SDIM24: Full coverage on Building Equitable Futures from the World Economic Forum

Though the world faces a range of societal, economic and geopolitical shifts, it is also seeing rapid innovation and technological change.

How we choose to act in this pivotal moment can either widen gaps in a fragmented world or mitigate risks while building inclusive and sustainable economies.

Choices like these facing leaders will help shape the discussions at this year's Sustainable Development Impact Meetings at the New York office of the World Economic Forum this September.

This month brings key milestone moments to make an inclusive, sustainable future possible including The Summit of the Future.

Held by the UN General Assembly in New York 22-23 September, this is a chance to consider future work needed towards commitments such as the 2030 Agenda and Paris Agreement. The event was billed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity to reinvigorate global action” towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

When the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development created the 17 SDGs back in 2015, AI and other emerging digital technologies were still nascent. Among other key areas, the Summit will address the challenges they present as well as their potential to “turbocharge the SDGs”, maximize cooperation and leave no one behind.

World leaders at the Summit will adopt a Pact for the Future, which emphasizes the need for "strong and sustained international cooperation", and is guided by the principles of human rights and gender equality.

It includes key commitments on sustainable development and financing, international peace and security, youth and future generations, transforming global governance, as well as 'science, technology and innovation and digital cooperation'.

A Global Digital Compact will also be adopted with its first objective being to "close all digital divides".

The World Economic Forum's Sustainable Development Impact Meetings directly follow the UN Summit - convening leaders from politics, business and civil society to drive action and partnerships for advancing the SDGs.

SDIM brings together the Forum’s communities with the goal to inspire and renew commitments for a sustainable, inclusive future. They will look ahead to the Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos in January.

Throughout the week, new reports will be launched and leaders' dialogues will focus on building equitable futures, from economic growth and opportunity, to connectivity, strengthening food systems and achieving global health equity.

Highlights planned for the week are below. Here's what else you need to know about equitable futures at SDIM.

This year’s Global Risks Report drove home the stark reality that geopolitical conflicts by a wider set of powers could lead to "deadlier, prolonged warfare and overwhelming humanitarian crises." Several sessions explore what's needed to work towards resilience, peace, and security.

Human trafficking, forced labour and modern slavery continue to be endemic in supply chains and societies. Despite ongoing efforts, over 50 million people worldwide are living in slavery. How can leaders from the public sector, private sector and civil society work together to translate commitment into strategic action?

Theresa May, Member of the House of Lords and Chair, Global Commission on Modern Slavery, joined Thea M. Lee, Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs, US Department of Labor, and John Schultz, Executive Vice-President; Chief Operating and Legal Officer, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, in a session moderated by Mirek Dušek, Managing Director, World Economic Forum.

May said: "Modern slavery isn't as far up the agenda for many corporations, yet it’s connected to climate change, which increases vulnerability to slavery and trafficking. Many companies are ahead of governments in dealing with climate change. We want them to do the same for modern slavery as well.”

She said there is a real role for AI in combatting modern slavery, in identifying vulnerable groups of people and for governments to take action in reducing that vulnerability.

Schultz said the private sector has shown a lot of good intentions, but it is "by no means sufficient". The incidence of modern slavery has grown by more than 20% in the past few years.

"We are losing the war... we've got to change the dynamic."

He agreed that AI can help, but said most organizations don't feel they are accountable to end modern slavery: "We have to connect with people on a personal level... and get to our net-zero moment."

Lee said governments' role is to provide a labour market that is fair and healthy, as well as decent work for all - we can't see modern slavery in isolation, we need to see it as part of the fabric of governments' work.

We need to use trade tools to protect workers' rights and the environment.

Catch up on the full session here.

Uneven access to everything from financing to technology could make it difficult for every economy to tap into the advantages of the years to come, with implications for workers and communities. Several sessions explore how the challenges ahead will impact growth and inequality and what leaders will need to prioritize now.

While income inequality has risen to its highest level in three decades, the risk of political shifts in major economies could also have a significant impact on long-term economic sustainability. How can global leaders navigate these ongoing risks to ensure sustainable growth?

Vera Songwe, Chairperson and Founder, Liquidity and Sustainability Facility, joined Rania Al-Mashat, Egypt's Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, and Esther Dweck, Minister of Management and Innovation in Public Services, Ministry of Management and Innovation in Public Services of Brazil in a discussion moderated by Stephanie Flanders, Head, Economics and Government, Bloomberg LP.

You can catch up on the full session below.

Over the next five years, nearly a quarter of all jobs and 44% of workers’ skills will face disruption due to such factors as geoeconomics, technology and the green transition. This requires placing people at the core of technological and economic shifts, aiming to foster progress and ensure that individuals are equipped to thrive. Key sessions will address this need, including the following:

Generative AI holds the potential to transform a broad range of economic activities and to help address the world's most pressing development challenges. However, the benefits of this technological revolution are not yet shared by all globally.
What actions can policy-makers and innovators take now to realize AI's promise while ensuring that its benefits lead to shared prosperity for all?

Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, Office of the Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, joined Sabastian Niles, President and Chief Legal Officer, Salesforce, Yann LeCun, Vice-President and Chief Artificial Intelligence (AI) Scientist, Meta and Crystal Rugege, Managing Director, Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) Rwanda.

LeCun said Meta makes all of its foundational AI infrastructure open source and free to use: "What we've seen is that a lot of countries, particularly in the Global South, have adopted those platforms for all kinds of applications because it enables communities, NGOs, governments, to fine-tune those systems for their language, their culture, their value system... And I think it's the only way to go."

"The promise of AI is endless, the only challenge is does it make economic sense? Is every single application economically feasible?" said Omar Sultan Al Olama. "Governments need to understand where it’s worth investing."

