Mobile’s impact on the SDGs in Latin America
Between 2015 and 2022, the number of mobile internet subscribers in Latin America grew by almost 60%, fuelling the mobile industry’s contribution to the SDGs.
However 39% of the region’s population remain unconnected to mobile internet. This comprises a coverage gap of 6% (around 40 million people living in areas not covered by a mobile broadband network) and a usage gap of 33% (around 210 million people living within coverage of a network but not using mobile internet services). Closing these gaps is crucial to maximising mobile’s impact on the SDGs in the region.
In Latin America, the biggest improvement in SDG impact scores since 2015 has come from SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being and SDG 4: Quality Education. There has been a substantial improvement in mobile impact score for both SDGs since 2020, illustrating the pivotal role mobile played in enabling essential activities to continue during the pandemic. Progress has also been made on SDG 5: Gender Equality, reflecting high levels of mobile ownership among women and a small gender gap.
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Source: GSMA Intelligence
Key drivers of SDG mobile impact scores
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Source: GSMA Intelligence
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Source: GSMA Intelligence
Data is sourced from the GSMA Intelligence Consumers in Focus Survey. The number of users is calculated by multiplying unique mobile subscribers by the percentage of survey respondents that performed a particular activity (e.g. reading the news) on a mobile phone. Unique subscriber data is sourced from GSMA Intelligence, combining data reported by mobile operators with the annual GSMA Intelligence Consumers in Focus Survey. The percentages show the proportion of mobile users engaging in a particular activity.
Case Studies
Telefónica brings sustainability to digital solutions innovation
Companies need to extend ESG throughout their value chain to contribute to building a fairer, more inclusive and sustainable economic paradigm.
Telefónica has developed an internal voluntary framework called ‘Responsibility by Design’ to incorporate ethical and sustainability principles from the beginning of development of a new product or service through to its delivery to the customer.
Telefónica has developed an internal voluntary framework called ‘Responsibility by Design’ to incorporate ethical and sustainability principles from the beginning of development of a new product or service through to its delivery to the customer. It also helps Telefónica to be certain that the product or service complies with the operator’s ‘Responsible Business Principles’.
The framework is based on two pillars. The first is sustainability being applied to design, which relates to the impact that Telefónica’s products and services have on people and the environment. The second is design ethics – in other words, its commitment to the customer and use of data and AI. All of the products and services under this framework are based on low-carbon connectivity.
This is a cross-cutting project involving the entire company, representing a cultural change and a transformation of the entire organisation to reshape how Telefónica innovates and develops new digital solutions. This has led to the need to provide training to all areas of the company to emphasise the importance of eco-design, accessibility, transparency, and digital rights and ethics, among other aspects.
In 2022, Telefónica assessed the sustainability of over 40 products and services under this framework. Its goal is to further integrate the ‘Responsibility by Design’ framework to have 100% of its solutions assessed by 2025.
Millicom partners with AHYU to launch new platform to provide training for educators
The Covid-19 pandemic caused an unprecedented crisis in all areas. In education, social distancing measures led to the closure of educational institutions in more than 190 countries in order to prevent the spread of the virus and mitigate its impact.[65] Recognising the transformative potential of digital technologies in education, Millicom launched its environmental, social and governance programme, Maestr@s Conectad@s, in 2020.
Through strategic partnerships with institutions and educational stakeholders such as non-profit organisation AHYU, Maestr@s Conectad@s aims to empower teachers by equipping them with the necessary tools to enhance their digital teaching skills. By fostering engagement and continuous learning, teachers can expand their professional growth and deliver lessons to a potentially limitless student community.
The programme offers free courses covering a range of topics, including digital tools such as Canva, Zoom and Trello, as well as educational innovation, storytelling, gamification, social media utilisation, classroom application of tools and neuroeducation. To further extend its reach and impact, Millicom launched a website in 2022, enabling broader access to training for teachers and students alike.[66]
Millicom committed to train and certify 80,000 teachers in 2021, 82,000 in 2022, and 84,000 in 2023. The operator surpassed expectations, having trained 421,201 teachers as of 31 March in 2023. Millicom's efforts have extended across nine countries where it operates: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Bolivia and Paraguay. This substantial accomplishment points to a significant contribution to enhancing the educational landscape and empowering teachers within these countries.
