DIGITAL SME joins forces with GeSI to bring digital SMEs to the forefront of the Digital with Purpose Movement

  • The European DIGITAL SME Alliance signs a Memorandum of Understanding with the Global Enabling Sustainability Initiative (GeSI) to ensure SME-representation in the Digital with Purpose Movement

  • SME representation will be crucial in the design of a small-business version of the GeSI’s Digital with Purpose framework for transformational change of companies towards ICT-enabled sustainability

Three weeks after the successful launch of the European Green Digital Coalition, another milestone for our flagship priority of Sustainable Digitalisation has been achieved: DIGITAL SME has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Global Enabling Sustainability Initiative (GeSI). As an organisation, GeSI is the leading source of impartial information, resources and best practices for achieving integrated social and environmental sustainability through technology.

Through the Digital with Purpose (DwP) Movement initiated by GeSI and its ICT Members, companies will embark on a transformative journey towards ICT-enabled sustainability. Working in collaboration with leading public and private organisations, the Digital with Purpose Movement has established a framework designed to track the process of incorporating sustainable technologies and practices through a set of smart indicators over a period of time. Instead of a one-time certification, the framework ensures steady progress towards long-term sustainable and digital transformation. Due to the smaller operations and fewer resources of SMEs and startups, a special version of the DwP framework is needed.

ICT SMEs play a special role in greening Europe’s economy. Due to their business model being mainly digital and technologically advanced, their own operations are often green by default when compared to analogue companies in retail or industry. In addition to reducing their own emissions, innovative SMEs can contribute to a greener economy by providing technologies and services that help digitalise other companies and reduce their resource-use through increased efficiency. Helping to set up an SME-friendly version of the Digital with Purpose framework will be one of DIGITAL SME’s main priorities working in cooperation with GeSI and its members.

“ICT is a crucial factor in global emissions abatement, and SMEs play a key role in bringing green technologies to other companies. We are glad to enter into this important cooperation with GeSI, where we will focus on two goals: making the DwP framework accessible for analogue SMEs and promoting the sustainable solutions of ‘digital enabler’ SMEs”, said DIGITAL SME President Dr Oliver Grün after signing the MoU.

“GeSI and its members have long recognised the need to advance the role of sustainability across the ICT sector and into society. Working together with DIGITAL SME and leveraging the framework provided by the Digital with Purpose Movement, we will create a bigger and better digital impact for all society to benefit. As an industry, we have a responsibility to lead from the front and accelerate the transition to a sustainable planet. Digital with Purpose represents a tremendous opportunity for DIGITAL SME and its members to accelerate their path towards greater sustainability”, said GeSI CEO Luis Neves.

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