IBM expands social impact initiatives, collaborating globally to advance environmental sustainability while offering free green and tech skills training through SkillsBuild for underrepresented communities, supporting COP28 goals
IBM is intensifying its commitment to climate action through new sustainability initiatives and free training in green and technology skills for vulnerable communities. The company, ahead of COP28, disclosed additional investments in its social impact programmes to promote environmental sustainability.
The projects involve collaborations with The University of Sharjah (UAE), The University of Chicago Trust (India), The University of Illinois (U.S.), Instituto IGUÁ (Brazil), and Water Corporation (Australia).
IBM's SkillsBuild programme has launched a roadmap of sustainability courses to address the market demand for green and technology skills, benefiting underrepresented communities in technology. Justina Nixon-Saintil, IBM's Vice President and Chief Impact Officer, emphasised the need for immediate solutions and the cultivation of future leaders at the intersection of technology and sustainability.
The IBM Sustainability Accelerator, part of the global social impact programme, is committing $30 million in technology and services by the end of 2025. This initiative focuses on water management solutions to aid communities vulnerable to climate change impacts, spanning regions in the Middle East, North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
The projects include water access monitoring in the Middle East, water quality information aggregation in India, AI geospatial models for rain and flood forecasting in the U.S., a cloud-based platform for sanitation planning in Brazil, and a water quality testing system for Aboriginal communities in Western Australia.
IBM's SkillsBuild Sustainability Roadmap, a response to a growing skills gap in sustainability, provides free training connecting technology to ecology and climate change. This comprehensive curriculum includes introductory courses, mid-level offerings in design thinking and green entrepreneurship, and advanced AI, cybersecurity, and ESG reporting coursework.
The programme is aligned with IBM's commitment to skill 30 million people by 2030, focusing on underrepresented communities such as women, ethnic minorities, low-income individuals, and refugees.