The work of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) is vital for one reason – too few sustainability initiatives have focused on the importance of transformative solutions. There is increasing recognition that ICT can play a role in improving socio-economic development, creating low carbon economies, and governance and transparency, not to mention enabling billions of people to communicate and collaborate. We are entering a new era where the private sector will solve problems, and create new business models.

As a member of the SDSN Leadership Council, I strongly believe that we can mobilize leaders from academia, business, civil society, and other development organizations to promote problem solving and practical solutions for the pressing challenges of sustainable development. The focus on solutions that show the potential of technical and business innovation should not be under estimated – and clearly a win-win in a time where global challenges have never been greater.