People and Gap Director Tuduetso Mokgosi has underscored the crucial role that data plays in driving ESG Initiatives by allowing businesses to measure and report on their performance in areas critical to sustainable operations and ethical governance.
Mokgosi was speaking at the inaugural People and Data Africa Conference hosted at Royal Aria Convention Centre in Tlokweng, where delegates from six African countries convened to explore opportunities and trends in data, and how it can be used to solve some of the challenges faced within the region as a collective.
She stated that data allows businesses to measure the impact of their actions on the environment in order to make informed decisions to minimise the negative impact.
“In the environmental sector, it tracks carbon emissions, and manages natural resources more effectively. In the social sphere, data highlights inequalities in education, health, and income,
helping to create targeted interventions that improve quality of life for all. Governance relies on
data to ensure transparency, accountability, and efficiency in both public and private sectors and by analysing data, we can identify areas of improvement, track progress, and ensure that policies are effectively implemented and resources are adequately allocated,” she shared.
Privacy concerns, data silos, stringent government regulations and poor data literacy were cited as some of the threats to data uptake in the African continent. In the context of data silos, information is often isolated and inaccessible, preventing seamless access and integration of ESG data. Unfavourable data regulatory frameworks, uncertainty over data protection and a lack of confidence and ability in understanding and using data were also quoted as key contributors to Africa’s data scarcity.
In his remarks, the Minister of Communications, Knowledge and Technology Thulagano Segokgo acknowledged the importance of data and research in driving digital transformation and the Reset agenda.
He also emphasised the pressing need for policy reforms in order to make great strides and success in data management, close the gap in data inequalities and bolster intra- African digital trade, entrepreneurship, and digital innovation.
“It is in this regard that since 2018 several legislative and policy reforms have been taking place which saw the Data Protection Act come into operation in 2022,” he said.
Segokgo further informed that the Ministry of Communications is developing several policies to facilitate national data management, amongst which are: the Open Data, Open Science Policy, Traditional or Indigenous Knowledge Policy, as well as a Space Science Strategy.
“These policies will particularly work hand-in-glove in enabling start-ups and SMMEs to exploit traditional and indigenous knowledge systems in various fields especially medicine and food,” he said.
He also called for public-private collaboration to close the gap in data inequalities and drive socio-economic growth across the continent.
