You鈥檝e all seen the news: global despair caused by the oppressive heat, unrelenting cold, and merciless flooding 鈥� all impacting our once-bountiful fields.

As climate change heightens,聽farmers and their crops face growing exposure to unpredictable weather patterns. Global conflicts only add to their uncertainty and vulnerability, with rising production costs exacerbating difficulties.

In Eswatini, Africa, the cultivation of sugar cane is crucial to the economy, representing almost a quarter of all exports. It is also used in various local, regional, and global products, underscoring the impact of external pressures on the country鈥檚 sustainability.

Founded in 1950,聽聽is the largest sugar cane farming and manufacturing corporation in Eswatini. With over 3,500 internal and third-party farmers, the organization produces two-thirds of the country鈥檚 sugar and more than 35 million liters of ethanol each year.

For RES, the repercussions of the looming crises were no different. Farmers grappled with fluctuating yields and high costs, but their dependency on spreadsheets and forms was outdated and unable to address their issues.

To overcome these environmental and economic pitfalls, the organization recognized the need for technology that supported third-party farmers, helping them make informed decisions on when and where to plant, as well as manage water and fertilizer use.

A connected approach

One potential solution arose in cell data that could support farmers in rural areas. This newfound opportunity ripened the possibility for agronomic models, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and satellites that could help farmers improve their harvests.

As a long-term 麻豆原创 ERP Central Component (ECC) user and a member of the 麻豆原创 Early Adopter Care program, the next steps for RES were clear.

Teamed with 麻豆原创 and the聽, they developed a tool that assesses water shortages, energy volatility, unforeseen environmental events, and environmental regulations to reduce costs, increase yields, and enhance efficiency.

鲍迟颈濒颈锄颈苍驳听聽on 麻豆原创 Business Technology Platform (BTP), alongside satellite data, mapping, and detailed crop information, the solution harnesses the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to enable RES to develop customized interfaces for farmers. In turn, improving farming practices and decision-making processes.

Additionally, the tool features a mobility model that incorporates digital and mobile technologies that increase communication and coordination with third-party farmers, empowering them to work from the field.

鈥淲e have developed a model that can be adopted as best practice by Eswatini farmers to improve lives and make the world run better,鈥� detailed Rob Coombe, the Group IT Manager. 鈥淲e are now growing with precision. The 麻豆原创 Intelligent Agriculture solution, along with an innovative mindset, has brought visible benefit to the entire Royal Eswatini Sugar community.鈥�

After the first year of its implementation, their 麻豆原创 Intelligent Agriculture solution saw 15,000 transactions from just 25 third-party farmers.

Achieving sweet success

With agronomic data, real-time growth measurements, and upcoming weather forecasts, the new system allowed RES to pinpoint the optimal harvest day, leading to a 鈧�4.8 million increase in yield 鈥� or a 5.96% improvement.

Third-party RES farmers have also saved around 鈧�150 thousand per season because of enhanced planning, execution, and decision making.

鈥淲e are driving sugar growth efficiencies for RES and our [third-party farmers] with real-time field data combined with external satellite and agronomic data,鈥� said Coombe. 鈥淲ith help from 麻豆原创, we have developed an innovative service platform which increases yields, reduces costs, and improves sustainability.鈥�

This boost in yields and profitability per farmed area has helped advance sustainable farming practices in Eswatini. As a result, they have been able to conserve water, fertilizer, and local resources, helping farmers and the broader community.

And RES has improved its ability to report against global standards like Bonsucro and GRI, enhancing its appeal to RES customers who are working toward sustainability goals.

The Royal Eswatini Sugar Corporation was honored as a winner in the 鈥淚ndustry Leader鈥� and 鈥淏usiness Innovator鈥� categories of the聽聽in April. To learn more about their accomplishments and future plans, check out their Innovation Awards聽.

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According to Titilayo Adewumi, Managing Director at 麻豆原创 West Africa, bold steps toward educational reform are needed to promote improved learning outcomes and ensure the region an capitalise on the opportunities presented by abundant population growth. 鈥淭echnology should play a central and guiding role in enhancing education systems in West Africa. In Nigeria, for example, Edo state has launched a new system approach that leverages digital technologies to improve teaching and learning.鈥�

Challenges with education persist

With much of the developed world facing ageing populations and slowing population growth, Africa is expected to play a central role in the global labour market. The working age population in Sub-Saharan Africa will聽, accounting for more than two-thirds of total global population growth.

However, despite Africa’s youthful population, only 9% of children in sub-Saharan Africa that enrol in primary school make it to tertiary education,聽.

Mobolaji Abubakre Ogunlende, Commissioner at Nigeria鈥檚 Ministry of Youths and Social Development, says: 鈥淚n West Africa, and by extension, Lagos, only a fraction of children who start in primary school make it to tertiary education and even fewer manage to graduate. The root of this issue lies in the inefficiencies that plague our education systems, including the lack of digital transformation, which forces millions of students to compete for limited spaces in in-person educational institutions.鈥�

Adewumi adds. 鈥淎 lack of digital transformation in West African education systems means millions of students have to travel long distances to physically collect transcripts instead of simply accessing digital copies online.鈥�

Climate change is adding a further dimension to the region’s education challenges. The impact of droughts, floods, fires, heavy rain and heatwaves on education infrastructure聽.

One study estimates climate change could keep more than 12 million girls in lower-income countries from completing their education every year聽.

Bold steps needed

Experts are calling for bold action to address the region鈥檚 education challenges.

The World Bank’s Western and Central Africa Education Strategy 2022-2025, for example, brings top education leaders and experts together to advance the cause of education in the region. This strategy also sees investment of $3-billion into the education portfolio,聽.

聽strategy for enhancing education in Central and West Africa, the region’s education sector should focus on four key priority areas, namely:

• Access to education聽for all children, including an expansion of early learning programmes, vocational training, and national data production;
• Quality learning聽through improved teaching skills, quality standards, life skills programmes and early learning assessments;
• Girls’ education聽through programmes that support girls’ achievements in and through education; and
• Education in emergencies, especially for children living in conflict or disaster zones, where school safety, psychosocial support and information management are critical.

Private sector support critical

Adewumi says the private sector can play a critical role in enhancing education systems and outcomes in the region. 鈥淏y investing in education and skills development initiatives, the private sector can also ensure it has access to the skills it needs to succeed and grow.鈥�

聽revealed an acute tech skills shortage in the region, with only 3% of organisations saying they don’t expect to have significant tech skills challenges in 2023. More than nine in ten organisations (93%) also said the need for tech skills has increased in the past 12 months, with two-thirds of Nigerian organisations saying he need for tech skills has increased significantly.

To help organisations in the region address the tech skills shortage, 麻豆原创 introduced the 麻豆原创 Dual Study Program, which partners with top universities to take talented graduates into 麻豆原创-specific training and help them bridge the gap between university and the workplace.

Commissioner Ogunlende says: 鈥淯ndeniably, government infrastructure and programs are needed to adequately provide efficiencies not only by increasing conventional capacity but also leveraging on the capacity of private-run programs like the 麻豆原创 Dual Study Program and the 麻豆原创 Young Professionals Program that have demonstrated the positive impact of private sector engagement in youth educational programs. By creating a multi-pronged assault on the issue, we can make significant in-roads in upskilling our population. These are some of the plans we would be unfolding in the next set of months in partnership with 麻豆原创.鈥�

The 麻豆原创 Young Professionals Program provides a two- to three-month enablement plan that includes 麻豆原创 software functional and technical knowledge. Graduates receive certification from 麻豆原创 and exit the program as Associate Consultants, making them instantly employable within the broader 麻豆原创 partner and customer ecosystem.

This model creates benefits across the board: youth develop industry-ready skills and secure suitable job opportunities; 麻豆原创 partners and customers gain access to much-needed talent; countries benefit from the digital skills created; and 麻豆原创 itself strengthens its own ecosystem.

鈥淏y making timely investments into strengthening the West African education system, the region can more readily benefit from its abundant youth skills,鈥� says Adewumi. 鈥淗owever, considering pervasive challenges with access to quality education outcomes, organisations in the public and private sectors must come together to design suitable programmes that can accelerate youth skills development. Done correctly, this investment will pay dividends for decades to come.鈥�

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Over 1.3 million Nigerians have been displaced by the floods, which have killed at least 600 people, destroyed more than 200,000 homes, and hit 32 out of the country鈥檚 36 states. The floods are the worst for more than a decade and have wiped out crops, disrupted drinking water supplies, and turned capital city Lagos into an island surrounded by floodwaters.

Speaking last month during the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Annual Meetings in Washington, DC, Mai Farid of the fund’s African department warned about the impact of the floods, which have also hit Cameroon and Chad, on transport, food production, and prices.

Farid noted that Nigeria is part of the most food-insecure region, the region most vulnerable to climate change and yet the least prepared. She urged the government to invest in infrastructure and technology to help prevent and mitigate the impact of floods and other climate-related natural disasters in the future: “Rebuilding better is something that countries need to take into account since climate change is not going anywhere and is inevitable.鈥�

Nigeria is Africa鈥檚 most populous country and largest economy. Even before the latest flood, it聽 faced rising food insecurity as a combination of a mostly informal agriculture sector and growing population puts pressure on the country鈥檚 food resources. According to the , food insecurity increased from six percent of the Nigerian population in 2007 to 13.4% in 2017.

The agriculture sector is the largest contributor to the Nigerian economy and聽. However, according to the United Nation (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization, food production in Nigeria is undermined by a number of factors, among them poor planting material and insufficient use of fertilizer, which leads to a growing reliance on food imports.

To help address these issues and support smallholder, the Convention on Business Integrity鈥檚 for-profit arm Innovations Limited, or CBiIL, chose the solution to support 850,000 small maize producers and integrate them into the agricultural value chains.

While West Africa, like Africa as a whole, is still heavily dependent on agriculture, it is home to some of the world鈥檚 fastest growing mega cities like Lagos, so urbanization and the associated environmental issues are top of mind, particularly among young adults.

The region also has a reputation for leap-frogging old technology — first mobile technology and now with cloud computing. In Nigeria itself, the number of mobile phone subscribers is forecast to grow to more than 140 million by 2025 from about 40 million currently.

As Africa鈥檚 largest oil and liquified natural gas (LNG)聽 producer, Nigeria is on the front line of the debate over sustainable development in the West Africa. It is also a key market for 麻豆原创, which counts among its customers Nigeria LNG, which operates six LNG liquefaction units, and Dangote Group, the conglomerate founded and run by Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote.

The group鈥檚 Dangote Cement unit already publishes an annual sustainability report, part of Aliko Dangote鈥檚聽 personal commitment to build 鈥渁 socially responsible and impactful business that serves all stakeholders.鈥� Dangote is also close to completing the Dangote Refinery, the world鈥檚 largest petroleum refinery capable of processing 650,000 barrels of oil per day. When it comes online, the $20 billion refinery will enable Nigeria to process most of its oil instead of exporting crude to be refined overseas.

鈥淲e are having conversations with Dangote about some of our sustainability solutions and how they measure their impact on the environment,鈥� says Titilayo Adewumi, regional sales director for West Africa at 麻豆原创.

Nigeria LNG is also committed to sustainability and is Africa鈥檚 largest LNG exporter, but has recently been operating well below capacity because of a number of factors, including under-investment in recent years and endemic crude oil theft. 鈥淚f we don鈥檛 address this, we will not get out of this quagmire that we are in,鈥� Nigeria LNG Managing Director recently warned Philip Mshelbila. Speaking last month at a conference in Lagos, Mshelbila also acknowledged that the flooding has reduced the gas supplies from the company鈥檚 upstream suppliers, though he said Nigeria LNG鈥檚 facilities remain unaffected and its capacity to produce LPG is intact.

Companies in Nigeria also have to grapple with unreliable electricity supplies and frequent power outages, a problem that business leaders say has led some manufactures to relocate to neighboring Ghana, which has a much more reliable electricity system.

Ghana is the regional leader in addressing plastics pollution and circular economy issues. A groundbreaking between the World Economic Forum (WEF), the Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP), and 麻豆原创 in Ghana is increasing visibility within the plastics supply chain with the hope of benefiting people, companies, and the environment.

The project involves more than 2,000 Ghanaian waste pickers and makes use of an adapted version of 麻豆原创 Rural Sourcing Management to measure the quantities and types of plastic they collect. Data is then analyzed and matched to market-related prices paid throughout the value chain both locally and internationally.

Ghana generates an estimated 1.1 million tons of plastic waste every year, with only five percent collected for recycling. This new pilot project is currently running in several cities across Ghana, with hopes of expanding to the rest of the region and ultimately the continent through the GPAP-Africa Regional Coordination Working Group, which includes 麻豆原创.

Across the region, the bulk of 麻豆原创 customers are choosing cloud solutions rather than on-premise technology and 麻豆原创 seeks to help customers deliver on their climate goals by creating greater efficiency, transparency, and accountability of carbon and emissions across the entire supply chain and innovating new processes and business models.

But 麻豆原创 Africa Managing Director Cathy Smith and other experts caution that while sustainability and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues are an increasingly important part of the conversation among governments and corporate leaders, it is important to recognize that customers in Africa often have other — perhaps higher — priorities.

In particular, they say business leaders need to be persuaded that sustainability makes good business sense and will ultimately benefit the company, economy, and people.

鈥淲e lead by asking about their business priorities, and then we fold in sustainability,鈥� Smith explains. “It’s just a different approach.”

This article first appeared on the 麻豆原创 News Center.

