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Pioneering a sustainable future with X-Creation

Unmet SDGs signal urgency for global change; X-Creation pioneers solutions through caring, sharing, and daring

June 04 2024Stephan De Haas

At a crossroads: A call for global change

In 2015, the United Nations (UN) adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, introducing 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to promote peace, prosperity, and environmental protection. Now, in 2024, at the midpoint, progress has been alarmingly slow due to conflicts, climate change, and rising populism. UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasizes the urgent need for a transformative approach to avoid environmental and societal collapse.

Mindset matters: Embracing caring, sharing, and daring

Central to this transformative shift is a change in our global mindset, as championed by figures like Massamba Thioye, Project Executive at the UN Climate Change Global Innovation Hub. The proposed change hinges on three critical behaviors:

  • Caring: Prioritizing basic human necessities—nutrition, health, clothing, shelter—and innovating sustainable alternatives to meet these needs.
  • Sharing: Fostering radical collaboration across all sectors—governments, businesses, academia, faith groups, and financial institutions—to harness collective expertise and resources.
  • Daring: Setting ambitious goals that address what is necessary rather than what initially appears possible.

I am very pleased to partner with you because you are doing it right. Together we can accelerate the systemic innovation for sustainability.


Massamba Thioye, Project Executive UNFCCC Global Innovation Hub at UN Climate Change Secretariat

X-Creation: A vanguard of sustainable innovation

In this spirit, T-Systems initiated the X-Creation program in 2023, creating a dynamic ecosystem to accelerate impactful innovation. This community, comprising over 100 collaborators from more than 60 organizations, embodies the ethos of caring, sharing, and daring, working collaboratively to co-create 10 high-impact solutions across three key areas: the Circular Economy, ESG advancements through AI, and transformative shifts in mobility, energy, and food.

Spotlight on key challenges

Safeguarding democracy from AI’s risks
In collaboration with Deutsche Telekom, AWS, and other tech giants, X-Creation addresses the dual-edged sword of AI—its potential to transform society positively and its risks, such as the creation and spread of misinformation. Teams are developing tools such as “The Factifier” and “News-Profi” to disrupt the misinformation chain and preserve democratic transparency.

Revolutionizing the fashion industry
In partnership with entities such as the Open Connector Alliance and T-Systems, the challenge focuses on creating a sustainable fashion ecosystem. This involves developing a common infrastructure for data sharing that enables scalable, sustainable business models within the textile industry, aligning with new EU regulations.

Transforming urban mobility
Working with Urban Transitions Mission and various global cities, X-Creation is developing a digital toolbox to enhance urban mobility. This open-data and open-source solution aims to make transportation greener and more accessible, effectively scalable across diverse regions.
 

Connect and collaborate

Engage with us through our LinkedIn Sustainability Community to stay updated on our challenges, solutions, and progress towards a sustainable future.
About the author
Stephan De Haas

Stephan De Haas

Head of Co-Creation & Client Consulting, T-Systems International GmbH

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