It makes me proud to think about the 676 Â鶹ԭ´´ colleagues who, in 2023, participated in our pro bono consulting programs, offering their expertise to these visionary social entrepreneurs. As in previous years, this collaboration has proven mutually beneficial, with 74% of our employees reporting a positive, lasting impact on their careers. Furthermore, 96% of the supported organizations and 77% of their beneficiaries have seen significant improvements. These numbers speak volumes about the shared value of our engagement.

But the 2023 SEWF wasn’t just a personal highlight; it marked the beginning of another significant milestone. We announced our investment in the Social Enterprise People and Planet First Verification with Good Market and SEWF. This initiative aims to set a global standard for recognizing organizations prioritizing social and environmental impacts. Social enterprises can now also identify themselves on Â鶹ԭ´´ Business Network, the world’s largest B2B commerce platform. This breakthrough can make it easier for these businesses to explore new business-to-business opportunities while also helping Â鶹ԭ´´ customers achieve their goals of being more environmentally and socially responsible. Saying it’s a win-win situation is a bit cliché, but in this case it’s actually true.

Working with SEWF shows how much we believe in working together and driving towards collective impact. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: we can’t do this by ourselves. Working with others is the key to driving the kind of systemic change our world needs. This idea is a big part of what we stand for at Â鶹ԭ´´, and is at the heart of our corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy.

This idea of working together really comes to life in our collaboration with UNICEF and Generation Unlimited. In 2023 – the fourth year of our partnership – we set out to make a real difference by not just developing the skills of young people but also finding jobs in the Â鶹ԭ´´ ecosystem. Launching the Â鶹ԭ´´ Educate to Employ program is a big step in that direction. Helping 25 young people get jobs with Â鶹ԭ´´ in each of our pilot countries – Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and the Philippines – might not sound like a lot, but it’s a huge deal for each of those young people. For them, it’s a gateway to a sustainable livelihood, offering them not just gainful employment but a chance to build a career, achieve financial stability, and make meaningful contributions to their communities and the broader world. It’s about unlocking their potential and enabling them to participate in the digital and green economy. By the end of the year, we saw amazing results. While more than 2,500 had already passed the aptitude test, over 1,000 young people in Africa finished our “Boost Your Career with Â鶹ԭ´´ Skills” course and more than 500 got through the first big part of their training.

But, what’s a year recap without some high-level numbers? Let’s dive into some impressive numbers from 2023. More than 20,000 of our Â鶹ԭ´´ colleagues volunteered over 140,000 hours. Our initiatives reached over 2.8 million young people – almost half girls – and supported over 41,000 teachers. Our partner network reached 1 billion people in over 140 countries. These stats are just the tip of the iceberg, showing our big reach and impact together with our partners.

Building on this, our signature partnerships with Africa Code Week, Meet and Code, and Latin Code Week have always been at the heart of our achievements. As we handed over these initiatives in 2023, we took a moment to reflect and evaluate Africa Code Week and Latin Code Week outcomes more deeply. For instance, by empowering 14.6 million participants with the education, knowledge, and ICT skills needed to participate in the digital future, Africa Code Week has increased the likelihood that beneficiaries will realize higher earnings during their working lives. Common Good Marketplace estimates that Africa Code Week catalyzed up to US$1 billion in social value for program participants between 2015 and 2022 based on future increased income.

As we close the chapter on 2023 and look ahead, the journey we’ve embarked upon at Â鶹ԭ´´ CSR is a testament to the power of collective action and shared vision. The stories, numbers, and outcomes shared in our eBook reflect our commitment to making a meaningful difference.

Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this journey. Your passion, dedication, and commitment are what drive us forward.

Alexandra van der Ploeg is global head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Â鶹ԭ´´.

Data from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics indicates that the most significant deficits in teaching personnel are concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa, posing a significant risk to the continent’s development. The region requires approximately 17 million teachers in total to realize the goal of universal primary and secondary education by 2030.

This basic education predicament also affects young people’s acquisition of future skills — a formidable barrier to their employment prospects and potential. It is deeply disheartening that indicate that more than 72 million youth in Africa are not in education, employment, or training. The majority of them young women. 

In addition, while the global literacy rate stands at 90%, . Apart from traditional literacy skills like reading and writing, it is crucial to acknowledge that fundamental digital literacy is no longer optional; it’s a necessity. It is the key that unlocks understanding, engagement, and prosperity in our interconnected world. These competencies extend beyond mere instruments for developing systems, software, and applications; they are enablers of critical thinking, creative problem-solving, and innovation.

According to a report from the approximately 230 million jobs in sub-Saharan Africa will demand digital skills by 2030. While these figures may seem daunting, they also fuel our desire to continue to innovate and drive greater change, while reflecting on the profound impact of Â鶹ԭ´´’s philanthropic efforts.

Equipping Teachers with 21st Century Skills

Spearheaded by Â鶹ԭ´´ in 2015 as part of its social investments to drive sustainable growth in Africa, Africa Code Week is a digital skills development initiative that has benefited millions of young Africans thus far. In 2022 alone, the  program actively engaged more than 2.6 million participants, equipping them with indispensable 21st century skills. Through an impressive tally of 37,121 workshops spanning the continent, it is encouraging to note that 48% of participants were female, furthering our commitment to gender equality. We also extended this transformative opportunity to nearly 10,000 young individuals with special needs, nurturing their growth and potential.

While this program has made remarkable strides, challenges persist. Without teachers who can impart 21st century learning skills to students, the continent risks creating a digital divide that could stifle economic growth and limit opportunities for its young population. The Women Empowerment Program within Africa Code Week is making a significant impact in this regard. This continuing professional development program equips African female teachers and educators in computer science and STEM with the skills and knowledge they need to successfully teach, inspire, mentor, and prepare girls for tomorrow’s tech workplace.

The program thereby supports the ambitious plans of Africa Code Week to transform the continent’s education system by including digital literacy in national curricula — in line with the work of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) , , and .

Additionally, Train-the-Trainer sessions at Africa Code Week are an integral component of the program’s mission to equip educators with the knowledge and skills needed to teach coding and digital literacy to students across the continent. These sessions serve as a capacity-building initiative designed to create a network of skilled trainers who can in turn train teachers and students in their local communities.

By providing educators with specialized training in coding and digital literacy, they can enhance their teaching capacity. The workshops also equip educators to deliver high-quality instruction in technology-related subjects, which are increasingly important in the 21st century classroom. In addition to this, educators are empowered to go beyond traditional teaching methods. They learn how to incorporate innovative and technology-driven pedagogical approaches into their classrooms. This not only improves the learning experience for students, but also makes teaching more engaging and relevant.

Looking Ahead

As we reflect on the significance of World Teachers’ Day 2023, it is important to remember that teachers are the torchbearers of knowledge, hope, and progress. By championing equal access to education, we recognize that future skills play a pivotal role in shaping the trajectory of tomorrow’s workforce.

By addressing the teacher shortage, upskilling educators in advanced 21st century learning, and promoting digital literacy, we can uplift Africa’s youth to shape a brighter future. Together, we can turn the global imperative to reverse the teacher shortage into a reality that benefits us all.

Claire Gillissen-Duval is head of Â鶹ԭ´´ CSR for EMEA and MEE.