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However, as East Africa’s economic engine kicks back into gear, the vital task of looking beyond immediate recovery toward longer-term economic growth and prosperity takes centre stage.

Today, the urgent question is: what investments into new tools, technologies and policies can be made now to build a stronger and more equitable regional economy in the decade ahead?

I would argue that the region could benefit most from investments into youth skills development, adoption of cloud technologies to unlock market expansion opportunities, and focused attention on the agricultural sector, which is critical to both employment and food security across East Africa.

Activating the youth skills pool

Africa’s abundant and growing youth population has been widely discussed as an opportunity for the continent to drive the world’s economic engine in the decades ahead. With populations in much of the developed world expected to decline during the 21st century, Africa’s surplus of youthful talent could play a vital role in preventing a skills shortage and ensuring ongoing economic growth.

However, much work needs to be done, and with urgency. A recent survey of tertiary education institutions in East Africa found that . Only 53% of respondents from Kenya – and only 17% in Ethiopia – indicated that their students often or always have access to a computer.

The growth of the digital economy and the automation of mundane tasks through technological innovation means low-skill clerical work is increasingly being done by machines and algorithms. For our region’s youth to have opportunities for successful careers that can help grow local economies, more emphasis needs to be placed on digital skills development that equips youth for high-value tasks.

Initiatives such as 麻豆原创 Africa Code Week, which draws in millions of youths every year in a continent-wide effort at inspiring a love for digital technologies and coding, play an important role at the grassroots level. Vitally, Africa Code Week’s Train-the-Trainer program also equips teachers with valuable skills that can be transferred to youth throughout the academic year.

Graduate employment and skills development initiatives such as the Young Professionals Program helps to close the gap between academic knowledge and business-ready skills. This serves the dual purpose of providing career development and employment opportunities for youth and ensuring a steady supply of fit-for-purpose skills to public and private sector organisations.

Climate change raises stakes in food security

Agriculture remains one of the continent’s most important economic sectors, .

Data indicates a large reserve of untapped potential in the African agricultural sector. McKinsey estimates to add 20% to global grain and cereal supplies with several key interventions. These include yield improvements through better use of fertilisers, weather data and technology, as well as land expansion and post-harvest yield loss reduction.

Investing in appropriate tools, technologies and training could unlock vast economic growth for both the millions of smallholder farmers and their dependent communities as well as local economies.

Such support should be provided with urgency considering the growing impact of climate change on our continent. Recent data indicates that , a situation that will only be exacerbated as the changing climate unleashes adverse weather conditions including floods, droughts, more severe seasons, and wildcard events such as the recent locust swarms that have decimated farming activity across large parts of the region.

Tools such as 麻豆原创 Rural Sourcing Management can play a vital role in empowering smallholder farmers with better data and knowledge while unlocking greater market opportunities.

Rural Sourcing Management is a cloud-based supply chain management tool that connects smallholder farmers to the agricultural value chain and has been used to significant effect in the region, including in deployments to support the Africa Cashew Initiative and the Uganda Coffee Farmers Alliance.

Leapfrogging legacy underdevelopment

Most of Africa lacks legacy infrastructure development in technology and connectivity, with key technologies from the previous wave of innovation, such as fixed broadband, having largely missed the continent.

While this has stunted growth and development in some cases, it has also created an opportunity now for public and private sector organisations to build fit-for-purpose infrastructure instead of having to repurpose outdated technologies.

As the African Union notes in its Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa, where the continent can adopt modern digital technologies faster and without hindrance.

Such efforts must include a focus on cloud technologies, as these scale more easily as enterprises grow and can more readily enable expansion into new territories or market segments.

The role of the continent’s specialist tech implementation companies cannot be overstated: as businesses increasingly look to unlock the benefits of the cloud, the implementers serve as partners and guides, helping organisations adopt new tools and processes without undue disruption to their operations.

Initiatives such as RISE with 麻豆原创 further ease adoption by providing organisations with a tested model for deploying cloud technologies as well as best-practice playbooks that eliminate the trial and error associated with large-scale business transformation efforts.

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But the past year has not been without its lessons. Our work with customers across Africa and the world has revealed several vital learnings and provide a glimpse into what we can expect in the year ahead.

My predictions for the year ahead include:

Prediction 1: Digital transformation will continue (but with new rules)

Last year moved the value of digital technologies to the top of every business leader’s agenda. Those organisations that had already invested in digital transformation could adapt more quickly and with greater resilience to the changes forced on us by the pandemic.

In 2021, organisations continued their digital transformation efforts, with remote and hybrid work models as well as digital customer engagement high on African enterprises’ agendas.

