Harnessing Technology for the Global Goals: A framework for corporate action

The document outlines a sector-agnostic framework for companies to integrate the UN Sustainable Development Goals into their core operations through technology. It emphasizes the need for board-led commitment, accountability, and the alignment of R&D and product development with social and environmental outcomes. The framework also highlights the importance of upskilling talent, engaging in agile policy advocacy, and forming multistakeholder partnerships to scale technological solutions for global challenges.

• Corporate action to deliver the Global Goals must begin with a clear, board-led ambition that is communicated internally and externally and aligned with best-practice targets, such as achieving net zero emissions by 2050 for Goal 13.
• Companies should embed the Global Goals into their core business strategies and operating models, ensuring that digital transformation efforts are informed by these goals and that they are integrated into enterprise risk management processes.
• Effective governance requires the board and senior management to be held accountable for the responsible use of technology, with the implementation of management-level performance metrics and KPIs that may be linked to executive incentive schemes.
• Product development teams should be tasked with innovating technology-based solutions for sustainable value creation and minimizing negative impacts through life-cycle assessments from sourcing to end-of-life.
• R&D and innovation strategies must align with the development of technology solutions for the Global Goals, requiring dedicated funding and the adoption of responsible technology guidelines in strategic planning and supply chain management.
• To support the technology for the Global Goals agenda, companies must address internal skills gaps through upskilling and reskilling, while also supporting external education and reskilling in underserved communities.
• Corporates should engage in purposeful advocacy with policy-makers to promote agile regulations that maximize the social and environmental benefits of technology and mitigate its risks.
• Systemic change requires multistakeholder partnerships involving non-profits, public-sector institutions, and academia to share resources, data, and tools to overcome public good challenges.

APA

World Economic Forum (2020). Harnessing Technology for the Global Goals: A framework for corporate action. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Framework_for_Future_Leadership_on_Tech_for_SDGs_Report_2020.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Harnessing Technology for the Global Goals: A framework for corporate action. 2020. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Framework_for_Future_Leadership_on_Tech_for_SDGs_Report_2020.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Harnessing Technology for the Global Goals: A framework for corporate action |date=September 2020 |url=http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Framework_for_Future_Leadership_on_Tech_for_SDGs_Report_2020.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2020harnessing, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Harnessing Technology for the Global Goals: A framework for corporate action}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2020}, month = sep, url = {http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Framework_for_Future_Leadership_on_Tech_for_SDGs_Report_2020.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }