This is what 5G and the Internet of Things can do to create a sustainable world

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Imagine a world with clean water, fresh air, no poverty, and zero hunger. Imagine if every one of us had access to good healthcare and quality education to reach the full potential for our lives. It’s time to ramp up our combined efforts to make the Earth a more sustainable and inclusive home.

When I was a child, I dreamt of a world where war did not exist; nobody was poor or sick, food and water supply were abundant, humans co-shared the planet responsibly while thriving in life. I expected nothing but positive progress ahead.

This childhood vision of how the world ought to look like came to my mind a short while ago, when I participated in a panel discussion on the fifth industrial revolution through the lens of sustainability, moderated by CNN’s business correspondent Richard Quest. One of his first questions was what other measures of success, other than profit, will companies need to consider in helping create a more sustainable future.

To me, the answer is clear: More than ever before, sustainability is an indisputable top priority for all the world’s biggest corporations. The world we live in today has been turned upside down. Everything has been impacted by the global pandemic. While we are at the beginning of recovery from this crisis, there is a rare opportunity to start afresh and build a world we would be happy and proud to call home. Today, companies in any industry or vertical are concerned about their social, environmental and economic footprints - as opposed to focusing only on their monetary business profits. This has nothing to do with charity. It’s all about securing a pathway towards a sustainable and value-creating business. Our customers demand us to find a more harmonious balance between prosperity and responsibility. To keep and attract talent – purpose and sustainability must permeate every aspect of our business. Therefore, maximizing the triple bottom line theory, where profit, people, and the planet are defining success, is what drives the decision-making of the world’s top brands. Meaning: apart from profit, companies also need to consider the social and environmental impact of their business if they want to attract customers and talent – and stay fighting fit in the long run.