We need innovation to fulfill the UN Sustainable Development Goals
The world’s leaders have gathered in New York City for the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). This brings into renewed focus the promise to inspire hope and change for people and the planet by advancing the UN’s most urgent priorities—the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The UNGA is a unique forum for multilateral discussion because it addresses the viewpoints of government, corporate, and nonprofit delegates from all 193 member states of the UN. The SDGs themselves are a blueprint for the sustained peace and prosperity of the planet. With 17 goals in total, every sector needs to come together in partnership to see their fulfillment.
Why would an enterprise software company putting AI to work for people show up at such a forum? The answer is ingrained in ServiceNow’s purpose: to make the world work better for everyone.
An AI-inspired future
Only six years remain until the 2030 deadline for achieving all 17 SDGs in full, yet only 17% of them are on track, according to the Sustainable Development Goals Report 2024. Considering this dire situation, Secretary-General António Guterres has called for solidarity and a “surge in implementation” of the goals over the next six years across all nations and partners.
At ServiceNow, we believe this is something we can lean into. Innovation and an AI-inspired future can help provide meaningful and noteworthy progress for the SDGs.
Recent ServiceNow research into the global nonprofit sector revealed the incredible potential for AI and digital transformation to benefit people and the planet. To reach that potential and drive mission success, the nonprofit sector must recognize the value digital transformation presents.
According to our research, if all nonprofits were to become top performers in digital transformation, the economic and beneficiary impact would be huge. An additional 103.1 million beneficiaries could be served per year, and nonprofits could gain an extra $19.6 billion annually to fulfill their missions.
World-changing digital transformation
It’s not the responsibility of one sector alone to move the needle on SDGs. Collective action is paramount, and it comes with a huge upside for the private sector as well. According to the UN Development Program, achieving the SDGs could open $12 trillion (USD) in market opportunities.
If we take action to digitize and adopt AI, a “surge in implementation” may arise, making completing all the SDGs in the next six years attainable.
ServiceNow is currently working across sectors and with a dozen UN agencies operating throughout the world to improve lives and build a more sustainable world. We believe innovation is the key to progress. I urge our private and public sector customers to join ServiceNow in deploying knowledge and tech to build a world that works better for everyone.
Find out more about how ServiceNow helps everyone contribute to a more sustainable world.