Singapore Advances Plans to Become a Leading Innovation Digital Sustainability Hub [br/]in Southeast Asia

SINGAPORE – 17 NOV 2022

Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) is collaborating with Microsoft to address climate-related issues and improve sustainability outcomes for digital technologies. This partnership will look to accelerate the global and local development of software applications and solutions to help industries do more with less.

IMDA and Microsoft will share learnings, certification pathways, best practices, and standards for effective measurement and reporting of carbon emissions arising from software applications. This partnership will look to advance the implementation of principles and tools for the development of green technologies.

IMDA and Microsoft will be developing a joint framework that outlines guidance for the development of sustainable software. The framework will be applied through the Singapore GreenTech Challenge, where local developers will be invited to build sustainable and carbon- aware applications that will contribute to the energy reset pillar of the Singapore Green Plan 2030. The framework will also be shared globally when ready.

In addition, this partnership will curate and encourage the adoption of sustainable technology solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). These solutions will empower businesses to measure, track and report their carbon emissions as they manage and optimize their resources more easily. This will include the curation of sustainable solutions such as the Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability, together with advice on governance frameworks such as sustainable operating models or compliance structures that can help SMEs kickstart their sustainability journey by measuring, tracking and reporting their carbon emissions.

Creating a sustainable future for all

“Singapore is well-placed to lead in the digital sustainability space in Southeast Asia. This partnership will result in innovative digital sustainability solutions that can be applied to global businesses which will provide positive change to our global environment and create a sustainable future for all,” said Mr Kiren Kumar, Deputy Chief Executive, Singapore’s IMDA.

“Investing in the creation of sustainable, meaningful innovation today will be critical to creating broad economic growth for our future, and it’s a journey that we as Microsoft cannot embark on alone” said Ms Lee Hui Li, Singapore Managing Director, Microsoft. “By igniting deep ecosystem partnerships across the public and private sector, I’m confident that our focus on sustainability will contribute to widespread human progress and improve the lives of all those around us, as we build a resilient, digitally inclusive Singapore.”

Creating innovation from Singapore that is sustainable by design

Being in the heart of Asia, Singapore offers one of the strongest innovation ecosystems in the region. In recent years, innovation in cloud, data, security and AI has also supported broad economic growth, as Singapore develops new technology innovation and charts a path forward toward a sustainable digital future.