of disruptive technologies on society, the environment and the global economy, the document also suggests what steps professionals may take within their organisations to begin that transition.
For more information about the Fellows network, please contact Marc Jourdan at [email protected]
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