Niles said it's not just a unique AI moment we're experiencing, but it's also a leadership moment. Leaders need to consider: "How do you balance innovation with robust self-governance, with common sense regulation, with inclusivity that actually delivers at scale and with the right momentum.

"I think you have to look very broadly across all communities, all industries and really say, 'Let's all work together in new ways to drive the opportunity forward'."

Rugege said access is essential for AI equity. The majority (97%) of Rwanda's population of is connected to broadband, but besides investment in digital infrastructure, the country has invested in people through "meaningful digital literacy".

"The foundational enabling environment starts with policy and legislation," she added. "We know data is oxygen of AI and emerging technologies, so [it's important to] have the right guardrails in place to make sure that people's rights are protected, that the technology is being used responsibly.

"[Allowing people to] have agency, to make decisions over how their data is used is a fundamental principle that must be embedded, but beyond that, also making sure that the policies and laws that are put in place are there to stimulate innovation and create an innovation friendly culture."

Catch up on the full session in the X thread below.

The EDISON Alliance has positively impacted the lives of 1 billion people around the world by promoting digital connectivity, ensuring affordability and scaling usability. Despite this historic milestone, one third of the world's population remains offline. What lessons can be learned from recent successes in enabling connectivity and what role will new tools like AI play in continuing progress to digital equity?

Hans Vestberg, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Verizon Communications, was joined by Achim Steiner, Administrator, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Shobana Kamineni, Executive Chairperson, Apollo Health Co Limited in a session moderated by Nicholas Thompson, Chief Executive Officer, The Atlantic.

Steiner said: "Connectivity is not just a handset to be connected, it's meaningful connectivity, affordable connectivity, and ultimately connectivity that allows people to enhance their skillsets and their opportunities."

He shared the example of the drone airport he visited in Rwanda, which is connected to medical centres and can drop supplies anywhere in the country.

"It's actually a phenomenal way in which digital inclusion extends through the means of health and also a drone as a vehicle of transport, but it is all built on the digital infrastructure.

"Here is an example of healthcare where otherwise people would have died in the midst of childbirth or due to other medicines not being available in the past."

Catch up on the full session below.

From burnout to challenges faced in developing minds, the economic burden of poor mental health is projected to cost $6 trillion globally by 2030, greater than that of cancer, diabetes and respiratory ailments combined. How can leaders contend with the current state of mental well-being and implement interventions that prioritize mental health?

Diana Han, Chief Health and Wellbeing Officer, Unilever, joined Lucy Perez, Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company and Sharon E. Smith, Corporate Medical Director, The Estée Lauder Companies in a panel discussion moderated by author Stephanie Foo.

Smith said providing support for managers and for employees was crucial: "Constant communication and openness, I think, is tantamount to really getting people the help they need."

It's important to think about health holistically, said Perez: "We bring our full selves to work, and that ability to bring your full self to work has a huge impact on that ability to be productive at work."

It's about more than just physical health, agreed Smith: "We talk about emotional wellbeing, your spiritual wellbeing, your social. Are you socially connected? Are you continuing to be curious and to grow, to grow your skills or to learn more? We talk about your financial wellbeing."

"It's really difficult right now getting up in the morning," said Han, "seeing the headlines that people see, let alone all the things that are part and parcel of daily life and certainly daily life in the world of work where stress is inherent."

Leaders need to role model vulnerability: "It always starts with that leadership culture as a first step and sharing stories and lived experience is very impactful.

"From there on down, across an organization, it's important to raise awareness and and normalize the conversation - it is absolutely OK to speak up when you're not OK and then to be able to signpost employees to formal training materials so that individuals and managers can potentially recognize the general signs and symptoms."

With the urgent global demand for 44 million teachers by 2030, AI-driven tools are transforming the educational landscape and reshaping digital literacy. How can AI empower educators, enhance teacher training, and seamlessly integrate technology to improve learning outcomes?

David Edwards, General Secretary, Education International, joined Stefania Giannini, Assistant Director-General for Education, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), Hadi Partovi, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Code.org and Nina Huntemann, Chief Academic Officer, Chegg, in a session moderated by Kevin Delaney, Editor-in-Chief and Chief Executive Officer, Charter Works Inc.

Partovi said AI has the potential to democratize learning in the same way the printing press did centuries ago: "Ultimately the reason we should be teaching AI in schools is so that every student learns not only how to be a participant but a creator of technology."

We can’t predict all the ways AI is going to change society, but we all feel it’s going to be profound, said Huntemann.

Human-centred skills have always been necessary, now critical thinking and communication skills are even more necessary: how we teach them and how students learn them will change.

"There are going to be significant shifts, we don't know what all of them are, but we should always lean into the human skills, it uplifts humanity."

"We are all generation AI" said Giannini, who said the purpose of education was to unlock the potential of learners and develop the citizens we need in the age of AI, who would have the skills to navigate both the opportunities and ethics.

But she also pointed out that one in four schools in Africa lack electricity, so we have to invest in infrastructure and capacity.

AI would not replace teachers, said Edwards, because "we need people who care deeply about their students… know who’s hungry when they come to school".

Fundamentally as human beings, our story is written by the people that help us learn about the past.

He said teachers are not afraid of AI, but want to know who’s writing it, controlling it, what’s the cost.

"I want to know if it's gonna be a global public good that everyone will have access to or if it will just be a few. Are there going to be the infrastructure investments? Are we going to make sure that everyone has a learning device so they can access it?"

You can catch up on the key quotes from the session in the X thread below.

What is 'inclusive trade' and how can trade policies improve workers' lives?

Brain gain: How improving brain health benefits the economy

Meet the finalists of the Schwab Foundation Social Innovation Awards 2025

Watch live-streamed sessions from the meeting here and join the conversation on social media using hashtag #SDIM24