Science, technology, and innovation have become part of everyday life. However, there are instances where they encourage the use and abuse of natural resources. How might science, technology, and innovation be harnessed for people, planet, and profit to deliver sustainable methods and minimize environmental harm? How might business lend a hand?

1. The views expressed in this presentation are the views of the author/s and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Asian
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Challenge: Science,
Technology, and Innovation
and the Triple Bottom Line
Olivier Serrat
2016

2. Define: Science, Technology, and
Innovation
Science
• The creation of
knowledge, e.g.,
electronics
Technology
• The application of
knowledge, e.g., a
smartphone
Innovation
• The application of
technology, e.g.,
mobile banking

3. On Frameworks, Methodologies,
Models, Processes, and Tools
• A set of assumptions, definitions, concepts, ideas, practices,
principles, and values that describes a complex concept; a
way of perceiving reality.
Framework
• A body of practices, procedures, and rules used by those
who work in a discipline or engage in an inquiry; a set of
working methods.
Methodology
• A schematic description or representation of something,
especially a phenomenon or system; used to underscore
important properties and/or dynamics in a process.
Model
• A series of actions, changes, or functions that produce
something or lead to a particular result.
Process
• All-purpose terminology for anything one uses to accomplish
a task; can include the four terms mentioned above.
Tool

4. Define: Triple Bottom Line
The "Triple Bottom Line" framework—aka "TBL", "3BL", "People—Planet—
Profit", and "The Three Pillars"—owes to John Elkington.
In 1994, Elkington suggested that a company should prepare different and
separate "bottom lines": the first would provide a "people" account—an
indication of the company's social responsibility; the second would
constitute a "planet" account—a reckoning of how environmentally
conscious it has been; the third is the traditional "profit" account—the
measure(s) of its profit, return on investment, shareholder value, etc.
The TBL aims to gauge the "full" cost of a company's involvement in
business. A challenge is that it is difficult to compare the "people" and
"planet" accounts in terms of cash; therefore, the three accounts cannot be
combined and must be considered separately. One of the most established
means of reporting for TBL is by means of the guidelines of the Global
Reporting Initiative. (Others are The Natural Step, which involves
backcasting, and ISIS—Indicators, Systems, Innovation, and Strategy.)

5. Dimensions of Ecological
Sustainability
Environment
Society
Economy
Environment
SocietyEconomy
The relationship between three
dimensions of ecological sustainability,
where economy and society are
constrained by environmental limits.
Sustainable development at the
confluence of three dimensions of
ecological sustainability. Other
dimensions might be culture and future
generations. To note, the institutional
dimension is missing.
Viable
Sustainable
Equitable
Bearable

6. TBL Reporting for the Sustainable
Development Goals
Sustainability is the ability of a system to last. Sustainable development
is the strategic process of continuous change in the direction of
sustainability.
The framework of the Sustainable Development Goals has brought
together—at global level—the three commonly agreed dimensions of
sustainable development; the SDGs do so in a more integrated and
less asymmetrical way than the Millennium Development Goals, which
were primarily a social agenda for developing countries. The
expectation is that business will contribute significantly from shared
imperatives, complementary strengths, and creative partnerships.
Almost all societies (including government and business) aim for a
combination of economic development, environmental sustainability,
and social inclusion. (In the private sector, commitment to TBL entails
some form of reporting.) However, specific objectives differ globally,
regionally, and nationally (just as integration erodes the capacity of
individual states to balance choices). As yet, no consensus has been
agreed regarding tradeoffs and synergies.

7. The 17 Sustainable Development
Goals

8. 17 Opportunities for Investment
Unlike the
Millennium
Development
Goals, the SDGs
show
appreciation of
the role of
business in
sustainable
development.
They represent
17 opportunities
for investment.
• To note, SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy)
targets expansion of infrastructure and upgrade
of technology for modern and sustainable
energy services. SDG 8 (decent work and
economic growth) promotes policies that
support productive activities, decent job
creation, entrepreneurship, and creativity and
innovation, and encourage the formalization and
growth of micro-, small-, and medium-sized
enterprises. SDG 9 (industry, innovation, and
infrastructure) is to build resilient infrastructure,
promote sustainable industrialization, and foster
innovation. SDG 16 (peace, justice, and strong
institutions) can be advanced if business invests
in post-conflict states and contribute to peace-
building. SDG 17 (partnership for the goals)
encourages and promotes effective public,
public–private, and civil society partnerships.

