AI holds tremendous potential for advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). AI, particularly generative AI, provides new opportunities to analyse data and trends at pace and scale to further knowledge, allocation of resources and action. Applications to address the global challenges presented by the SDGs such as poverty and hunger, human health, climate change, biodiversity and ocean degradation are potentially limitless. Upskilling and access to AI technology will be critical, but how can we avoid an AI divide between the West and the rest?
The annual RELX SDG Inspiration Day - a free, online event for thought leaders, corporate representatives, students, investors, government and NGOs to explore issues, gain practical insights and be inspired to take action in support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Speakers
Join thought leaders and experts from across business, civil society and academia
Featured Speakers
Ban Ki-moon
8th Secretary-General of the United Nations & Co-chair of the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens
Ban Ki-moon is a South Korean diplomat who was the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations (UNSG) from January 2007 to December 2016. As UNSG, Ban Ki-moon's priorities were to mobilize world leaders around a set of new global challenges. He led the efforts for the landmark Paris Climate Agreement and, under his leadership, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda were created.
Shivvy Jervis
Award-winning Innovation Forecaster
Named a Champion of Change, Shivvy Jervis is one of Europe’s most trusted guides on incredible innovations and how to use them so we can thrive. Having headlined over 600 stages (alongside F1 legends, inventors and former PMs), drawn a 30 million minutes-worth lifetime reach for online broadcasts and earned 25 accolades, Shivvy is breaking barriers as a female, Asian voice bringing breakthroughs to life for businesses and consumers.
Dr. Mark van Rijmenam
Founder of The Futurwise Institute, Author; Strategic Futurist; Global Speaking Fellow
Dr. Mark van Rijmenam is a strategic futurist known as The Digital Speaker. He stands at the forefront of the digital age and lives and breathes cutting-edge technologies to inspire Fortune 500 companies and governments worldwide. As an optimistic dystopian, he has a deep understanding of AI, blockchain, the metaverse, and other emerging technologies, and he blends academic rigour with technological innovation.
Dr Márcia Balisciano
Chief Sustainability Officer and Global Head of Corporate Responsibility, RELX
Márcia is founding Chief Sustainability Officer and Global Head of Corporate Responsibility at RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics, decision tools and events with 36,500+ people and operations in 40 countries. Driving practice that ensures recognition for RELX as a sustainability leader, the company is currently 2nd in Sustainalytics’ ranking of the media sector among more than 300 global sector peers and holds a AAA ESG rating for a ninth consecutive year with MSCI.
Michael Sheldrick
Co-Founder and Chief Policy, Impact and Government Relations Officer, Global Citizen
Michael Sheldrick is a policy entrepreneur and a driving force behind the efforts of Global Citizen to end extreme poverty. As a Co-Founder and Chief Policy, Impact, and Government Affairs Officer, he leads the organization's campaigns to mobilize support from governments, businesses, and foundations. He is the author of the Amazon best-selling book, From Ideas to Impact: A Playbook for Influencing and Implementing Change in a Divided World (Wiley: April 2024).
Jason Plent
Partner for 5G Acceleration, Verizon Business
Jason is a Partner for 5G Acceleration, Verizon Business. He is an experienced sales leader and general manager with an aptitude for creating diverse teams and fostering global perspectives. He is responsible for catalyzing the adoption and commercialization of 5G across industries and enabling rapidly scalable deployment of 5G solutions to enterprises in the UK and around the world.
Moderators and Panellists
Karen Silverman
CEO and Founder
Cantellus Group
Youngsuk 'YS' Chi
Director of Corporate Affairs, RELX and Chair, Elsevier
Amanda Ellis
Senior Director, Global Partnerships and Networks
Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University
Harald Neidhardt
CEO & Curator
Futur/io Institute
Marco Richter
Global Head of Customer Success
LexisNexis Intellectual Property Solutions
Cristina Campero
CEO
PROSPERiA
Richard Wingfield
Director, Technology Sectors
BSR
Nancy Morgan
CEO, Ellis Morgan Enterprises and Strategic Advisor, Cantellus Group
Miriam Stankovich
Senior Principal Digital Policy Specialist
DAI’s Center for Digital Acceleration
Elizabeth Crossick
Head of Government Relations, EU and Global AI Policy Lead
RELX
Andy Dewis
Founder and CEO
Pineapple Sustainable Partnerships
Rafi Addlestone
Chief Strategy Officer
Pineapple Sustainable Partnerships
Ian P. McDougall
President
The LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation
Cherry Murillon
Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Cawil.AI Solutions and Managing Director, AiBox
Steve Kenzie
Executive Director
UN Global Compact Network UK
Serena Casareo
Lead Researcher and Co-author of the Global AI Index
Tortoise Media
Rose Nakasi
PhD Researcher of Computer Science at AI and Data Science Lab, Makerere University, Uganda and Chair for Topic Group AI-based detection of Malaria
Alice Pilia
Global Policy Adviser
Joe Griffin
Senior Manager Sustainability Strategy
Vodafone
Sacha Dench
CEO and Co-Founder
Conservation Without Borders
Philippa Scarlett
Head of Worldwide Government Affairs and Public
Policy at RELX
Michal Nachmany
Founder and CEO
Climate Policy Radar
Matt Gray
Co - founder and CEO
TransitionZero
Elizabeth Gibson
Director, Analytics Solutions
Elsevier
Event Partners
Schedule
Please note all times are in British Summer Time (BST). Speakers, timings and sessions may be subject to change. Although we intend for sessions to begin and end as stated below, note that this is a live-streamed event and these times may be subject to change.
