In today’s Industry 4.0 world, one of the biggest sustainability questions is how our global economy will adjust to the ongoing automation of traditional manufacturing and industrial practices. Read more from the World Economic Forum on how the viability and health of our societies will depend on equipping workers with the skills needed in a new digital economy.
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Why digital upskilling is a crucial part of sustainability
In the last decade, companies everywhere have begun to understand that sustainability is no longer just an optional extra. Now that we have truly woken up to how our actions will affect future generations, we know that neither our businesses nor our society will have much of a future without sustainable thinking.
Increasingly, however, sustainability is also good for business in the here and now. Good ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) performance is known to create higher return on investment, encourage resilience in crises, and attract preferential attention from investors – particularly asset managers who need to report on their investment decisions in a clear way.
Today, one of the biggest sustainability question marks is how our global economy will adjust to the ongoing automation of traditional manufacturing and industrial practices, otherwise known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Clearly, the viability and health of our societies will soon depend on equipping large numbers of workers with the skills to fill roles in a new digital economy. We believe that skill-based initiatives being reflected in ESG reporting is invaluable because companies that digitally upskill their employees are a key part of social sustainability.
William Crane, CEO of IndustryStar, an Ann Arbor, Michigan-based on-demand supply chain services and software technology company that partners with mobility leaders to reduce the cost, time and risk of bringing new vehicles, modules and components to market. William is a trusted advisor in supply chain with demonstrated results starting, launching and enhancing procurement, logistics, supplier quality and manufacturing organizations. His work has appeared frequently in the Institute for Supply Management, Sourcing Industry Group, Disruptor.com and Modern Material Handling. William’s passion for bringing technologies to market that have a positive impact on the world can be found via his blog Supply Chain for Tomorrow’s Technology. William is also Host of the Supply Chain Innovation podcast where he interviews top change-makers to uncover strategies, tips, and tools for improving new product launches.