9. Navigating the Sustainable
Development Goals
Only a few large
corporations have
identified the
tools with which
to assess their
impact against the
SDGs. To align,
cooperate, and
measure they can:
Pinpoint which SDGs are most relevant to the sectors and
countries they operate in.
Evaluate which SDGs they can best contribute to with high-
quality products and services based on core competencies
and interests.
Set strategic and sustainability priorities and associated
metrics for performance and accountability; leverage
genuine partnerships in support; and ramp up data and
measurement capabilities in relation to coverage and
frequency, communication of results in the organization,
and how these feed back to strategy development.
Identify, measure, and manage significant risks and
potential opportunities in relation to core products and
services and the supply chain on a country-by-country basis.

10. The Contribution of Business to the
Sustainable Development Goals
Core Business
• Workplace
• Marketplace
• Supply Chains
Social Investment
• Community
Advocacy and Policy Dialogue
• Local, National, and International
Enabling Framework
Social investment includes contributions of
money, time, and products or services in-kind
that are not expected to generate commercial
opportunities or financial returns—at least not
directly or in the short term.

11. Top 5 Business Contributions to the
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG 3
SDG 4
SDG 9
SDG 13
SDG 8
This graphic shows that SDG 8
(decent work and economic
growth); SDG 13 (climate
action); SDG 9 (industry,
innovation, and infrastructure);
SDG 4 (quality education); and
SDG 3 (good health and well-
being) are in declining order of
perceived impact and
opportunity where business
sees its top 5 contributions to
the SDGs.

12. Bottom 5 Business Contributions to
the Sustainable Development Goals
SDG 14
SDG 10
SDG 1
SDG 2
SDG 11
This graphic shows that SDG 11
(sustainable cities and
communities); SDG 2 (zero
hunger); SDG 1 (no poverty);
SDG 10 (reduced inequalities);
and SDG 14 (life below water)
are in declining order of
perceived impact and
opportunity where business
sees its bottom 5 contributions
to the SDGs

13. Top 5 Business Impacts by
Industry
This graphic shows on which SDGs 10 industries believe their business will have the
greatest impact. As one should expect, business is set to cherry-pick the SDGs.
Chemicals Communi
-cation
Energy,
Utilities,
& Mining
Engineer-
ing &
Construc-
tion
Financial
Services
Health-
care
Manu-
facturing
Profes-
sional
Services
Retail &
Consu-
mer
Techno-
logy

14. STI in the Sustainable
Development Goals
Science, technology, and innovation is the main driver of productivity, a long-
term lever for economic growth, and a potentially vital force for
environmental sustainability. Can STI address the challenges of development?
The Addis Ababa Action Agenda agreed on 16 July 2015 identified that STI
and related capacity building are essential to meet the SDGs: para. 123
called for the establishment of a Technology Facilitation Mechanism to
support the SDGs, approved at the United Nations Sustainable Development
Summit on 25–27 September 2015. The United Nations Climate Change
Conference (COP 21) held in December 2015 proposed a framework to
enhance technology development and transfer for climate action.
STI features in SDG 17 (partnership for the goals) and is therefore deemed a
crosscutting tool. On top, innovation is a goal in itself under SDG 9 (industry,
innovation, and infrastructure); to note, Target 9.5 elevates STI beyond its
status as a means of implementation under Target 17.6 and Target 17.8.
Also, SDG 4 (quality education) and SDG 5 (gender equality) refer to
information and communications technology; implicitly, SDG 17 recognizes
ICT as essential to the effective achievement of all the SDGs.