In 2022, organisations will ramp up their investments into digital technologies, but with one significant change: the days of large, lengthy, difficult and costly technology implementations are largely over. In their place is a new, more accountable model of engagement between organisations and their technology partners.

Technology providers will need to shift attention away from pure quarterly sales targets to a longer-term view of sales and performance. Customer engagements should focus less on products and features, and more on developing a deeper understanding of each customer’s challenges and building trust over the longer term.

This change will put pressure on tech providers and their implementation partners, as it requires fundamental changes to their operating models as well as new skillsets.

Prediction 2: We will all be leaders in the fight against climate change

With the Earth now 1.1掳C warmer than it was in the 1800s, countries and individuals face a mammoth task in changing course and bringing the world on to a more sustainable path. The IMF estimates the cost of adapting to climate change in developing countries may reach $300bn by the end of the decade, while productivity losses due to heat stress reducing total working hours potentially leading to a global GDP cut of $2.4tn by 2030.

While it is encouraging that more business leaders are directly addressing sustainability – the topic is now 44% more common in corporate earnings calls than three years ago – what is urgently needed is action.

麻豆原创 believes nothing less than a complete reinvention of the global economy will be required to create a world that stays within the 1.5掳C threshold and so limits the damage of climate change.

Every organisation can choose to be an exemplar and drive change through exhibiting behaviours and making decisions that put sustainability front and centre, for example by becoming carbon neutral. This form of climate leadership can inspire others and pave the way to a more equitable and sustainable future.

For a lucky few, including 麻豆原创, there is also the opportunity to be enablers, through the provision of tools, technologies and services that replace outdated and harmful business practices and power the circular economy.

麻豆原创’s Climate 21 software package, for example, allows our customers to measure and analyse the CO2 emissions directly associated with individual products they offer. Similarly Ariba, the world’s largest business network with $3.75tn in annual trade, can provide greater transparency in enterprise supply chains to enable organisations to make informed decisions over which suppliers prioritise sustainability.

Prediction 3: Innovation will be crucial (but not in the way you expect)

The word ‘innovation’ usually conjures up images of the world’s most ground-breaking companies, ones that invent products and services that create entire new industries, or new solutions that transform existing industries.

However, in 2022 a different type of innovation will be required. To meet our current and future challenges and deal with ongoing uncertainty and disruption, organisations will need to embed a culture of innovation that cuts across the organisation and transforms how people think about the challenges and opportunities they face.

Organisations will need to drive innovation in how they work with their customers, in how they approach sales, in how they provide continuous support, and a myriad other ways.

Such changes will be difficult and could lead to further disruption, so business leaders will have to ensure they keep the business in balance while building trust internally and externally throughout the change process.

Prediction 4: Our technology tools will mature to give us the best of all worlds

One of the common remarks we encounter in the boardrooms of Africa’s leading enterprises is the concept of best-of-breed. Organisations rightfully want to acquire the very best technology solutions to meet their needs and drive change and efficiency throughout the business.

Increasingly, business leaders are speaking of best-of-suite, which means choosing individual components of various different technology solutions and combining them in unique ways that are designed to deliver maximum value to the business.

In 2022, expect greater integration of technology solutions from different providers. For example, 麻豆原创’s position as the leader in enterprise resource planning through our flagship S/4HANA solution makes us a natural choice for hundreds of thousands of global organisations.

In response to the demands from our customers, 麻豆原创 has invested heavily in integration to allow our customers the freedom to integrate the solutions of their choice with any of our technologies.

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The vast majority of population growth across the continent will be concentrated in urban areas. WEF data indicates that more than 80% of Africa’s population growth between now and 2030 will be in cities, with .

One matter of concern is that city expansion will take place in the backdrop of an escalating climate crisis. The UN has designated West Africa as a climate change hotspot, prompting public and private sector organisations to seek novel solutions to sustainably enable the rapid population growth.

However, the stress that will be placed on city infrastructure and resources such as water should not be underestimated.

Data suggests that , and time is quickly running out to enhance the sustainability and climate resilience of the continent’s cities.

The concept of a circular economy, where waste is eliminated and resources reused in an effort at restoring and regenerating nature, is gaining ground.

In a positive turn of events, several innovative circular economy initiatives are giving hope that the region is stepping on to a more sustainable path.

Ground-breaking efforts in Ghana

A recent project involving 麻豆原创, the World Economic Forum and the Global Plastic Action Partnership enabled greater visibility in the plastics supply chain by better tracking the work of more than 2000 waste pickers.

The project measures the quantities and types of plastic collected by waste pickers, analyses data, and then matches the collected waste to market-related prices in local and global value chains.

