Ericsson's 24th annual Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility report published last week details progress toward connecting business and sustainability. Using Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework for the company's impact on society, the report summarizes Ericsson's achievements in three areas: responsible business; energy, environment and climate change; and internet for all.

Ericsson's commitments to deliver energy performance include a strong focus on 5G, a goal to dramatically reduce the use of diesel, and a commitment to ensure that their Radio System platform remains the most power-efficient on the market. Pure Solar, a project completed with Telenor in Myanmar, involved the deployment of the world's first 500 watt solar-powered site. Within just one year of operation, the solar-powered site proved to be more economical than the diesel alternative.

Börje Ekholm, President and CEO of Ericsson, said that providing internet access to the world's population is a great business opportunity for the company and a powerful way to deliver on the SDGs. "By connecting our portfolio, our customers and sustainability, we want to build a strong and profitable company now and for the future," Ekholm noted

The report was launched at Mobile World Congress, where Ericsson demonstrated how it uses Technology for Good. Demos included a virtual reality demonstration of Connect To Learn in a Myanmar classroom and the Ericsson Response employee volunteer program with the World Food Programme to support humanitarian relief efforts. In addition, energy, IoT and cloud solutions, and how they contribute to the SDGs, were visible throughout Ericsson exhibition place in Barcelona.