15. STI for the Sustainable
Development Goals
STI advances knowledge. It can
play an important role in the
accomplishment of many of the
17 SDGs, particularly SDG 2 (zero
hunger), SDG 6 (clean water and
sanitation), and SDG 7 (affordable
and clean energy), per se and in
ways that address the vital food–
water–energy nexus, and inter
alia in relation to SDG 8 (decent
work and economic growth), SDG
9 (industry, innovation, and
infrastructure), SDG 11
(sustainable cities and
communities), SDG 13 (climate
action), and SDG 16 (peace,
justice, and strong institutions).
SDG
2
SDG
6
SDG
7
SDG
8
SDG
9
SDG
11
SDG
13
SDG
16

16. The Technology Facilitation
Mechanism
• A United Nations inter-agency task team on STI for the SDGs.
• A collaborative annual multi-stakeholder forum on STI for
SDGs, with the First Annual Forum on Science, Technology,
and Innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals held
on 6–7 June 2016.
• An online platform as a gateway for information on existing
STI initiatives, mechanisms, and programs.
The Technology Facilitation Mechanism will comprise:
Among likely activities, the task team will map and update existing STI
initiatives; initiate a UN capacity building program on technology
facilitation for the SDGs; develop partnerships and advance fund
raising; and conduct background research and develop reports in
support of the Technology Facilitation Mechanism's activities.

17. SDG 9 et al.
SDG 9 (industry, innovation, and infrastructure) means to
build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and
sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation.
Target 9.5 is to enhance scientific research, upgrade the
technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all
countries, in particular developing countries, including,
by 2030, encouraging innovation and substantially
increasing the number of research and development
workers per 1 million people and public and private
research and development spending. (Target 9.5.a looks
to augment financial, technological, and technical
support to African, least developed, landlocked, and
small island developing countries; Target 9.5.b looks to
conducive policy environments; and Target 9.5.c looks to
increase access to information and communications
technology.)

18. SDG 9 et al.
SDG 2 (zero hunger) calls for increased investment in
agricultural research, extension services, and technology
development.
SDG 3 (good health and well-being) requires more research
and development of vaccines and medicines for
communicable and non-communicable diseases.
SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production) invites
support to developing countries to strengthen their scientific
and technological capacity to move towards more
sustainable patterns of consumption and production.
The United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable
Development, established in July 2013, will promote the
science–policy interface. Target 17.8 of SDG 17 (partnerships
for the goals) means to increase significantly the availability
of high-quality, timely, and reliable data.

19. Mapping the Sustainable
Development Goals Against Capital
SDG Eco-
nomic
Capital
Social
Capital
Natural
Capital
SDG Eco-
nomic
Capital
Social
Capital
Natural
Capital
SDG Eco-
nomic
Capital
Social
Capital
Natural
Capital
This table highlights "prevalence" at
the SDG level, without consideration
of second-round effects or targets.

20. The Economy, Society, and Natural
Capital Nexus
Many economic, environmental,
and social objectives have been
experienced as trade-offs. But,
ever more, the confluence of
trends in population growth,
economic activity, urbanization,
and lifestyles is impacting natural
resources and the environment.
There is evidence of compounded
stress at global, regional, national,
and local levels, reflected in
scarcity of resources such as water,
widespread land degradation, and
the exceeding of critical global
thresholds leading to disruption of
earth system processes.
Combined with and exacerbating inequalities and social conflict, by-
products and side-effects of current trajectories can pose insurmountable
obstacles to improvements in well-being and lead to cascading risks of
losing the gains achieved. The sustainable management of natural capital is
critical to accomplishing the SDGs: indeed, progress towards most of them,
e.g., SDG 1–6, 8–11, 13, and 16, hinges on that. So, economic and social
improvements owe to natural capital but should not become self-defeating
by violating the limits of the environmental resource base.

