Re-Connecting Human Capital with the Discourse of Digital Transformation to Achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

Digital transformation (DT) is a key driver of knowledge creation and economic growth. It empowers individuals, groups and organisations to find solutions to social and economic challenges. This paper will attempt to explore the importance of DT in the transformation of human capital towards achieving the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SD) and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In doing so, the paper will provide a summary of the key recommendations from the World Association for Sustainable Development’s (WASD) recent international conference held in London, United Kingdom, 1315 November 2023. Central to discussions was the need to create an enabling environment that encourages investment in DT and innovation and creativity to accelerate the pace of the UN’s Agenda 2030 for SDGs and the implementation of its 17 SDGs, currently half-way to its finishing line. More importantly the paper will outline the challenges facing DT in many countries and the need to support national agendas by facilitating the transition to a digital economy within the context of SDGs. Finally, the paper concludes with a discussion of the strategic and policy implications of these findings and provides recommendations.