Sustainably-minded organisations can then opt to pay a premium for more socially-responsible plastics, while the waste pickers benefit from higher wages.

The project, led by Ghana’s Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology & Innovation (MESTI), brings Ghana closer to its ambitions of being a lighthouse for circular economy innovation in Africa. By using 麻豆原创’s Rural Sourcing Management solution, MESTI is able to scale the solution nationally once the current pilot project comes to a close.

To date, the project has secured the involvement of large consumer goods companies such as Coca-Cola.

In addition, Dow Chemicals West Africa, a subsidiary of Dow Inc, one of the largest chemical producers in the world, is using 麻豆原创 Rural Sourcing Manager to fast-track its shift to reusable or recyclable products.

Dow Chemicals West Africa sought a technology solution that could track plastic in the informal sector to improve plastics recycling and support the wellbeing of plastic collectors in Ghana’s informal sector.

The initial solution is being trialled in Western Ghana, with plans to scale nationally in time.

Social enterprise closes loop in plastics repurposing

In Accra, Ghana, the ASASE Foundation is empowering female entrepreneurs to play a key role in cashing in on the plastic waste of Accra and its environs for the benefit of their own communities through the foundation鈥檚 CASH IT! Social Enterprises.

Only 20% of household garbage waste is collected in Accra, and only 2% of the waste is recycled, resulting in 78% of garbage ending up on the streets. Due to heavy rainfall, the garbage drains into the oceans, washing up on the shores or being ingested by the animals in and around the city. Plastic bags and containers often clog gutters causing hazardous flooding, endangering people鈥檚 lives and causing an environmental issue.

The ASASE Foundation uses 麻豆原创鈥檚 Rural Sourcing Management solution to enable female entrepreneurs to build their own plastic recycling business and cash in on the value of the waste for a profit. The social enterprise model will help create jobs and keep most of the value generated by recycling plastic in the community.

The innovative model has garnered the attention of the UN Development Programme, who are sponsors of the initiative and supportive of its mission to increase plastic recycling and improving the lives of the plastic pickers.

Further circular economy initiatives using 麻豆原创 Rural Sourcing Management are being planned for Nigeria in 2022, and talks are underway with several large multinational organisations active in West Africa to fix the problem of plastic pollution and build a more sustainable society that can be a healthy home to our growing population.

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The latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) of the toll human-caused climate change will have on the planet’s future, with very little time left to reduce emissions and limit changes in Earth’s climate.

Humanity鈥檚 greatest challenge

“Climate change is one of the biggest challenges we face today, and it’s no longer enough to only do less harm,” says Sunil Geness, Global Sustainability Lead for Africa at 麻豆原创. “There is an urgent need at a global level for organisations to act as exemplars that purposely do more good and, where possible, enable more sustainable practices through the design of their products and services.”

The IPCC report notes that 2.4 trillion tons of CO2 has been added to the Earth鈥檚 atmosphere since the mid-1800s, pushing average global temperatures up by 1.1C. The so-called carbon budget only has 400 billion tons of CO2 left, and considering global emissions amount to just over 40 billion tons, less than a decade remains for humanity to make serious and far-reaching changes to put it on a more sustainable path.

“Reforestation and biodiversity preservation are major contributors to global efforts at restoring ecosystems and limiting and repairing the damage caused by harmful human activities,” explains Geness. “African countries already bear witness to the devastating impact of a changing climate, and nowhere is this more evident than in Madagascar.”

Madagascar a 鈥榯op conservation priority area鈥�

Madagascar has been identified as one of the world’s top biodiversity conservation priority areas due to its high concentration of endemic species and its rapid habitat loss. The country is in the grip of its worst drought in four decades, which the UN World Food Programme recently said is leading .

The also noted an increase in aridity in Madagascar, which is expected to increase if climate change continues.

Recently, 麻豆原创 partnered with Eden Reforestation Projects to plant mangroves at the Moraharivo reforestation site in 2020. The site, which spans 872 hectares, was left bare after years of forest degradation from charcoal production and wood collection.

“To date, nearly 400 000 trees have been planted on behalf of 麻豆原创 at the site, supported by local communities who now have long-term employment opportunities as part of the reforestation project,鈥� explains Geness. “The project forms part of 麻豆原创’s global efforts at becoming a leader in sustainable business practices, and builds on similar projects elsewhere in the world.鈥�

Globally, 麻豆原创 has funded several reforestation projects, including ones in Nepal, Haiti, and Indonesia. To date, more than 1.3 million trees – mostly mangrove – has been planted by Eden Reforestation Projects on behalf of 麻豆原创.