21. Resource Efficiency Requirements of
the Sustainable Development Goals
SDG Goal
Interlinkage
Resource
Efficiency
Requirement
SDG Goal
Interlinkage
Resource
Efficiency
Requirement
SDG Goal
Interlinkage
Resource
Efficiency
Requirement
SDG 2–5, 8–
11, 13–15
Medium SDG 9–10,
12
Very High SDG 4, 6, 9,
12, 16
Medium
SDG 1, 5, 10,
13, 15
Very High SDG 4, 10,
12, 14, 16
High SDG 9, 12–
13, 15–16
Very High
SDG 5–6,
10–12
High SDG 6–8, 10,
12–13
Very High SDG 2, 6, 12,
14, 16
High
SDG 9–10,
12, 16
Medium SDG 1, 8–9,
16
Medium SDG 3–5, 8,
10–11
Medium
SDG 3, 8–10,
16
Medium SDG 1, 3, 9–
10, 12–15
Very High N.A. N.A.
SDG 3, 5, 9–
10, 12, 15
Very High SDG 2-6, 8–
9, 13–16
Very High Because of interlinkages, policies
and strategies that address single
goal outcomes will bear little fruit.

22. Avenues for Change
On 30 October
2015, an Expert
Group of the
European
Commission on
"Follow-Up to
Rio+20, Notably
the SDGs"
delivered a report
on the role of STI
policies to foster
implementation of
the SDGs. It
identified three
avenues for
change:
• Switch the Focus—reorienting mindsets and
behaviors towards sustainable development,
reframing the European Union's STI
challenges, and refocusing from technology
transfer to building innovation capacity.
• Strengthen Partnerships—enhancing
engagement with developing countries in
existing EU instruments, engaging all
stakeholders (especially the private sector),
and developing tailor-made international STI
initiatives.
• "Walk the Talk"—addressing systemic causes
of implementation gaps; ensuring domestic
integration of the SDGs in/with STI; improving
policy coherence; building up opportunities to
benefit from the "data revolution"; and setting
up monitoring, evaluation, and assessments of
STI for sustainable development.

23. STI 2.0
The SDGs, notably SDG 9 (industry, innovation, and infrastructure), signal the
ambition to leverage STI. There is certainly a place for STI in the SDGs—and
the report of the Expert Group of the European Commission is uplifting
reading—but the narrative must veer away from simplistic notions of
technology transfer, dissemination, and absorption.
The proponents of STI have ignored the political economy: Who gains? Who
loses? How can one navigate differences? Little attention has been paid to
local actors, viz., communities, government bodies, nongovernment and civil
society organizations, the private sector, research institutes, and universities.
Discounting obvious winners, one must know who is not given the chance to
create, access, use, and benefit from STI.
The resilience of the "technology transfer" mentality owes also to the
political economy of development assistance, viz., cultural, economic,
institutional, intellectual, and political interests. Who, exactly, is pushing for a
technology solution? Why?

24. Reclaiming Innovation
Innovation is credited with attributes it does not have: innovation is
not an event, a challenge, a moment, a product, or a solution; it is a
process that can actually be technology-agnostic. Instead of creating
and distributing more products we need to think more about
tweaking processes in frugal improvements and adaptations. Science
and technology may help but this will not necessarily be the case.
The closer innovation is to local challenges the more likely it is to be
successful. So, there must be a strong focus on end-users: they must
frame the problem, define and shape innovation over time, and make
it more inclusive and fit for purpose. Toward this, with appreciative
inquiry, we need to revisit knowledge of what has worked—how,
when, where, why, and for whom—and what has not. We can also
look at old ideas and things that were innovated long ago in new
contexts. We must enlarge the space for dialogue and listen more.
The most innovative thing to do may well be to fortify political will.

25. A Framework for Harnessing STI
for Sustainable Development
Identifying
Needs, Drivers,
and Priorities
Researching
• Natural
Sciences
Research
• Social
Sciences
Research
• Innovation
and
Technology
Development
Linking
Knowledge to
Action
Executing
<---------- Building Capacity Across Activities and Scales ---------->

26. Enriching Policy with Research
Political Context
Political structures and
processes, institutional
pressures, prevailing concepts,
policy streams and windows,
etc.
Links
Policy makers and other
stakeholders,
relationships, voice trust,
networks, the media,
other intermediaries, etc.
Evidence
Relevance,
methodology,
credibility,
communication,
packaging, use, etc.
External Influences
International factors,
socioeconomic and cultural
influences, civil society,
donor policies and
research-funding
instruments, etc.
Campaigning
and Lobbying
Analysis and
Research
Scientific Information
Exchange and Validation