Please feel free to dip in and out of sessions as your schedule permits throughout the day.
Time (BST) |
Session |
---|---|
10:00 – 10:45 |
Opening Plenary Welcome from our host: Shivvy Jervis, Innovation Forecaster Introductory remarks: Dr Márcia Balisciano, Chief Sustainability Officer and Global Head of Corporate Responsibility, RELX Thoughts on the day ahead: Ban Ki-Moon, 8th Secretary General of the United Nations Keynote speech: Dr Mark van Rijmenam, AI Futurist and TEDx Speaker |
10:45 – 11:30 |
Panel: The AI upside for sustainable development Host: Ambassador Amanda Ellis, Senior Director, Global Partnerships and Networks, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory Participants: · Marco Richter,Global Head of Customer Success, LexisNexis Intellectual Property Solutions · Cherry Murillon, Founder and Lead Innovator, CAWIL AI Solutions · Michal Nachmany, Founder and CEO, Climate Policy Radar · Matt Gray, Co-founder and CEO, TransitionZero |
11:30-11:45 |
Presenting the AI Index: Tortoise Media’s new benchmark for country investment in AI |
11:45 - 12:00 |
RELX SDG Customer Awards Part I Presented by: YS Chi, Director of Corporate Affairs, RELX and Chair, Elsevier |
12:00 - 12:45 |
Pineapple take-over: AI for nature · Rafi Addlestone, Chief Strategy Officer, Pineapple Sustainable Partnerships · Sacha Dench, CEO and Co-Founder, Conservation Without Borders · Joe Griffin, Senior Manager Sustainability Strategy, Vodafone |
12:45 – 13:00 |
RELX SDG Customer Awards Part II Presented by: Philippa Scarlett, Head of Worldwide Government Affairs and Public Policy at RELX |
13:00 – 13:45 |
AI and the Rule of Law: Peace, justice and strong institutions? Host: Steve Kenzie, Executive Director, UN Global Compact UK Network Participants: · Miriam Stankovich, Senior Principal Digital Policy Specialist, DAI’s Center for Digital Acceleration · Ian McDougall, President, LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation |
13:45 - 14:10 |
Introductory video to an AI by Google and Project Everyone AI and climate change: Accelerating solutions or deepening the problem?
Presentation by: Jason Plent, Partner for 5G and MEC Innovation, Verizon |
14:10 – 14:45 |
A new paradigm for science and health Host: Harald Neidhardt, CEO & Curator at Futur/io Institute Participants: · Cristina Campero, CEO, PROSPERiA · Elizabeth Gibson, Director, Analytics Solutions, Elsevier · Rose Nakasi, PhD, Researcher of Computer Science at AI and Data Science Lab, Makerere University, Uganda and Chair for Topic Group AI-based detection of Malaria |
14:45 – 15:15 |
The policy prescription for AI and sustainable development Expert bilateral · Richard Wingfield, Director, Technology Sectors, BSR · Elizabeth Crossick, Head of EU Government Affairs and Global AI Policy Lead, RELX |
15:15 – 16:00 |
Truth and trust in the age of AI A conversation curated by Global Policy Adviser, Alice Pilia Featuring: Karen Silverman, CEO and Founder, The Cantellus Group Nancy Morgan, CEO, Ellis Morgan Enterprises |
16:00 – 16:30 |
Closing Plenary Host: Márcia Balisciano, Chief Sustainability Officer and Global Head of Corporate Responsibility, RELX AI and youth for development: Mick Sheldrick, Co-founder, Global Citizen |