麻豆原创鈥檚 latest integrated report showed that the company is set to become fully carbon-neutral by 2023, two years ahead of the initial target of 2025. 鈥淭he best-run companies today are also the ones that have embedded purpose into the fabric of all that they do,鈥� says Geness.

鈥淥ur stated purpose of making the world run better and improving lives, as well as our commitment to the UN鈥檚 Sustainable Development Goals guides our conduct as exemplars of more sustainable business practices. However, our true strength lies in our more than 400聽000 customers, who use our technology solutions to become more efficient in their operations, embed greater transparency in their supply chains, and eliminate harmful or unsustainable business practices.鈥�

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Are African enterprises at risk of extinction, just as millions of natural species face extinction due to the impact of climate change?聽Businesses and countries across the continent are attempting to rebuild after the devastation caused by the pandemic. It is perhaps an opportune time to take stock of whether we are rebuilding in a way that will ensure our sustainability in the long term, economically and environmentally.

When economic activity tapered down in 2020 due to the Covid-19 lockdowns, researchers noted a drop in global emissions. For a moment it appeared that the pandemic would be a catalyst for a more sustainable and less environmentally harmful global economy. However, our modern lifestyle 鈥� in many cases the very basis of global economic activity 鈥� is undermining progress made during the quieter periods of 2020. Environmentalists decried a sharp increase in deforestation last year, despite the slowdown in overall economic activity. New research also found that the average meat-eating, coffee-drinking Westerner is responsible for the loss of聽four trees annually聽as forests are cleared for cattle and high-profit crops.

Recent data indicates that the volume of聽greenhouse gas emissions will continue to grow unless there is a change in policy and business practices. So far, we have not risen to the occasion with commendable urgency. A recent Oxford study found that only $368bn of the $14.6-trillion in recovery spending during 2020 was green, with one study author saying the findings are 鈥渁 wake-up call鈥�.

Africa is expected to be one of the hardest-hit continents in terms of climate change. Our reliance on agriculture, outdated or lack of infrastructure and low levels of development leave us more vulnerable than many more developed regions.

Miracle intervention

Our business sector is also at risk.聽In the mid-2000s, as digital technologies and social media started entering the mainstream, analysts and industry experts dedicated vast column centimetres to predicting which products and business models would not survive the digital revolution.

One article from 2007 predicted the demise of several types of businesses, including record stores and newspapers.聽Many of the predictions were correct: record stores were first disrupted by iTunes and then, more recently, by streaming services. Most have shut doors. Newspapers, though still very much around, look vastly different, with most of newsroom efforts going into digital platforms. Many other types of businesses have had to either reinvent themselves or close down.

The point of the predictions was that, barring some miracle intervention, these business models would go extinct due to a combination of technology, innovation and changing consumer habits.

These predictions were made during a period of relative calm, before the global financial crisis of 2008. Fast-forward to now and I would argue you could list hundreds, even thousands, of business models facing extinction. The accelerated pace of technological progress, the rise of the data-empowered consumer, the proliferation of smartphones, the changing climate and, recently, the unprecedented impact of the coronavirus pandemic have created a storm of disruption and uncertainty.

As we collectively try to build back after the devastation of the pandemic, do we risk losing sight of our longer-term priorities, and could we be sacrificing sustainability at the altar of short-term profit? In short, yes. But there is time to course correct, albeit very little time. How can we as a business community respond to the dual challenge of economic and environmental sustainability? Start by acknowledging that the opposite of extinction is sustainability, and build sustainability into the fabric of the business.

Closer relationships

Business leaders should define a clear purpose and ensure that the purpose transcends narrow, short-term interest in favour of longer-term success. Develop a compelling vision 鈥� or reason to believe 鈥� about the purpose and bring it to life in all aspects of the business. Reframe your business objectives away from short-term wins and towards more sustainable, long-term outcomes. Realise that this requires a fundamental culture change and strong, visionary leadership.

For example, sales teams should look beyond quarterly sales targets and instead focus on developing closer relationships with customers with the aim of establishing constant exchanges of value over longer periods.

Instead of slavishly working to generate shareholder value, take a more balanced view and strive for success across social, environmental and financial metrics, the so-called triple bottom line. This may mean sacrifices in the short term, but will lead to greater success in future and help foster closer collaboration between organisations and their customers. It requires that managers and business leaders support their teams in achieving longer-term targets, which in most cases depend on a shift in organisational culture.

Evaluate supply chains and ensure every partner, supplier and provider places the same premium on sustainability. Where possible, work with and support the growth of social enterprises, which are businesses built from the ground up with purpose and sustainability at their core.