27. High-Level Research Priorities for
STI
The Role of Culture, Values, and Behavior in
Sustainable Development
Sustainable Consumption and Production
Vulnerability and Resilience of Socio-Ecological
Systems
Governance Institutions for Transitions Toward
Sustainability
Inequality
Multidimensional Poverty

28. Video #1: The Global Reporting
Initiative

29. Video #2: The 2015 Sustainability
Report

30. Video #3: The Degradation of
Ecosystems in Asia-Pacific

31. Video #4: What is Natural Capital?

32. Video #5: On Environmental
Valuation

33. Video #6: ADB's Environment
Operational Directions

34. Video #7: Green Growth: Toward
More Sustainable Development

35. Video #8: The Debate on
Degrowth

36. Further Reading
• ADB. 2007–. ADB Sustainability Reports. Manila.
www.adb.org/documents/series/adb-sustainability-reports
• ——. 2008. Linking Research to Practice. Manila.
www.adb.org/publications/linking-research-practice
• ——. 2010. Enriching Policy with Research. Manila.
www.adb.org/publications/enriching-policy-research
• ——. 2011. ADB Sustainable Development Timeline. Manila.
www.adb.org/publications/adb-sustainable-development-
timeline

37. Further Reading
• ADB. 2012. World Sustainable Development Timeline. Manila.
www.adb.org/publications/world-sustainable-development-
timeline
• ——. 2012. Business Model Innovation. Manila.
www.adb.org/publications/business-model-innovation
• ——. 2012. Innovation in the Public Sector. Manila.
www.adb.org/publications/innovation-public-sector
• ——. 2013. The Millennium Development Goals in Asia and
the Pacific: 12 Things to Know. Manila.
www.adb.org/features/12-things-know-about-mdgs-asia-and-
pacific

38. Further Reading
• ADB. 2016. Sustainable Development Goals. Manila.
www.adb.org/site/sdg/main
• International Council for Science. 2005. Harnessing Science,
Technology, and Innovation for Sustainable Development. A
Report from the ICSU-ISTS-TWAS Consortium Ad Hoc Advisory
Group.
• PricewaterhouseCoopers. 2015. Make It Your Business:
Engaging with the Sustainable Development Goals.

39. Further Reading
• European Commission. 2015. The Role of Science, Technology,
and Innovation Policies to Foster the Implementation of the
Sustainable Development Goals. Report of the Expert Group
"Follow-up to Rio+20, notably the SDGs". Brussels.
dx.doi.org/10.2777/615177
• United Nations Environment Programme. 2015. Policy
Coherence of the Sustainable Development Goals: A Natural
Resource Perspective. Nairobi.
• UN. 2015. Transforming Our World: the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development. New York: United Nations.
sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/transformingourw
orld

40. Further Reading
• Johan Oldekop et al. 2016. 100 Key Research Questions for
the Post-2015 Development Agenda. Development Policy
Review. Vol. 34, No. 1, pp. 55–82.

41. Videos
• ADB. 2015. The Global Reporting Initiative. Manila.
vimeo.com/122403072
• ——. 2015. The 2015 Sustainability Report. Manila.
vimeo.com/122403074
• ——. 2014. Green Growth: Toward More Sustainable
Development. Manila. vimeo.com/123079785
• ——. 2014. ADB's Environment Operational Directions, 2013–
2020. Manila. vimeo.com/123079786
• ——. 2014. The Debate on Degrowth. Manila.
vimeo.com/123079787

42. Videos
• ADB. 2014. What is Natural Capital? Manila.
vimeo.com/123828077
• ——. 2014. On Environmental Valuation. Manila.
vimeo.com/123828078
• ——. 2014. The Degradation of Ecosystems in Asia and the
Pacific. Manila. vimeo.com/123828081
• ——. 2016. The ADB Sustainable Development Timeline.
Manila. reflections.adb.org/
• ——. 2016. ADB: Reflections and Beyond. Manila.
vimeo.com/user26371068

43. Quick Response Codes
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Development Timeline
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