Singapore Advances Plans to Become a Leading Innovation Digital Sustainability Hub in Southeast Asia

Singapore's Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) is collaborating with Microsoft to accelerate the development of innovative sustainable software solutions across industries in Singapore and beyond.

This first-in-the region private-public partnership will look to ensure that underlying software and applications are also sustainable in nature.

IMDA and Microsoft will share learnings, certification pathways, best practices, and standards for effective measurement and reporting of carbon emissions arising from software applications.

This partnership will look to advance the implementation of principles and tools for the development of green technologies.

IMDA and Microsoft will be developing a joint framework that outlines guidance for the development of sustainable software. The framework will be applied through the Singapore GreenTech Challenge, where local developers will be invited to build sustainable and carbon-aware applications that will contribute to the energy reset pillar of the Singapore Green Plan 2030.

The framework will also be shared globally when ready.

"Singapore is well-placed to lead in the digital sustainability space in Southeast Asia. This partnership will result in innovative digital sustainability solutions that can be applied to global businesses which will provide positive change to our global environment and create a sustainable future for all," said Mr Kiren Kumar, Deputy Chief Executive, Singapore's IMDA.

"Investing in the creation of sustainable, meaningful innovation today will be critical to creating broad economic growth for our future, and it's a journey that we as Microsoft cannot embark on alone," said Ms Lee Hui Li, Singapore Managing Director, Microsoft. "By igniting deep ecosystem partnerships across the public and private sector, I'm confident that our focus on sustainability will contribute to widespread human progress and improve the lives of all those around us, as we build a resilient, digitally inclusive Singapore."