Technology in the Community

Earlier this month I was at the BITC Responsible Business Awards.  It was a spectacular event hosted at the O2 Arena to showcase the fantastic work being done by charities and companies. We all gathered for the reception event followed by a dinner and entertainment including Japanese Taiko drummers.What struck me about the event was the amount of technology being demonstrated including interactive displays and an exoskeleton that allowed a paralysed woman to walk. After finishing our dinner there was even a Google Cardboard virtual reality headset for attendees to try out. Appropriately the host of the Gadget Show, Jason Bradbury, was one of the presenters for the evening. He made an entrance by making his way through the audience on an electric skateboard.Fujitsu was a key sponsor for the event, as last year’s Responsible Business of the Year, which explained why some of the technology was being showcased. The CEO of Fujitsu, a company of Japanese origin, spoke about the symbolism of the Taiko drummers.I also met Clare Jones from what3words, a superbly innovative means of locating and addressing places that don't have an address.  The application is based on a sophisticated algorithm but is really simple to use and very effective. You can search any address in the world by using just 3 words. For example, our office address is ‘client.filed.truly’ which a lot shorter and possibly more accurate than 34 Artisan Place, Ladysmith Road, Harrow, HA3 5DS.I continue to be inspired by the work of pioneering corporations and individuals in the community. Though it seems this moment in time is a real opportunity for technology in the community. We’re seeing more and more technical innovations allowing corporations to engage even better with the community. It’s important we encourage the sector to continue adopting new technologies.Veolia was announced as Responsible Business of the Year 2016. They are one example of a corporation who has engrained sustainable business into the day-to-day working culture. No doubt they have a lot of celebrating to do, we’ll also be using this as an opportunity to celebrate the work of the corporations we work with.