Information and Communications Technology (ICT) can enable all 17 of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and even has the potential to accelerate their achievement, according to a report by ICT firm Ericsson.

Hans Vestberg, president and CEO of Ericsson, said: “The SDGs lay out a clear path to a more sustainable world, and ICT is a powerful lever to make that happen. We intend to build on our momentum from 2015 so everyone can benefit from the opportunities afforded by the networked society.”

Ericsson’s annual Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility Report also details the company’s performance in 2015 in the areas of responsible business, environment and climate change and communication for all.

It shows that 99 per cent of active Ericsson employees have acknowledged the company’s Code of Business Ethics. In 2015, the Ericsson Compliance Line, which enables secure reporting of suspected violations, was reinforced to support industry anti-corruption best practices.

Demonstrating its commitment to respecting human rights, Ericsson reported according to the UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights framework for the second year in a row, and continues to be the only ICT company to do so.

In 2015, Ericsson met the target to offset twice the amount of CO2 from its own carbon footprint with solutions such as smart grids and intelligent transport, according to the report. 

In 2015, Ericsson also exceeded its goal to reduce CO2 emissions per employee by 30 per cent – two years ahead of schedule. This amounted to a 42 per cent reduction compared with the 2011 baseline.

Mobile financial services can be a game changer for advancing financial and social inclusion. In 2015, Ericsson supported ASBANC, Peru’s National Bank Association, in an initiative to provide next-generation mobile financial services to 2.1 million Peruvians within five years. – TradeArabia News Service