Signals 5 - Sustainabiltiy

Foreword by Claire Bedoui

Welcome to the 5th edition of Signals.

Signals a collection of essays written by leaders involved in digital transformation, and curated by Public Digital. This is our fifth edition and its theme is sustainability.

We’ve entered a third year of a pandemic that has highlighted huge inequalities between individuals and nations. The climate crisis continues to threaten the wellbeing of populations worldwide. How can we responsibly use digital transformation to help with the big issues?

Sustainability felt like an obvious choice of theme this time.

But what is sustainability? And specifically, what does it mean in the context of digital transformation? Everyone seems to have a different definition, but most agree on one thing: ‘sustainability’ has become a buzzword. In this edition of Signals, contributors from the public sector and international organisations explain what the word means to them, to their teams and in some instances what it means in terms of digital public services in their country.

So, in this Sustainability edition, you’ll read about the impact of digital transformation on the environment, and what we can do about it. You’ll read about inclusivity, both through the lens of digital divides and responsible innovation tools and techniques. 

You’ll read about the value of digital public goods, and the challenges around their long-term maintenance. You’ll also read about the relationship between digital infrastructure and national sovereignty, as well as the role of behavioural research in addressing government digital transformation challenges.

And because sustainability is a global challenge, we’ve asked for contributions from all over the world: India, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Mauritius, Mongolia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tunisia, the United Kingdom, the United States and Switzerland.

Last but not least, we’d like to say a huge thank you to all our contributors, who invested time and energy in this edition. We’d also like to thank the Digital Impact Alliance for their support, including for our very first French and Spanish versions of Signals.

We hope you enjoy the read. We welcome all thoughts and feedback on the experiences and ideas included in this issue. If you’d like to carry on the conversation, get in touch with Claire Bedoui ([email protected]) or Emily Middleton ([email protected]).

Signals 5 - Sustainabiltiy

Digital public goods

There’s a growing understanding that digital technologies and data can be a shared public good and, provided continued funding, the outcome is beneficial on a social level.

Read more
Signals 5 - Sustainabiltiy

Delivering in Mongolia

An interview with Bolor-Erdene Battsengel about digital transformation in Mongolia.

Read more
Signals 5 - Sustainabiltiy

Sustaining change

An interview with Dr. Pramod K. Varma on sustainable digital transformation and the distance we have travelled so far

Read more
Signals 5 - Sustainabiltiy

Inclusivity in Sierra Leone

An interview with late PJ Mandewa-Cole, who served as Head of Project Design and Delivery at the Directorate of Science Technology and Innovation in Sierra Leone

Read more
Signals 5 - Sustainabiltiy

Behavioural insights

we believe that using behavioural insights to improve culture and trust, help us build sustainable foundations for digitisation in the public sector.

Read more
Signals 5 - Sustainabiltiy

Infrastructure in Africa

A closer look at the state of infrastructure in Africa and the challenges the exist to support sustainability efforts.

Read more
Signals 5 - Sustainabiltiy

Responsible innovation

Building sustainable services requires leaders to balance profit, people, and the planet. Decision makers have a responsibility to do this. Here's how

Read more
Signals 5 - Sustainabiltiy

Cybersecurity and trust

Digital transformation and cybersecurity are often seen as 2 distinct disciplines.The reality is that they are intricately linked.

Read more
public digitalThe public digital logo

Head Office

Clerks Court
18-20 Farringdon Lane
London, UK
EC1R 3AU

Our positions

Our values expressed in action and outcomes.

Read them here

Newsletter

A monthly scan about digital transformation and internet-era ways of working around the world.