Project "Digital Transformation and Sustainable Development": interview with Elena Dolgikh

International Laboratory for Digital Transformation in Public Administration continues a series of expert interviews within the framework of the project "Digital Transformation and Sustainable Development" under the leadership of Leading Research Fellow Anna Sanina. Research Fellow Aisylu Atayeva and Research Assistant Violetta Khomyakova interviewed Elena Dolgikh, PhD in Economics and Director General of SGM Agency. She is also the coordinator of the "Sustainable Development of Regions and Cities" project of the National Network of the UN Global Compact and a member of the Expert Council on non-financial reporting and ESG-indices. 

During the interview, Elena answered questions about the importance of promoting sustainable development principles and ESG-transformation in Russia. Researchers and Elena Dolgikh discussed the role of digital transformation and the formats of interaction between public authorities, business, and other stakeholders in achieving these goals. Elena Dolgikh also spoke about the importance of business involvement in the development of the ESG-agenda in Russia and its regions.

Elena Dolgikh noted that the Government of the Russian Federation has made significant progress over the past five years in implementing the sustainable development agenda at the federal level. Several regulations and key strategies have been adopted, such as the Low Carbon Development Strategy for the Russian Federation until 2050. Additionally, most of the 2030 Agenda's sustainable development goals align with Russia's national goals. However, despite these efforts, the effective implementation of sustainable development in Russia is still challenging without the active involvement of the regions. Unfortunately, Russian regions remain underrepresented in the implementation process.

In order for a region to be interested in participating in this process, it is important to understand what areas they can contribute to and how they can integrate into current management practices. For instance, how to incorporate sustainable development goals when creating strategies for socioeconomic growth, how to establish a system for reporting on the progress towards sustainable development objectives, and how to promote the adoption of green technologies and the development of a green economy within the region.

Elena Dolgikh also emphasized the importance of digital transformation and the use of digital tools in achieving sustainable development goals. She identified four key areas in this regard. First, the use of digital technologies for collecting and analyzing data, making management decisions, and automating management processes directly affects the efficiency of management. Second, the digitalization and automation of data collection allows for real-time monitoring of progress towards sustainable development goals. Third, digital technologies enable effective communication between the public, businesses, and authorities. Finally, implementing sustainable development projects such as waste recycling and green metallurgy is impossible without the use of digitalization, robotics, and modern technologies.