Global Lighthouse Network: Unlocking Sustainability Through 4IR

Lighthouses have established themselves as beacons of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, adapting to four durable shifts – agility and customer centricity; supply chain resilience; speed and productivity; and eco-efficiency. Among these shifts, eco-efficiency has emerged at the vanguard, its prominence fuelled by increased global concerns about the environmental impact of human activities

This paper challenges the notion that environmental responsibility is inherently at odds with productivity and, by extension, profitability. Revolutionary sustainability impact lies with green technology and breakthroughs, but 4IR transformations that leverage digital and analytics tools can augment not only green technology but also current production methods by bolstering efficiency. By embracing 4IR- driven transformation, a viable kind of efficiency is possible: i.e., eco-efficiency, wherein sustainability and competitive excellence are not only compatible, but, in fact, interwoven.

Companies that make a true commitment to environmental stewardship through pledges and corresponding action are setting the bar for sustainability. Those who couple that commitment with the full power of 4IR transformation, thus achieving step-change levels of impact, are leading by example and earning the new designation of Sustainability Lighthouses.