Consider the role of technology in aligning everyday decisions to sustainable outcomes.聽Building intelligent enterprise capabilities that allow for the seamless integration of new technologies to a powerful digital core also gives organisations the flexibility and adaptability to overcome new challenges and act on business priorities quicker and with greater accuracy.

Driven by purpose and with greater agility and adaptability enabled by technology, African enterprises can switch from survival mode to long-term success while bringing the continent 鈥� and the world 鈥� closer to a more sustainable society, one that works for all.聽But time is running out.

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As businesses adapt to the market dynamics of what many are calling the 鈥榥ew normal鈥�, it is time for them to consider their future in an emerging world beyond what we already know today: a future that is going to be our 鈥榥ext normal鈥�.

The pandemic has forced many enterprises to re-think how they measure their success and performance. Before COVID-19, most businesses focused largely on managing profitability and growth. What this crisis has revealed is the importance of adaptability, resilience, and sustainability in its broadest sense.

We are all familiar with the huge challenges related to climate change. As per the United Nations (UN), we have entered the 鈥渄ecade of action鈥�. A window of eight to ten years where as individuals and organizations we can still make the necessary changes to mitigate the worst effects of climate change. Sustainability, however, goes beyond environmental issues. It also has to do with promoting healthy and safe places to live, reducing inequality and ensuring accessible education for all, as embodied in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

For many businesses right now, this expanded concept of sustainability has taken on a larger meaning. Even before the pandemic, businesses were being challenged to measure sustainability and business success more holistically, in a way that connects the classic triple bottom line elements of economic, social and environmental impacts.

Right now, the conversations I am having with many business leaders in our region focus on how enterprises will navigate uncertainty while building resilience and creating truly sustainable models that are fit for a post-pandemic economy 鈥� the 鈥榥ext normal鈥�. If Covid-19 has done anything, it has not only significantly accelerated many companies鈥� goal of becoming truly sustainable, it has also led them to understand their 鈥榮ustainability advantage鈥�. And it will undoubtedly be sustainable businesses that attract funding, trade and consumer attention in the future.

So how do organizations realize their sustainability advantage? I have long believed in 鈥� and evangelized about 鈥� the business-critical role of technology in helping organizations achieve their goals and create lasting value. And the only way to achieve that is by streamlining business processes with emerging technologies to create an integrated, data-driven management and operational platform. Businesses that achieve this become聽.

During the darkest moments of the numerous COVID-19 lockdowns across the world, we saw automotive manufacturers start making ventilators, wineries producing high-quality hand sanitizer and thread manufacturers turn their hands to personal protective equipment. It certainly wasn鈥檛 their core business. But they understood it was in line with their brand purpose, what their customers expected and how they could take action to help those in need. They were able to reconfigure themselves to adapt to market conditions and explore new business models, to scale up or down, and remain focused on their customers and employees.

In the midst of the pandemic, we saw the UAE-based agribusiness, Al Dahra, centralize its procurement functions to secure supply and faster delivery, and locate new suppliers to meet increased demand. Faced with huge project delays, Italian industrial engineering leader De Nora pivoted to a remote delivery model to ensure a successful water treatment systems implementation in the US. The Morocco Ministry of Health set up an 麻豆原创 Digital Boardroom in just two weeks to provide real-time COVID-19 monitoring and tracking.

These businesses didn鈥檛 get lucky or happen to be in the right place at the right time. They were able to make decisions based on real-time, contextual data from their operations, and combine that with customer and employee demands and experiences, to deliver great business outcomes. If anything, they are now better businesses than before the pandemic struck.

What this pandemic has shown us is that Intelligent Enterprises are, by definition, resilient and sustainable. This resilience allows them to address challenges holistically, while continuing to make a positive impact in their communities and the world in general. Even by the UN Development Programme expanded聽, Intelligent Enterprises have the unique ability to become sustainable organizations because they are able to make quick, data-driven decisions along the entire value and supply chain.

Realizing true sustainability in a post-pandemic world is about knowing where the customers and stakeholders are, what they need right now, and how you can best serve them with appropriate products and services. It鈥檚 knowing where the raw materials are and being able to pivot to new sources of supply when one closes off. It鈥檚 about building sustainable talent pools for staffing in the face of rolling lockdowns and taking a new approach to travel as travel bans start lifting.

Most of all, it鈥檚 about using technology to聽build resilience, innovate and thrive. So when the next crisis comes along, your business will not only be better prepared to weather the storm, but identify and capitalize on moments of opportunity.

Now that鈥檚 a 鈥榥ext normal鈥� we can all get behind.

This article is the first of a three-part series exploring the economic, environmental and societal responsibilities of sustainable businesses in a post-pandemic economy

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